The Yale expositor., 1898-03-04


being realized. AS the father of Lady
Caraven, people thought it worth their
while to conciliate him. He was in
vited to houses which before this mar
riage he had never hoped to enter; lie
had been made welcome in the drawing
rooms of Belgravia and Mayfair. What
was even better, his practice was in
creasing. Arley Ransome was hap
py man.
He was shown into the library where
the young countess sat alone, royalty
beautiful, in a close fitting dress of
black velvet-velvet that fell in rich
folds and swept the ground around
her. The charming head and face
were set off by the dark drapery; she
held book in her hands, but she had
not read one word it contained. She
looked up when her father entered, and
he was struck by the dependency of
her young face, the WEAKNESS of the
dark eyes, the dropping attitude. He
went up to her, and, as usual, COM
well, so beautiful, he must say, and
what SUCCESS she had achieved.
No smile answered-the WEAKNESS
and the dependency deepened. He took
a seat by her side, and told her all
that he thought would interest her
most. Was she listening? He did
not Fnow, for she made no reply. Sud-
DENY, and the shock Of it quite star
tled him-she raised her eyes to his
face.
Father" she said, do you know
what manner of man this is to whom
you have sold me?"
"My dear Hildred, hush! Pray be
more guarded in your speech"
II repeat, do you know what manner
OF man my husband is?"
ooh, now you put the question in
better form, l can answer 1t. You
really should not use the word Sold as
though you were a slave; we do not
sell people in England"
She laughed-surely the most dreary,
the saddest laugh that ever fell from
such young lips.
Eve will not dispute about a word,
papa. Answer my question-do you
know what manner of man my hus-
band is?"
81 know the earl is considered a
very handsome, fascinating man by all
who are acquainted with him." he re-
piled.
"Handsome!" she repeated, sorrow
fully. what has that to do with it?
Do you know that he is utterly incor-
rigible-that he spends his days and
nights in playing and betting-that he
comes home at sunrise-that he neg
lects every duty"
Little foibles, my DEAR" he replied
quickly; you must not think too much
of them"
She folded her hands and they lay
listlessly on her dress.
Little foibles, papa? If men call
those things little foibles / should like
to know what you consider great
sins?"
I'VE will waive that, my dear-it is
not a matter for discussion" said the
lawyer, almost wishing that he had
not called on that particular morn
ing.
But she was not to be silenced.
did you know what he was when
you allowed me to marry him?" she
continued.
81 knew that he was Lord Caraven-
and surely that was enough-a peer of
the realm, a man of ancient descent"
did you know that he liked gam
bling and betting better than anything
else in the world?" she asked.
Mere foibles. All men have their
weaknesses-those are his. You must
have patience, my dear"
"Did you know" she continued.
''that he does not even like me. and
never did,"
Nonsense, Hildred! You have all
that you require" he said, hastily.
"And dead heart" she murmured-
"a dead hearth Papa, did you remem-
Der that was young, and that youth
lives on lover"
"Nonsense!" he replied. "You have
grown sentimental through having
nothing to do, Hildred."
''It was cruel thing, this marriage.
I was so young-I might have been
spared. II was a cruel deed"
MY dear Hildred," said Arley Ran
some, growing alarmed, II did not do
ceive you. / never told you that Lore
Caraven loved you. He asked you to
be his wife; there was nothing said
about love-"
you told me that / could live with
out It." she said, in a low voice.
'T did" he assented.
She struck her hands together with
passionate fervor.
II can not" she cried. Heaven
help me. can not. My heart is emp
ty. my heart Is dead, my life is vain.
You deceived me when you told me
that. You, my father, who should
have saved me-who should have
taught mo better-you deceived me,
and wish that I were dead"