Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-11-10

most earnestly beg that you will al
low me to speak TO her. With regard
TO money considerations, you already
Nnow that | am not rich, but | am in
receipt of a small yearly income from
invested capital and am making a
good deal by my pictures, SO that !
think we could live very comfortably,
and | would insure my life or do any
thing you like. | shall await your re-
ply very anxiously. My request is a
very great one; but l know you too
well not to feel certain that you viii
grant it, If there is no real obstacle
in the way
Yours most truly,
Claude Magnay.
Rochester, 5th June, 1878"
Gaspard's face was strange mix
ture of thankfuness, joy, and regret
when he put down the letter. He liked
Claude exceedingly, and felt that he
could give Esperance to han more
willingly than to most men, but in
any case her marriage would involve
a certain sense of loss to himself,
There could be no happy visions of a
home in Ceylon now. But Gaspard
had unlearned his selfishness in a
hard school, and he loved Esperance
far too much not to rejoice in this
prospect of happiness for her. Be
fore the Sunday was over he had writ
ten brotherly letter to Claude, in
closing another to be given to Els
/ M WI nr hn 70
and somehow the more he thought
over this new suggestion the more
he liked it, nor had ne much doubt
what Esperance's answer would be-
CHAPTER XXXII.
By the end of July the family at the
deanery were all at home again. the
dean seemed much better for his
stay in Germany and Mrs. Mortlake
had recovered her spirits, TOO; it was
only Cornelia who was permanently
altered by that time of grief and
shame, and self-reproach. She never
lost the lines of sadness which gath
cred then around her firm, compressed
/ lips, but the expression rather soft
ened her face than otherwise
1 Bertha's marriage had now of
4 course been published 1t was gem
4 orally known in chichester that she
had been married abroad to her
\ cousin, but that her family did not
approve of the connection, so the sub
4 ject was avoided with the Collinsons,
and, with the exception of Claude
1 Magnay, none but the very nearest
! relatives ever heard the real story.
Claude waited impatently through
/ those summer months for Gaspard S
reply to his letter, working hard at
his painting and alternating between
\ hope and despair. At length one
morning he found the long-eXpected
letter on his breakfast-table; 1t was
all that he could possibly wish; Gas
pard was apparently pleased and
gratitied by his proposal, and wrote
most affectionately Claude's happi-
ness was complete-his long waiting
had been rewarded; he would lose no
more time. He rang the bell at once
and ordered the "angel-page" to call
a hanson, then unable TO touch his
| breakfast, he rushed up to his room,
tossed few clothes into a portman-
| teau and in ten minutes was on his
way to the station to catch an early
| train to the north.
The journey rather quieted him
down. By the time the fiat barren
plain warned him that he was near
/ chichester, he had become far less
/ hopeful and confident, and when the
magnificent pile of the cathedral ap-
peared in the distance, dark mass
against the blue sky, he even began to
/ feel doubtful as 10 the wisdom OF
going TO the deanery at all Should
/ he write to her instead? He sent his
/ portmanteau to the Spread Eagle, and
walked slowly away from the station.
/ Rilchester hooked as peaceful as ever
and even more deserted for ii was a
/ very hot afternoon and few people
were stirring; you might have fired
a cannon down the High Street with
4 out hurting a soul. Claude walked
on, trying to make up his mind, till
at last he found himself close to the
] iEdI 19uILt lDbD Win the sudden
perception of his nearness to Es-
perance, his hesitation disappeared /.
/ he walked quickly through the silent
court, and across the square, graveled
/ approach to the deanery, and rang the
/ Understanding bell He asked
I boldly for Mile. de Mabillon. She was
at home, he entered the blue-and-
white tiled hall where he had seen
her last Christmas with her holly
wreath, and felt his courage rising.
re tootman, who, OF course, re-
memDe-ed him we'll turned just as
! they were crossing the hall--there
were visitors in the drawing room
he believed mamselle was In the din
ing-room- would Mr. Magnay see her
there? Clauae eagerly assented, bless
ing the thoughtful footman. and
registering a mental VOW that he
would ever after tip him Ia gold.
then the heavy door was thrown back.
he caught a momentary vision Of
mahogany and crimson rep, and the
next moment was only conscious that