The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-02-16
THE CRISIS
OF A LIFE.
A Story Of . Governess Who Fol-
lowed the Dictates Of Love
Rather Than Interest.

lowed the Dictates Of Love
Rather Than Interest.
Theodore Nelson stood in the center
of her room. She was doing nothing. Ii
seemed to her she was thinking of moth
ing. But q kind of soundless voice with
In her kept repeating over and over agair
the last words Mr.. Granger had said tc
her:
"It is an offer, Miss Nelson, which yor
would do wen to give Esme thought to. ,
By and by she begsa to think Of the
time ut which she hs& first entered the
house. Homeless. frieadiess, almost hope
less, she had applied 10 Mr.. Granger fol
q situation rs govefness to his little
daughter, just left motherless. She had
no faith that she would obtain the situa
tion. for she had brought with her nc
interccssion from others. She bad nc
introduction. She possessed nothing but
her capability and her earnestness.
She had been shown into the library
just ut dusk. Through the glimmer OF
picture frames and the shine of polished
walnut she made out the room was TN
occupied and sat down to wait. The
faint freight was very quiet. There
was a study chair drawn upon the hearth
rug. u book open in a reading rack, a
profusion Of papers upon table near by
and watch ticking gently among them.
The comfortable ticking Of the watch
sounded with the wailing wind beyond
the window drapcry's warm folds. She
listened to both in half stupor. caused
by the WEAKNESS of breasting the rough
weather.
Suddenly without sound the door
swung open softly. and gentleman en-
tered, went across the soft carpet and
turned up the gas. Then he turned 20
her, saying courtcously:
"Do you wish to see me?
"Mr. Grunger?'
"Yes."
She was impressed rs never before
with the geutlcsess Of gentleman. She
made known her GRAND and waited pa
tiently under his kind but comprehensive
eyes.
Looking ut Theodore Nelson, Mr.. Gran
ger thought that here was one woman
at least who had no thought of his being
rich and eligible 1t was relieving
thought after certain experiences he had
known during the past month. He said:
Il think VIC will try each other, Miss
Nelson"
The words were shock of pleasure to
Theodore. Size was so tired, the place
was so restful, and she was not sure
where she should lay her head that night.
1t was comfort and peace opening; sud
denly before her. Il place where she coUld
drop her burden Of c2re and be kindly
infolded in an atmosphere of peace. She
did not know that Mr. Granger sHw her
eyes full OF tears as they parted.
How much had happened since that
night! Episode after episode swept
across her mental vision-the FIRST beau
tifully served meal which she ate III the
pretty breakfast room, the first glimpse
of Lora Changers fair little face. the
dainty chamber assigned her, in which
she could not at first sleep for comfort.
Many a night she had lain watching the
play of the red freight upon the white
ceiling, unwilling to 80 to sleep because
no dream could be so happy as the wax
ing reverie. She never lost her pleasure
in these things. familiar as taste and lux
ury became to her daily life.
She thought of the first Christmas che
had lived there and Of the grateful pleas
ure which swelled her heart when Mr..
Granger put into her hand tiny Flor
cntine watch. while the next instant lit
tie I.ora sprang forward with beauti.
fully cut cameo. her gift. Why, she had
never had q Christmas present before in
NIL her life!
She thought of night when Lora had
been taken dangerously i'll with the Group
and how, as If the clild were her own
flesh and blood. she had watched and
prayed with the father.
That his thoughts were not always
pleasant Theodore came to know. There
was q sore place in his life which he
broodcd over. At first she supposed it to
be the loss Of his wife: but. respectfully
as he mentioned to Lora her dead moth
er, he never showed for the child or for
himself a sense of great loss. In man
fine natured and tender hearted as was
Curtis Granger this was strange.
Theodore did not know how it was that
she came to understand that she was ca
pable Of bringing pleasure to Lora's IA
ther. But she felt that he was happiest
In the evenings when they were alone
and she was in the mood to laugh and
talk freely. In those times Mr.. Granger
would kindle into a quiet brilliancy ut
terly alien to him at all other periods.
A sympathy had grown up between
| them which not one person in n hundred
would appreciate rightly. Theodore fell
q generous desire to please Mr.. Granger
With the utmost frankness she consulted
his tastes Silently discovering that
| whatever his evening engagements were
he liked to chat with her an hour aftel
tea, she made it a point to be at leisure
| then. Once, in half absent way, hi
| told Lora that when she was n woman
| she must wear her hair as Miss Nelson
| had arranged hers that day, and, herself
| liking the artistic effects of the sof
loops. they became Thcolora's habit
| Knowing that he admired the white cam
co he had selected for Lora's gift. i
clasped the throat of her wrapper nj
| ways of n morning. Observing that hi!
eye expressed approval of soft gra!
gilk she possessed. she often wore it.
The motive in all this was gratitude
| and mn unconscious love. She would hav,
| nut off her right hand if it would have
| gloom was the sorrow of her lie. W net
she won him from il for an hour, sh'
was happy.
| So two years had passed, and no daugh
| ter in the home of i father was happie
than was this orphan gill.
Then Il certain gurSt came often to tn
house. He was IL DR.. Huntington, one o
the ablcst practitioners of the city,
man of talent who WIS rapidly amassIn;
a fortune He had seen Theodore frs
at the bedside of li:ti" L"ra when tn
child had an attack Of sickness. lie be
came interested in hcr paid court to he
and finally offered her his heart an
hand. Then it was that Mr. Grange
had said:
at is an offer, Miss Nelson, which 20
would do well to give some thought TO.
How gravcly and cooliy he had said
and what n shock to her there WAS in hi
quiet words! Theodore started from he
stupor and cast HERSELF down upon