The western recorder., 1898-02-24
INTERNATIONAL p~zss ASSOCIATION.

I'll I release you from your promise" !"
Miss Dorothy" said Barbara. sniff
iing. Il promise. but surely you know
II isn't necessary
mo. Barbara, no." soothingly, "but
1t is best to say all first. isn't It?
First. do you know that this house
all belongs to Mr.. David Stevenson? ?"
ITO David Stevenson burst out
Barbara. Indignantly tshe had known
David from little boy and detested
him always). "Bnt. Miss Dorothy.
surely the dear mistress never let him
get round her to that extent?"
NO, no. cried Dorothy. but Auntie
had to sell the Hall to somebody. and
she sold 1t to David. and l never knew
IT till he told me yesterday"
Then think. Miss Dorothy" cried
Barbara. in dignified disgust. that he
might have had the decency to walt
a day or two before he told you"
No. Barbara. you are too hard on
David. He has been very kind and
considerate to me-most kind and con-
siderate. indeed. But he Just had to
tell me. he couldn't very well help him
self. or course. he does not want to
turn us out-he-he wouldn't mind II
We stopped here for years; but then.
you see. Barbara. am engaged to Mr..
Harris. and-and this no place for
me-"
Does Mr.. David know" Barbara in
quired.
Not yet; and that is what wanted
to tell you. You see. Barbara. Mr.. Har-
ris is very awkwardly placed. He has
a relation who insists that he does not
get married because he would not mar
ry some rich girl or other that they
wanted him to marry. And. OF course.
he wants to marry me. and he means
to-"
"Yes?"- said Barbara, intensely in-
terested in this very romlntic situa-
tlon. Yes. Miss Dorothy well?"
well. Barbara dear. We 2r- going
to be married quietly" said Dorothy,
edging her chair trlfle nearer to the
elderly woman's chair. without letting
anybody know. do you see?"
without any of the folk round
about knowing?" Barbara asked
Just so. II won't be for always,
you know, Barbara-only until Dick
comes into his property; and he hasn't
asked me to do anything but exactly
what he had made up his mind to ex-
plain to Auntie, and ask her to give
her consent to. And ! feel sure she
would have done so. dear Auntie, for
she did get so fond of Dick
YES. she did" Barbara agreed.
But miss Dorothy. you are sure II Will
be done properly-that you'll be mar
ried in church and have your lines.
and all that?"
You are to see me married, Bar
bara." Dorothy answered. simply: "Mr.
Harris says So"
And after that Barbara gave her con-
sent, SO to speak. and promised to be
true to her trust and stand by her
dear Miss Dorothy as long as she lived.
"I think the dear mistress would be
glad II she knew. Miss Dorothy"
"She did know, Barbara said Doro-
thy. with n tender smile shining
through her tears.
1t was so sad to have so little Joy in
her engagement and her coming mar
riage. and yet. You mustn't think that
hOh iONt tlitu "
bara, when she had another passionate
burst of grief over the dead woman
lying above. Il do love him with all
my heart. and know that / shall be
quite, quite happy by-and-by. But II
is all so sudden. SO strange and new:
everything is going from me at one
stroke. and after we go away from
Graveleigh | shall have nothing but
you to remind me OF the past at ALL
Why. | don't know. | am not at all
sure that everything here does not
belong to David. Perhaps he can even
take my Lorna Doonc away and-and
even drown her"
Nay, nay. Mr., David won't want to
do that" returned Barbara, soothingly.
Besides, Lorna never did belong to