The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-12-01

'ofo ". NV f0o1 L vi tlliiiS5 Iliti
been hitherto SO entirely kept out
of her life, that she dreamed but
seldom, and then very vaguely, of
such q consummatiOn ever reach
ing her. She had been very hap
py this winter, but she did not ask
herself why, till suddenly there
came that.schange in her, a change
80 noticeable, that even Mrs. Bar
rington observed it, and discussed
its possible meaning with Warne.
Lester, himself, had quite made
up his mind. She was in love
with the lawyer, Mr.. Montagu.
Montagu was still young, hand-
some, and poor. She feared that
her mother would object, and
dreaded to let the truth be known.
Just as she was prepareing to
leave town, Lester came to her one
day, and announced his intention
of making q trip to California.
She received the news with such
unfeigned satisfaction, that he
nearly lost his senses, and set off
the very next day, to Mrs. Barring
tons undisguised despair.
He did not come back, and sell
dom wrote. It was:September be-
! fore he returned. He was recalled
by a letter from MI. Montagu, re-
minding him that he would only
have time to reach the East before
his majority would arrive.
cit is necessary that you should
be punctual,' the lawyer said,
"because Mrs. Conyers contem-
plates voyage to Europe and de-
sires definitely to settle all affairs
connected with her guardianship
before her departure "a matter
rendered the more imperative be-
cause [ also expect to be absent
from New York for several months.
! Our house is engaged for a lawsuit
in the case of an American estab-
lished in ST. Petersburg, and I
have been deputed to go over and
attend to it,
It was not difficult, as Warne
told himself, bitterly, "to put two
and two together;" and a letter
from Mrs. t.. Darlington, which
reached him at the same time, aid
ed his faculties considerably in
that attempt at multiplication
, She wrote that it Was rumCred Mr.
: Montagu was 20 be married. 4
, for Elsie, what allied her was be
, yond her mothers comprehension
r but she was evidently guarding
} some secret, and living in fear 0
i her parents discovering it, AM
t Mrs. Darlington was nearly fran
D tic.
k Of course, under such favorabl
S circumstances for behaving like
donkey, no masculine could hay
d resisted the opportunity. Leste
O stayed in California till autumn
= and went mad with rage and jea.
= ousy sixteen times each day.
d It was toward the close of SeE
II tember afternoon, that he ono
10 more found himself driving alon
h the well-remembered avenue
Beechcroft. He had reached Ne
i, York on the previous evening, ha
le disdained to call upon Mr.. Mont'
20 gu, and in the morning set out c
le bis journey up the Hudson. LIE
is ter after letter had reached hi
t. from the lawyer, but had receive
N no answer. AT last Mr.. Montas
Id wrote:
i. "You are delaying my marriag
I'd embarrassing Mrs. Conyers beyol
measure. / must leave Ameri
,h before the end Of September.
rs. this letter meets with 40 respons
tn we shall leave your affairs in t
ne care of my partner.
"a So, Oh Warne came, more
is torture himself by the sight
ct. their, happiness, than for any otf
ds reason.
in He was at the house. He "
oe- in the library. Mrs. Conyers h
ch started up at sight Of him: a
was trying to speak some words
me welcome. She had left off
BILE black, and it seemed to him tt
th- the gray dress made her lc
scI changed, and unlike herself.
ter He tried to be completely at
US ease; began dozen subjects, 6
his never finished sentence. WI
he perceived his utter failure
lad doing the dignified and indiffere
mi he turned sull1y, and said seve
.oes provoking things, man-like.
der took no notice. She talked pie
boy antly. At last, she pointed to
line papers scattered about the ta
has and said:
h as II was just going over these
yer- order to send them to YOU.