Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-04-28

Could she possibly bear such dread.
iul humiliation? She had almost
made up her mind to ii when, with a
sudden revulsion, came the remem-
orance of the deans sighting mention
OF her father Then wounded love
and pride could no longer keep ST
lenee.
Gaspard, darling, | can not bear IT,
10 SO to his house. to live with him
When he has insuted papa. and still
insults his memory! No, no it is
quite mpossible-quite!"
She was sobbing now writing in
mat intense, mental pain of which
only the most sensitively organized
minds are capable, II was well she
could not see Gaspards face-the
struggle between pride and selfish
ioVe, against humility and true love
was fearfully apparent. He knew that
ESperance trusted implicitly in him
mat whatever decision he made she
would bow TO It; and yet the very
Consciousness of this power was n
check. His heart cried out passjon-
ately to keep her near him-to lose
all TO suffer all rather than be separa-
tea. His pride urged him to refuse
the proffered help to struggle on
alone But against these voices there
arose another. Gaspard. in his misery.
mad prayed for guidance. and the
guidance was given His eye fell On
the carved wooden cross hanging
rom Esperapces neck-poor ia
votes souvenir. His face changed.
When at length he spoke his voice
was firm and gentle.
'Cherie, feel sure it is right for
you to go-that even the separation
viii be for our good in some way we
can not yet see. Think of what our
father said just before he died"
All things work together for
good, > repeated Esperance. between
her sobs. 81 will try to believe It.,
Gaspard, indeed But If only it were
nearly over, if even this were the last!
am so tired of pain. and more
seems always coming"
Poor little one," said Gaspard.
caressingly, hardly knowing how to
answer her Perhaps things will
grow brighter after this. We must
hope still, for indeed we can echo
Lamartine's sentiments, line nous
reste que L'Esperance ct LAmitie, !"
They were interrupted by Bismarck,
who apparently felt himself neglected,
and sprung on to Esperances shout
der with a demonstrating NEW. ="
She could not help smiling through
her tears, and thus the discussion Of
the deans letter ended
Later in the day Gaspard wrote to
accept the offer of a home for Esper-
ance, and to ask the dean to fix the
time of her coming
In reply to this Esperance received
a letter from Cornelia, naming a day
in the following week for her arrival.
The letter in itself was certainly not
nkind, and yet Esperance was thor
oughly chilled by it. She showed it
Gaspard.
j did think they would have asked
you to take me there; but there is
not single word about you
Gaspard read on in silence, trying
o see the good points of the letter,
Ut evidently much puzzled.
1T is certainly a little cold" he
wned, returning it to Esperance;
but still she has evidently thought
you, and made arrangements. She
speaks of meeting you, too. at the sta
ion, which is kind.
Il shall not like her" said Esper-
ance. decidedly "She must be as
cold as ice, and as hard as a stone.
You try to make the best of II, mon
ami; but confess now, that you agree
with me"
or course | should have been much
happier if they had asked me to take
you to Rilchester, and If there had
been a little more warmth In the let
ter; but ] think you are wrong 10
Judge so much from this. The Eng
fish are naturally more cautious and
reserved than we are Perhaps she
waits to love you till she knows you. "
Then she will never love me- and
! shall never love her" said Esper-
ance, passionately. "To be watched
and scrutinized, and to have ones
merits and failings weighed how I'M
d rable it will bel"
To be continued.