Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-06-21
CHAPTER XXX.
The Dinner-Party.

white and haggard as he listened TO
the words which told him his fate.
"Will you answer one question: he
said. IF | wait for years, Il try all
that man can try will it be OF any
usc?"
NO, she replied, grayely Il have
been frank with you You have my
esteem, my friendly liking, but can
never give you more"
Never" he repeated, lin all time?''
No" said Ethel The best thing
you can do is to forget me,
II shall never forget you" he cried,
bitterly
! She realized what love meant when
she looked on his face and saw the Bit
/ ter grief there. That was love--the
terrible. earnest passion that had such
power over the human heart. She mad
never felt anything like that
Once for a few minutes she had be-
come uncomfortable because Laurie
Nugent looked grieyed. The feeling
was soon over: she hardly remember
ed ii! but she owned to herself that if
at any time he had said he must leave
81. mas she would not have felt one
1.-THE of the regret and pain that filled
the heart of the Duke Of Southmead,
on, blind and foolish, to have mis-
taken that neeting fancy for loyel Oh,
blind and foolish. to have thought a
man Ike Laurie Nugent conld ever
win love from her
For the first time too, a great fear
came over her. She had never loved
Laurie Nugent She had mistaken
fancy for affection; she had taken the
shadow for the substance. What If a
time should come when she should
meet with any one whom she could
love, any one TO whom her soul should
DE drawn by that Irresistible force
men called love?
II must be on my guard" she
thought; that is a danger I had al
ljost overlooked [ must be on my
guard If | find that am likely to
love any one, ! must never see him
again"
So she, in her earnest simplicity
planned and arranged, She did not
wish TO increase her sin. 1t was bad
enough, It must not be made worse by
any complications. she had done all
that lay in her power to prevent the
young duke from falling in love with
her, and she could not accuse herself
of having sought to attract attention.
in her half-chlldlike, half-womanly
| wisdom, she arranged with herself
tlat if ever she should find herself in
/ danger OF liking any man, she would
/ instantly renounce his acquaintance.
10 was strange that she never looked
forward; that no hope Of relief ever
occurred TO her She never thought
10 herself that perhaps death might
prove her friend, t1at Laurie Nugent
might die That the chains that she
wore We're 10 bind her forever. No
hope of laying them down crossed her
m.ud
Lord St. Norman gave a grand din
uDrparty and one of the guests whom
DIE invited was Sir Oscar Charlotte
hope Eihcl will like him he
said to his wife Fl think Oscar Charl-
cote the finest fellow I'm England"
Better than the Duke of South
meod2' interrupted Helen damurely
My dearest Helen rejoned Lord
49, Norman. laughing without wish
.ne 60 De disrtspecttul to either gentle
man. | may say that there Is as great
difference between them as between
a noble retriever and spaniel"
Sir Oscar being the retriever"
said Helen
Precisely SO. ! begin to think,
jig.an taat with all her pride, Ethel
has i great fund of romance. Since
Hr refused the Duke of Southmead
have come 10 this conclusion, that she
Hsl' mos, probably fan in love with
some artist or poeU and / should not
INa .hJt n She must have a hero,
size could not AuJ a more noble one
tHn Sir Oscar suppose / had bet
Ter no. say so to her.
Certainly not decided Helen,
.4aI.y Lct her have her own way
..nt.rly There is something OF th5
una and agro.t % Ethtls character
When She does fall in love. it VIII be
ut.l some one Ike herself
thara IS one thug you cam do
-..aU-.rl Lord ST. Norman "SGa a.