Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-03-12

The rosary ut Gardenhurst was the
fairest spot in all that fair demeAne.
Over arch and lattice aud trellia the
heavy headed blooms rioted In u bewil-
derment OF pink and white. crimson and
cream, forming glorious canopy above
the severely trimmed rosebushes that
glowed like gigantic bouquets on either
side Of the winding paths
But Enid Eta Roy saw neither the
flowers about her, nor the surrounding
woods, nor the clear summer sky above
all. Tall aud slender. che stood like
statue among the roses, with the folds
of her muslin frock falling .straightly
about her, and her fair face somber and
troubled beneath the wide brim Of her
garden hat She was a very pretty girl
and should have been very happy one,
for happiness ought to BIO the natural
sequence of beauty and wealth..
The oval of her face, that should have
been wreathed In smiles, was pale and
drawn. The small. curved mouth was
pressed together In an effort to suppress
childish desire to cry The sweet eyes
were hidden by the white, lowered lids
in either sorrow or indifference, while
the full throated birds sang on and the
gay roses swung like perfumed oensers
in the light air.
How could she heed or care for birds
or flowers, when her whole heart was
away in the dim library of the old man,
sion behind her, when her brain ached
In the effort to guess at the words and
gestures that were passing there among
the frowning family portraits and the
great oak bookcases, for at that moment
Dick Lindsay was telling his loves and
hopes to Lord Hunston, the stern man
whom fate had given her for an uncle
and guardian. Ends fond heart told
her what her lover would say, how hard
he would plead, how handsome he would
look, but--her uncle? Would he relax,
would he permit himself to be moved,
would he-consent? And In tho effort to
materialize the faroff scene Enid grew
pale and trembled like wind tossed
lily.
Hurried footsteps among the roses
reused her from her reverie at last, and,
turning, she saw her lover speeding to.
ward her.
"Dicki" she cried in welcome, rum
ming to him and with her set face break.
ing into joyous smiles. Then little
moan escaped her, and she grew white
M her gown, for one glance at Dick
Lindsay's eyes told her he had failed.
uDarIing M f,rst boned for mo.
cess {" said Dick when Enid had regain.
ed some degree Of self control and the
lovers had wandered from among the
iarrino f,are of the brilliant flower gar
dem In the friendly shadows Of the wood
..yur uncle heard me- without inter-
r,ption and even smiled once or twice.
told him Of nv prospects. how the
mortgage was nearly maid off the Knoll.
and how sbould be able to live there
in another wear. I referred him to Taps-
son and .Jenlrins that he might verify
INV abatement M to how well the farms
were let. i proved to him that was
financially in a positiou TO aspire 10
your hand. filled with fortunes rift M
IL Ia -
"And he said',-- murmured Enid.
lifting her tear washed ewes 10 Dicks
handsome face.
.He said--notbine. That was tho
worst mart of IL. Enid. If he had ONLY
advanced arguments. 1 might have de-.
feated them ~ he had given nm opinion
I might have challenped IL. But he Qaye
me no loopbole for speech. He unlocked
n small drawer In his bureau--you
know the one that has carved voblins'
beads all over it--and nulled ont from
amid n sbeaf of papers ono that was
folded twice and Was tied with tape"
~ know---I know: the copy OF nv
father's will. +" cried Enid. "maile be.
fore I was born. "
"Je oDened tho manner and nushed II
acroas the bnrean IN mo. marlfinu with
n nail dent the nassa0e I should read -
"Ob don't rcncot il. don't saw itp,
walled the girl uniting her hands over
her ears. ma thouyb To abut ont hated
sounds. don t / know too well that my
marriage was fixed for me from the be-
ginning, and that my father, on his
deathbed. willed that IL his only and
posthumous child should be daughter
she should, on her twenty first birthday,
be affianced to the only son of his dear.
est friend, Lord Errington? Oh, il was
O cruel thing to do"
"Crueler still, nv darling, to ordain
that IL at the date Of your majority
Lionel Errington were alive and unmar.
ried and you should refuse to become
his wife, you should BIO deprived Of youl
inheritance for five years and should
even not be allowed to live In your own
house Those shameful paraQrapba were
all INV answer. Your uncle then bowed
me from the room, only sarcastically
begging my presence at your birthday
ball next week, during which he intends
to announce your engagement to young
Errington.
A hot flush stained Enid's white skin
and dried the tears on her checks IN she
drew herself from Dicks encircling