Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-12-15
CHAPTER III.

tried to wait rs patiently as ! could.
1t was lovely evening In late June,
and the drowsy hum Of the bees.
mingled with the breath Of roses and
syringas. coming from the old English
garden behind the walk. sent my
thoughts wandering back to another
evening In June. Just a year ago. when
/ had sat on the same bench. burning
with love and suspense. waiting 10
ask the fair lady who had given me
tryst today to be my wife. We had
known each other from childhood. ana
during my sisters lifetime little Edith
had lived almost as much with us as
ut the Hall. remember l had pro-
posed to her Mt the early age OF four
teen and had been favorably answered.
"Yes, Paul." the young lady had
said. lifting up her rosy lips for my
sheepish kiss. 81 will marry you. as
you are the eldest. and have asked me
iirst-and then. when you're dead Ill
marry Arty. II he's good"
To which arrangement Arty-at the
time being hopelessly in love with
Edith's French governess. a b!ack-eyed
vivacious damsel OF twenty-nine-
cheerfully agreed.
After that saw nothing Of her for
many years. My sister beginning to
all and being ordered to the South OF
France, I spent my holidays for some
years with her and my father
at Riviera: then passed into Sand
hurst, and. after that. l had five years
with my regiment in India.
In the meantime matters had not
gone smoothly at home. My handsome
brother Arthur, destined for the bar
and who was supposed to have all the
brains of the family, turned out 10
be a desperate scamp and an unmiti-
gated fool. He disgraced himself at
Oxford: then. throwing aside all sense
of restraint and decency, sowed the
most prolific crop of wild oats ever
chronicled in the sober and respectable
annals of the Dennyses of Colworth.
Before he had reached his twenty-sec-
ond year he had squandered two con-
siderable fortunes-one left him by his
mother, whose favorite child he was
another by his godfather. besides
plunging my poor father into gull
OF debt that eventually hastened his
death. Hearing of his critical state
and heavy troubles, resigned my COM
mission and hurried home. only to find
him, alas, resting quietly in his grave,
and my wretched brother an exile in
the wilds Of Australia, whittier he had
gone to evade his creditors.
It was a very dreary home-return-
ing, and bitterly did l anathematize my
precipitancy in giving up my profess
sion to moon away my life at Colwarth
in solitude. Nearly all the "chums'
of my boyhood had moved on" some
how, except my immediate neighbors
at the Hall, the old General and his
nice; and think, but for their kindly
reception. should have started wan
dering again. The former l found
in a very precarious state of health
and temper, the combined influences
of gout and unlimited brandy-water
making him trying companion to
patient with him. and as devoted as
any daughter could be.
At first 1 did not recognize in the
beautiful and graceful young lady who
greeted me so easily and kindly the
child had played with years ago; but,
by degrees. landmarks of old times
cropped up, we found we had not for
gotten each other in the least. I fell
head over heels in love with her at
= once, and for weeks hovered about
n her in state of beatiflc suffering,
not daring to hope, and unable to
tear myself away. Day after day l
told myself had not the slightest
3chance. Was she not the most beauti-
&ful charming. angelic creature in ex-
istence, besides being the presump-
ltive heiress of the old generals vast
Ewealth? Was not every eligible
male in the country my rival? Yet,
d stayed, and by degrees the delight
Iful, intoxicating fact became clear,
Eeven to my bewildered senses, that she
Hshowed more favor to me than to any
+}other suitor. She had always a smile
I4pf welcome and bright word for me,
.ahnd at times, when she believed her.
I5elf unobserved, l have caught her
|Qovely blue eyes stealthily resting on
he with a look of unmistakable af-
@ection that fred my blood, and made
he lose my head for the moment.
One day, driven to desperation by
{bne Of those stolen glances, / resolved
! Eto try my fate and learn the best or
worst She had gone to spend the
afternoon at the Rectory, her uncle
Hold me, but would be back to dinner.
went to the cedar-walk, knowing she
Sould return by that way, and spent
\ feverish hour preparing for the at
Pack, composing heart-rendering ap-
&eals, declarations of eternal devotion;
1nd yet the moment she stood before
Pc in her blooming beauty, with slim
3hite finger held under her nose with
an inch of my moustache. and said
3eseechingly-"Oh, Paul, dear boy, do
Nv to got thia uretched thorn out for