The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-10-27

u Neither Lord nor Lady Rayne raised
any objection to this plan.
They had come up for Nellie's we'd
ding, and, considering the course
events had taken, it was just as well
the family should leave town.
II have received letter from your
cousin Duke Lord Rayne remarked,
smiling as he handed the missive to
Nellie. ''He wants to spend few
weeks with us, before he goes back to
India"
''He won't W. tne country" Nellie
said, a painful flush rising to her
cheeks. Duke will not care to stay
with us, when he knows our move
ments."
Il shall write and tell him, my dear"
Lord Rayne replied; s'and II 1t will
give him pleasure to make one OF our
party, he will be more than welcome.
Nellie was silent.
She rather dreaded this meeting with
Duke
They had been boy-and-girl sweet
hearts, and Duke had declared, thou
sand times over, that nobody else
should ever be his wife.
"As soon as l get my captainship, l
shall claim my bride" he used to say
to her, when he was fresh from Sand
hurst, waiting for his commission. I
mean to be true to you, Nell, and,
whatever happens, shall never love
any one but you"
She had not considered this a bind
! ing engagement, although she had shed
some bitter tears on the day he set sail
4 for India.
Time had softened down the child
ish grief.
1 Years passed. working manifold
changes. and Captain TremaineDuke
returned, to find the girl he had
hoped to win for his wife. the prom
/ ised bride Of another.
"She has forgotten" he had thought,
4 bitterly. "She was only child-and
IL loved her with a love that was to
last lifetime"
He had gone to her with cold words
of greeting on his lips.
She should never know the love he
! had cherished for her all these years;
/ she had forgotten. and he-well, per-
haps, in time, he, too, might learn to
forget.
During the journey to Rayne Hurst.
+ Nellie scarcely uttered a word
A feeling of relief came over her
4 when she was alone in her own room-
Flinging off her hat and cloak, she
threw herself on her knees beside the
I bed and burying her face in her hands,
\ thought of all that had transpired
/ within the last few weeks.
How basely she had been deceived
And she had believed his false
words-listened to his earnest vows OF
/ loye-vows only uttered to dupe her
! trusting ignorance.
The blow had struck her terribly, it
was so hard to bear-it seemed as
though all the gladness had gone out
of her life, leaving only dark void
in it's place.
Her brief dream was shattered al
ready, and the hideous reality came
with a dull shock; her pride was crush
/ ed in the bitterness of her humiliation.
and her heart was broken.
For days she wandered about the old
4 country house, taking no interest in
what was passing around her-con-
\ scious only of her own blighted hap
piness.
4 The trees were bursting into bud
4 when CAPTAIN Tremaine came and tried
! to win her away from her sorrow.
His CHEEKY voice and bronzed, hand
some face seemed to brighten up the
old house, directly he entered within
4 its walls.
Nellie was the only one who did not
I appear to notice the change his pres
I ence made.
/ She shrank from the half-concealed
passion that lurked in his eyes, when
ever they dwelt on her, and returned
4 all the tender sympathy he bestowed
upon her, with chilling coldness
Notwithstanding the GOODNESS with
which she checked all his advances,
Duke hoped and waited. with a persis-
tent patience that amused Lady Rayne.
AS time went on, without bringing
4 any change in Nellie's conduct. Duke
lost some OF his brightness; and, driv-
en- to desperation, he resolved, at last,
to speak OF his love to Nellie, and learn
his fate from her, although lie felt
her answer would quench the faint
z hopes he still cherished.
II will put al end to this uncertaln'
ty." he thought. Things cannot &C
on like this forever If she won't
have me, shall go away"
He walked moodily to the window
and looked out.
1t was hard to have to give her up
harder than he had imagined it woulo
be-and yet he felt, from her manner
towards him, she would never care
for him now.
II wish / had never come back" ne
mused, gazing drearily out into the
long garden. Il loved her before, but
lately feel as if / cannot live with
out her. Good Heavens!" he added,
suddenly, Nellie is never going "a
i ride that brute, Hunter!'
He left the room. and hurried into
the grounds, where Nellie was pre-
pairing to mount horse one OF the
grooms was holding with great difl-
I Guilty; her own groom was ALREADY
mounted, and waiting, looking nan
frightened but not daring to lnterfere
with his young mistress
Nellie guessed why Duke had come
out and fearing he might stop her
she sprang lightly into her saddle
and passed through the gates.
In an instant Duke had darted Ior-