Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-11-19
CHAPTER XNIy.

CHAPTER ANIV.
A week had passed since Lady .Ailsu
and her daughter had reached Strathnarn.
1t WAS all just as they had left it. Faith
full old Margaret reigned Over the Grange.
Her wonder was great ut seeing them re-
turn, although she had been prepared for
ii; and it had all come about, she discov-
cred, because her young lady would not
marry Il duke, IL great nobleman, who was
dying" for her. To think that, after the
rich uncle had come all that way, after
promising to leave all his money to Miss
I4cnnoN. lie should send them back again!
1t was just the way of the world.
1sentriN wrote to her lover and told him
what had happened.
II regret it," she said, "only for my
mothers sake. AS for myself, 1 nm pleas
ed. as it proves two things-onc is the
depth of my love for you, the other that
you value me and not my fortune. You
must not picture me to yourself as pining
away here in exile, but as being happy in
my thoughts of you."
Yet mother and daughter did pine i'll
the solitude of S%trathnarn. Peter Len
noX hui %purposcly rcfraincd from Offer
ing his sister-iM-law II money at pres
ent. The few pounds that she had were
expended in travelling expenses, and in
purchasing a few indispensable articles.
The millionaire was resolved that his rcla-
tivcs should again know what living on
n hundred pounds per annum meant.
RcatriX had no cause to complain of a
dcarth Of letters. She had plenty: but
they were all of ono kind-rcproaching.
upbraiding. wondering. No one approved
except Lady Rayncr. The duchess pro-
fessed to be too angry to write.
|. at was wicked" she said, 'to throw
away such a fortune. For my own part,
/ must beg to express my most decided
diaspproval.'
Mrs. Garden wrote also, but her letter
was simply satirical. No one vouchsafcd
a kind word except Lady Rayncr.
There was 81 great sensation in London
amongst the friends who had loved the
brilliant young ~hciress-indeed, for many
days she formed almost the only topic Of
conversation. The millionaire had quar-
relied with his niece, and had destroyed
his will, had refused to speak to her again,
and she had gone back to the solitude
from which he had taken her.
Many were very sorry for her, for man
had admired the frank, honest candor
with which she had always spoken; many
men who had admired her greatly began
to hope that there might be a chance of
winning her. now that she was no longer
a great heircss. Many admirers thought
to themselves that they would follow her
to Strathnarn. Bcltran Carew had hast
encd with the news to his mother. She
listened in wonder.
"Bcltran." she said, knowing the world
AS l do, I am surprised ut your good for
tune. You are indeed n most lucky young
man.
THAT I am in winning my beautiful
Reatrix," he acknowledged, but surely
not in helping to ruin all her worldly
prospects" lie said. "Shc has lost her
fortune through me-"
But what love, what disintcrcstcd-
ness! How dearly she must love you,
Bcltrnn! / have never met with such
love. Such Il fortune to surrender! Mr..
Lennox is n millionaire, is he noty"
"Yes; but what cruelty to punish my
darling for loving me! What Il mani"
Mrs. Carcw sighed deeply. and then
she looked earnestly Mt her son.
"Rcltran," she asked, do you think
that Mr.. Lcnnox will persist in disinhcrit-
ing his niece because she loves you?"
YES" he replied, II am quite sure that
he will. Beatrix herself is firm, but her
trmness pnlcs before his"
II call it obstinacy," cried Mrs. Carcw,
impatiently. II would not paint that
mans portrait for n thousand guineas,
Beltran.'
Yet he has IL fine facc,' said Beltran,
~thnughtfully.
And n fine heart! Do not talk about
him, my dear; his conduct inccnscs me.
Beltran. you must go to Strathnarn and
bring Miss Lcnnox back. She must come
here and live with me, and her mother,
ton. l have room for both"
You are all that is kind, MOTHER" he
said; "but Miss LennOx, us you call her,
is proud: she would be very grateful to
YOU. l am quite sure, but she would not
come. She will live Mt Strathnarn until l
have n home ready for her."
What is MI. LennoX's objection to YOU,
Beltran!' she asked, holding her head
very high. and speaking in a tone that her
son well understood.
"He has many objections, mother. He
says, what is true. that l have no money:
also that I have no pedigree. I have never
heard you speak OF my fathers or my
grandfather's."
Her face cloudcd With somewhat of a
sullen expression.
Il did not love your father. Bcltran,"
she said, with n little impatient tan Of
her foot.
THAT was his loss, MOTHER" returned
her son.
ut was his WI fault she said. grave.
". Il will not talk about him: but your
pedigree is quite rs good as that of the
girl whom You love, Beltran. You. a
tell Mr.. Lennox that. Do you think thos
Miss Lennox will perseverc in her sacri-
fceT'
II do. mother" he replied.
I'VE will wait a few weeks and see il
she does" said Mrs. Carew. II repeat
that you will be one of the most fortunate
men in the world"
Peter Lennox, feeling most wretched
and miserable, hs1 gone back to Ercel-
dean. His drse proceeding was to send
for Mr.. Gunter. Of the well-known firm
OF Guatcr & smith-his solicitors-and