Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-02-09

fatncr were bidding rair to become such
| friends. As to the change IN my own
| circumstances
THAT matters little" she said. Il
loved Philip Norris-I shall love Laurence
Estmere."
For which assertion I thanked her in
the only possible way.
l stayed at Cheltenham for a week:
during which Claudne and l settled the
month, il not the day. when we were to
be married. Then l went back to Derby
shire.
l saw very little Of my father and
mother. While l was absent they had
settled upon going abroad for two or three
months. They were to so alone. Even
Valentine was not to accompany them,
but when they came back they were to
come back to Estmere Court.
l told them what had arranged with
Claudine. My father assented to my
wishes as though the matter had been
foreseen all along. He only stipulated
that Estmere Court should be our home.
II I should have preferred commencing
housekeeping on my own account, dared
not hint at such a thing-in my case, my
mothers appealing eyes would have
turned the scale.
So they left us. My mother, in spite
of her snow-white hair, looking as fair
as a bride bound on her honeymoon. I
told her so. and she blushed as vividly
as a young girl might blush.
Valentine and l were commissioned to
see that everything Mt Estmere Court
was in readiness for their return. We
spent many delightful days in our future
home. We reveled in the long hidden
treasures which were brought TO light,
and carefully checked off on u bulky
inventory brought down by one of Mr..
Grace's young men. Cabinets Of the
rarest porcelain, chests of exquisite old
plate. hundreds and hundreds of price
less treasures accumulated by a long line
of men of taste. To watch all these
brought out of their hiding-places. and,
at the command and pleasure Of gen.
tleman sent from London for the pur-
pose. arranged in their proper stations in
cabinets, was indeed a labor of love to
Valentine and to me.
Claudine and l were married very quiet
ly at Cheltenham, and then went off for
long, rambling, delightful honeymoon,
moving from place to place at our own
sweet will, and with no purpose except to
enjoy ourselves. When we thought we
had neglected our friends at home as long
as we dared, we turned our faces to our
new home. Estmere Court.
Rothwell made one more journey, wrote
one more book; then retired on his laur-
els. He has done up, and in fashion
refurnished. Mirfed, but, after all, he
spends more time at Estmere Court
than at home. He is essentially the
friend Of the family-always welcomed
when he arrives, regretted when he de-
parts. There is no Lady Rothwell; and, |
to the best of my belief, there will be !
none. His title will die with him, and |
he will leave his broad lands to Valentine |
but may that day be far distant.
I will not forget to add that kept my
promise to the dying woman, Mrs. Mer-
ton. Although did not care to see them
again, and although l kept the source
of their suppliey secret. the boy and
'f-t W Ire, 1ockeA after butiJ the latter
Id sno0n iUrns>t 4 81 ipf...eac "A o :
ne defendant Iwig Eaosriedine. :
2 I faif VI; q earsI EEas dltrHant iml
Lastly, my A-'ef and nss..:,..-I--.
must speak of them together. 1t is I'M
possible now to disassociate them.
Ciaudine cites his tenderness and devo-
tion to nv mother whenever she 10
plea sed to accuse me of neglecting any
| thing due to her as my wife. If the
| aftermath can atone for the ruined har-
| vest, my mother will call her life happy
one. He seems unable to bear her abb
sence for an hour. 1t is only when she
| is with him that his smile is perfectly
| happy one Her every wish is fore
stalled. her every thought anticipated.
| Everything must be done for her COM
| fort and delight He will not enter pup
lie life, because its duties would take
him from her side. In the struggle foi
such fame l am to be his delegate. Ches'
hams name he has never breathed. lie
does not know that Rothwell and | wit
messed that fearful act of justice. yer
ily believe that during the time he was
taking his revenge he knew nothing: thai
he acted as n somnambulist might have
acted, that the tragedy faded from hi
memory, or that it had never been fully
impressed on it. Rothwell and talked i
over. and came to the conclusion that onl!
two people in the world knew the particu
lars of Chesham's fate. Sir Laurence
Estmere. though accountable for it
knew nothing of what his hand had done
We live quiet life at Estmere Court
NV father and mother feel that tn
friends of their youth have drifted on
of sight, and they have now arrived a
that Gge when new friendships are rarel
made. Ny fathers position in the count
compels him to mix to a certain extent Il
society. The obligations of courtesy ar
. amply fulfilled, and there the matte
ends.
There are times when l watch mir
anxiously-when l feel that if the past
obliterated, or forced aside, its traces ar
still left. Even now he is scarcely pas
the prime of life, yet in many things h
is an old man. | notice change ever
{ time | return to Estmere Court after a
interval of absence. and my heart fee
sad, as something tells me that man
> years will not elaspse before my fathe
and mother must bid each other adie
forever-when the treasure saved at Ia:
5 from the wreck of their former happ
ness must be assigned; when ! shall st
v that sweet, grave face smile no NOR
e when those eyes which have alway
looked on me with love shall be close
U forever.
!! Heaven grant that l deceive mysel
The day which makes me Sir Laurent
e Estmere will he the darkest and bitters'
e day my life has known.
CThr end.)