The Republican., 1899-11-02

snubbed when you know it is unneces-
ary."
Grosvenor looked thoughtfully into
the fire. 81 had ideals, too, once upon a
time" he said. 81 would have died for
any of them any day. The difficult part
was to live up to them"
Don't outlive them, old fellow" said
Needham. 1T is a mistake. When the
real shines in the reflected glory of the
ideal, it is always the better for it."
''Do you really think SOP" asked
Grosvenor, as he got up. 81 am off to
bed now. If 1 stay up any longer you
will be persuading me to follow your
example, and 1 don't think 1 should
find it as amusing as you did,
The next morning Randall Needham
was coming back from giving lesson
when he saw Cecil Carwithen in front
of him. She was carrying her violin
case, and looked white and tired.
'You must let me have that" he said,
masterfully, pointing to the case. "And
now tell me why you are looking so
pale this morning"
A slight flush mounted to her brow.
81 am tired" she said, briefly.
THAT isn't ALL" he replied.
At this moment Mrs. Ranter bore
down upon them. She cut the girl, and
bowed icily to Needham. 1t would not
do for her to offend him, Kate was be-
ginning to play the violin so well under
his careful tuition.
Cecil" said the man, possessing him
self of her hand, you know 1 love you,
dear. Couldn't you make up your mind
to marry me some day?"
Its no use" she said, sadly. "My
parents would never consent"
80, yes, they would!'-in triumph
ant tone.
Our lives lie in different directions"
objected the girl.
But L make enough to keep you"
urged Needham. you need never do
stroke of work. And l am not COM
mon nor vulgar, whatever my father
may be. Cecil, say you love me-"
The girl looked at him, and he read
the answer in her brown eyes. Then
she seized her violin out of his hand
and fled, leaving him staring stupidity
after her, with a whole world of ioy
on his face.
For the next week neither saw each
other. Randall Needham went away
suddenly the day after, and staid away,
to the surprise of his pupils (for it was
term time), and the righteous indigna-
tion of Mrs. Ranter. But what could
one expect of a man like that?" she
whispered confidentially to her bosom
friend, lady whose great-niece had
married the great-nephew of baronet.
Needham came back the day after
this charitable remark had been made.
He was in deep mourning, and his first
visit was to Gen. Carwithen. Cecil was
in the garden, and thither he wended
his way after the interview was over.
81 have come to claim you," he said.
"What has made father consent?"
asked the girl The tones of her voice
were incredulous.
81 have informed him of few facts;
and now 1 must break them gently to
you" answered he.
The wind bad ruff1ed CeciTs hair,
and he smoothed it back with a loving
gesture.
81 am not bound to work for my liv-
ing" he said, 'and-'
"Well?" she queried, anXiously.
"Look at that" he said, thrusting a
paper into her hand, and turning away,
so that he might not see her face. He
need not have been afraid.
Cecil read the marked paragraph:
"The funeral of Lord Cunningham"
There was also a likeness of the heir,
and it and the man sitting beside her
were identical.
Mrs. Ranter was considerably aston
ished the next morning to get letter
in the eX-violin masters handwriting:
Lord Cunningham regrets that he
will be unable to continue Miss Ran
ter's lessons, as he is leaving Leemin-
ster."
Still more surprised was she at the
announcement of his engagement to
Cecil Carwithen, which her daughters
read out of the local papers few morn
ings later.
'Girls!" she said to those two young
ladies, ''why didn't we ask him to din
ner?"
And echo answered.: "Why?"-St
Paul's Budget.