Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-03-04
HARE AND HOUNDS.

noavy neaded blooms r1Oted IN a DEVIL
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 Fitz Roy saw neither the
flowers about her, nor the surrounding
woods, nor the clear summer sky above
all Tall and slender, she stood like a
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 very pretty girl
and should have been very happy one,
for happiness ought to be 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 vgas
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 perfuned censers
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 Enid's 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 the effort to
materialize the faroff scene Enid grew
pale and trembled like wind tossed
lily.
Hurried footsteps among the roses
reused her from her reyerie at last, and,
turning, she saw her lover speeding to-
ward her.
''Dickp' she cried in welcome, run
ming to him and with her set face break
ing into joyous smiles. Then a little
moan escaped her, and she grew white
as her gown, for one glance at Dick
Lindsay's eyes told her he had failed.
Darling, at first I hoped for sue
cess, said Dick when Enid had regain
ed some degree of self control and the
lovers had wandered from among the
jarring fare of the brilliant flower gar
den in the friendly shadows of the wood.
''Your uncle heard me without inter
ruption and even smiled once or twice.
l told him of my prospects, how the
mortgage was nearly paid off the Knoll,
and how should be able to live there
in another year. referred him to Tape
son and Jenkins that he might verify
my statement as to how well the farms
were let. I proved to him that was
financially in a position to aspire to
your hand, filed with fortunes gift as
it is. I"
And he said murmured Enid,
lifting her tear washed eyes to Dick's
handsome face.
He said-nothing. That was the
worst part of it, Enid. If he had only
advanced arguments, might have de-
feated them, if he had given an opinion
! might have challenged it. But he gave
me no loophole for speech. He unlocked
small drawer in his bureau-you
know the one that has carved goblins'
heads all over it--and pulled out from
amid sheaf of papers one that was
folded twice and was tied with tape. "
81 lnow-I know; the copy Of my
fathers will, " cried Enid, ''made be-
fore l was born.
He opened the paper and pushed it
across the bureau to me, marking with
nail dent the passage l should read. y
"Oh, don't repeat it; don't say itP'
walled the girl, putting her hands over
her ears, as though to shut out hated
sounds "Don't I know too well that my
marriage was fixed for me from the be-
ginning, and that my father, on his
deathbed, willcd that if 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, it was
a cruel thing to do.
"Crueler still, my darling, to ordain
that if at the date of your majority
Lionel Errington were alive and unmar-
ried, and you should refuse to become
his wife, you should be deprived of your
inheritance for five years and should
even not be allowed to live in your own
house. Those shameful paragraphs were
all my answer. Your uncle then bowed
me from the room, only sarcastieally
begging my presence at your birthday
ball next week, during which he intends
to announce your engagement to young
Errington. :"
A hot flush stained Ends white skin
drew herself from Dicks encircling
arms and faced him i'll the narrow path
way.
"Dick Lindsay, when, six months ago,
/ gave you my heart and my love, gave
them for all time, and not to take them
back at the written word of a man
whom never knew, who was dead be-
fore lived. On my birthday I will, il
needs be, leave Gardenhnrst and go out
into the world to earn my livelihood
until the time of my probation is past.
But say now, as have said before,
will marry no man but you-if you will
have me, Dick.
Her voice. which had rung out Sc
bravely, quivered and broke, and she
put out two trembling hands to her log-
er and crept to his heart like a sired
child
AS he soothed her the distant roar 0i
a gong thrilled through the quiet woods
81 must go, . sighed the girl. Zone
more week of this life, and then-then
l shall be freel All, don't look at that,
Dickl l mean what say. shall bs
ready to leave this place in week /"
"But, Enid, my love, where will you
goY What will become of you?"
one snOOK ner Dlond head- i don
quite know. must think.
Dick Lindsay fixed his dark eyes in
tently on her for a moment, as he
thought he would read her very soul.
Dearest, is there any one about you
who is trustworthy-who will give you
letter if write one?"
''Susan Ramsdale. my maid, is hon
est and loves me. Send to me through
her. .
A moment later Enid's white gowr
was fiuttering over the lawns and ter
races homeward
Miss Fitz Roy's majority was being
celebrated in truly seigneurial fash
iop- From early morning the shows an(