Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-01-06

~ 1aJgASS with a hopeless
&SrS|~B feeling that he
eE9 would gain nothing
by it, that he would
only vex himself
by the sight of the other fellow phllan-
dering after the girl he had loved all
his life. She'll find him out after
Bit" he said to himself, "and then
she'll know how to value man who
means every word-ay, and more than
every word-that he says"
In the meantime Dick Aylmer went
on and turned in at the Hospitality
open gate of GraVeleigh Hall, with the
assured air of one who knows before
hand what his welcome would be. as
Miss Dimsdale at homer" he asked Of
Barbara, who came to the door in an
swer to his knock.
II am not sure, sir" Barbara an
swered. But she may be in the gar
den-I'll find out, sir, in a minute"
She disappeared again, leaving him
there, and then man ran out from
the side of the house, to take the
horses head: and before Barbara ap-
peared again, Dick heard light foot
step on the gravel, and Dorothy her
self, wearing blue dress and white
sailor hat, came into sight. "Oh! Mr..
Harris" she cried, in such a joyous
tone that Dicks heart fairly thumped
in response. II had no idea that you
were here. 1 wonder how it was l did
not hear the wheels. Come and be in
troduced to my aunt; she is here, round
| this shrubbery-we always sit here in
the hot weather; the sight Of the sea
helps to keep one cool. Auntie," she
continued, not giving him time to say
word, this is Mr. Harris. whom
met at Lady James, who brought me
home that day, you know" then, turn
ing to Dick, she said, This is my
aunt, Miss Dimsdale."
am very pleased to see you, Mr..
Harris" said Miss Dimsdale, holding
out her hand in frank and gracious
welcome. Miss Dimsdale had the
somewhat stiff manners of the last
generation, or, l might say, Of the
first half of the century, but in her
own house she was always more genial
than in any other place, and Dick
Aylmer shook hands with her and
felt-well, that a very fate was fol-
lowing him in his acquaintance with
Dorothy Strobe, for here he was again
forced, as 1t were, to be known as Har-
ris, when all the time his real name
was Aylmer, and how was he to tell
the old lady that some one or other
had made mistake-that is, without
giving himself the look of an impos-
ter? Like lightning there flashed
through his mind an idea that if Lady
Jane had mistaken him for somebody
else. she had really no guarantee Of
his responsibility, and with equal rap
idity there shot through his brain a
remembrance of his uncle's letter, his
uncle's threats and his uncle's unyield-
ing, unbendable-yes, l must be hon
est and finish up the sentence as Dick
thought this uncle's unyielding, I'M
bendable, devil of a temper. And so,
not from any Contrivance or wish Of
his own, Dick, in that awkward mo-
ment, let the mistake pass, and al
lowed the two ladies at Gravelelgh
Hall to believe that his name was, as
they had imagined, Harris.
In behavior he was very judicious;
he talked more to the aunt than to the
niece, although his eyes followed her
wherever she went in a way which told
Miss Dimsdale all too plainly what
had brought him there.
But, judging by his serene and sober
conversation with Miss Dimsdale, you
might have thought that Dick was
sixty instead of six-and-twenty, and
Miss Dimsdale was charmed with him.
"Such a thoughtful, sensible fellow"
she said to herself as she watched
him presently go across the lawn with
Dorothy to see her Persian kittens,
Just at that time the very pride and
joy of her heart. Ay, but men were
deceivers ever, sometimes quite I'M
conscious though it be. At that mo-
ment Dick was saying to Dorothy,
"And l thought the week would never
get over-the very longest week ever
lived"
Then why didn't you come be-
fore?" she asked, with innocent au-
dacity.
Come before! But you said that /
wasn't to come till this week." he an
swered. Besides, l didn't know-I
wasn't sure that l mightn't get bum
died out neck and crop when 1 did
come. Oh no, l didn't want to run
the risk of that"
DO you often get bundled out neck
and crop when you go to call at
hOuses?" Dorothy inquired demurely
and with a saucy twinkle in her eye.
mo, l don't" he replied with a
laugh. But l have known what it
was to have a decided cold shoulder,
and l didn't want to find 1t here"
And you have not. l think Auntie
has been particularly nice to you" she
said, as she opened the door leading
into the stable.
Dick put his hand out to open the
door also, and in doing so just touched