The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-14

But what reason had you to suppose that
: was INSCRIPTIONS, Lady Leeson?"
| None, of course, OILY the chances were ten
to one against your being in earnest, even
if you paid her attention, so that tried my
| besc to set her against you
| Il can't say 1 feel grateful to you, Lady
Lesson. You might have spoilt my life, too,
you know"
81 naturally thought of my child first Does
Dorothy care for you, Lord Rothbury?"
"She allowed me to hope So" he answered,
efficiently. II would not have her on any
other terms. There would be no happiness
for either Of us unless the attachment were
mutual"
"Of course there wouldn't; but if Dorothy
has accepted you, she does care for you. The
child has ambition except to be loved for
herself and if you were heir to the most
magnificent throne in Europe, she would not
marry you unless you were her hearts
choice
THAT I believe fully" he answered, with
fervor; "and I consider myself the most for
! tunate of men,"
After this they discussed business matters.
Lady Lesson had no need to look after Dor
othys interests, Lord Rothbury offered such
generous settlements The family jewels also
were to be reset for her use. No wish of
hers should remain ungratified if he could
help it. The NEST e--acting OF mothers could
not have asked more for her child than he
was anxious to volunteer.
| Therefore, when he pressed for an early
wedding day, Lady Lesson could not refuse
| Only true to the role she had played so sue
cessfully from the beginning, she sent him to
Dorothy for his answer-and how should he
guess that the girl was mere puppet in her
hands?
She was awaiting his return with an
anxiety she was much too frank and inno-
cent to conceal; but she saw at once by his
face that all was well, and melted, bIushing,
into his strong embrace.
Before they parted it was settled they
should be married that day month, always
providing her mother did not object, Dorothy
said, and as Lord Rothbury had not the
smallest reason to suppose she would he re-
| turned home in radiant spirits,
CHAPTER IL
| The course of true love in Dorothy's case
ran very smooth for the first three weeks
Lady Lesson remained in town to see about
| the trosseau, but she was having the Dover
House swept and garnished meanwhile as
she intended the wedding to take place there
She would have preferred London but this
would have entailed a good deal of extra ex-
pense, and she could not afford it In spite
of her economy abroad, the season had Grip
pied her seriously, for in order to give Dor
othy every chance, she had spent good deal
more than she had intended.
The result had transcribed even her wild
est hopes. but still there were some big bills
to pay, and nothing left to pay them with
and then the trouSseau.
Altogether, though she felt triumphant, a
good deal of anxiety mingled with her self
congratulation, and the lines which had been
SO faint hitherto began to deepen round her
lips and eyes She was always gay and
charming when Lord Rothbury was present
but no sooner was he gone than she would
sink into a sombre reverie from which moth
ing seemed to rouse her.
Dorothy noticed and wondered over this
but dared not question her mother Lady
Lesson had always been sufficiently affection
ate, but she had never been fond and in
du1gent, as the parents of only children GEN
orally are, so that there had been too much
fear on the girls side to make friendship pos
sible, otherwise she would have put her arms
round the others neck and said tenderly. as
she longed to do:
What is it that is troubling you mother
dear? [ see there is something wrong"
And the sort of mother 1 mean would have
told her daughter the truth, and all would
have been we'll; but she was not that sort
of mother, and so Dorothy puzzled over her
altered looks, and found no solution of the
mystery until it was too late.
It was settled that Lady Lesson and Dor
othy should go down to the Dover House
and Lord Rothbury should join them the
next evening, and spend three days with
them During these three days the settle
ments could be signed, and tnen the happy
lover was to return to town, leaving the Ia