Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-10-13
Won by Waiting.
tBYt
EDNA LYALL

EDNA LYALL~

| "That is very good OF you" said
/ Lady Worthington, "but J am not
/ cutie sure that | could trust you,
| Claude. | believe you would ruin
me-you would not buy anything that
was not highly artistic. But if you will
! walk in with me we might really
manage something together"
So the matter was arranged, and
/ Lady Worthington and her companion
started at once on their snowy expe-
/ ditlon rather enjoying the novelty Of
/ trndging along country roads, with
keen north wind driving the snow
/ fakes in their faces. They shopped
continuously for two hours, and ii
was quite dusk before they turned
home again; but buying Christmas
presents is firing work, and the air
was intensely cold. Lady Worthing
ton paused inyoluntarily as they
passed the gateway Of the Wears
/ Court
What do you say to a cup Of tea,
Claude, and just a few minutes by
/ fire, before we leave the town. / am
sure the dean would be delighted to
see YOU and Mrs. Mortlake's tea Is
excellent"
Claude thought the idea a good
one, and certainly it was relief
even to stand in the shelter of the
| deanery porch for the night was bit
tarly cold.
When the door was thrown open,
pretty picture was revealed. The
hall was brightly lighted the tiled
| floor was strewn with holly and ever
green Bertha stood in the back
ground struggling with some tough
sprays of yew, while Esperance sat at
the top of pair of steps putting
the finishing touches to a wreath for
one of the pictures.
She sprung down in great hurry
on seeing the visitors, and Lady Wor-
thington kissed her affectionately,
while Claude looked and wondered.
His Mariana" was gone! this glow
ing-complexioned child of the south,
with her innocent wayy hair and her
bright eyes, was not Mariana" at all,
Was It possible that it was indeed
Esperance?
He still gazed and wondered. Els
perance half put ont her hand, then
drew It back, a little vexed that he
had 50 evidently forgotten her,
my uncle will he delighted - see
YOU. Mr.. MaEnay," she said, with
charming little touch Of hauteur.
Claude started as If from a dream,
land the two shook hands warmly.
"a thousand pardons'-but you are
so altered that hardly recognized
! you
"Ah' it is my short hair, said Els
Ipcrance. coloring and laughing.
! Claude did not contradict her, but
/ in reality 1t was the change In her
Expression which he meant Mari
lara" had fascinated him, but this
was something far higher! He
Ilonged for fresh opportunities of
studying her face, so bewitching.
whether in its sweet gravity or its
Smiling radiance and animation
"T hope you have good accounts Of
vcur brother" he said dolighting in
I the swift kindling of the eyes at his
words
eyes. Gasrard is very WE'LL she
replied "T hear from him every
week such long letters, too, almost
|nke q journal"
/ And does he like his work.
Very much indeed. He has 10
s.,,, .,ri,t,nd Tho goolies Won know
and see that they work we'll; he is
out of-doors all day long, and Is get
ting so strong and well again. l
always feel when I read his letters
how very much we owe to you and
I Sir Henry Worthington; | have al
ways longed to tell you how very.
very grateful I was, and Gaspard
told me Il was quite your doing that
he came to Rilchester-it was so good
81 you TO send him; 1t made the part
Ing so much less bitter"
There was deep gratitude in her
expression, just touched with sadness,
then in moment she smiled again,
that pure, radiant, winning smile
Claude felt as II he were in some deli
cious dream-he made some brief re-
sponse he hardly knew what. and
then Esperance spoke again
There Is tea in the drawing room,
will you not come i'm you must De
very cold after your long walk"
Claude rubbed his snowy shoes on
the mat and followed her into the
almost onnrcssiycly hot drawing
room, where ne was warmly received
hy the rest Of the family. He was
rayomte with the dean and was at
once pounced upon 20 listen 70 some
truE about the planet Mars and
some late improvements which had
been made IN the telescope. and FOR
tunately the dean was too much on
crossed TO notice that Claude's an
Iswcrs were vague and monosyllahic
|or TO perceive thee he was hestow-
ing all his attention on Fsperance
lie did not speak to her much
more that evening Lady Worthinc-
. t7n soon rose 20 go. and he was glad
ia bpor bnY, CIV IA Tsnar1prn ,,yya