The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-30
.Do vou intend to obey?' he asked.

l
think / am child, uncle, to ask me such
a thing. That ring will never leave my
finger while live"
"SThink again." he said, "before you de-
~ me. l give you one more chance. Will
Won take off that ring, send it back to
ReItran Carew, and tell him that by my
wish all acquaintance between you is end
ed?"
mo, uncle, will not-I cannot" she
replied. :,
The stern face grew white with rage.
She did not quail before it.
"You refuse? Then listen to me, Bea-
trix Lennox. have been some time con-
sidering what should do-listen to me-
"Is am listening, uncle" she repiied.
But even she, who knew how far tine
Lennox anger could go, wondered what It
was that he had to say.
81 have borne a great deal" said Peter
Lennox; "far more than ought to nave
borne; but loved you, Beatrix, and DID
not want to harm you. Now L have come
to this determination-you must give up
Beltran Carew or you must give me up
one of the two. My heiress must be wor-
thy of her name, and If you marry tnis
needy barrister you will not be worthy.
| "DO not say Que Woiu oo"SS ---
| she returned, with white lips.
81 will leave that for the world" ne
said. 'It will say enough without the
| addition of one word from me. ] brand
him as a fortune-hunter, and SO dismiss
him. It is with you have to deal. You
,,,,s+ choose between us-between Peter
| Iennox. YOUR fathers brother, the heac
| of your house, your uncle, your guardlai@
| the man who would have given his hearts
blood for YOU. the man who has lavlshcd
his wealth upon you, who rescued You
from poverty and made you his heiresst
and the man who may mar your life ana
mine. You must choose between us. Bea-
trix Lennox."
She stood quite still, quite silent-it we>
n tremendous stake. Presently she rais-
ed her eyes to his, and light such as ne
had never seen before came into her face
"a look that he never forgot while ne
lived.
"I choose Beltran Carew, uncle" sh~
said, quite calmly. Il choose povcrly
with him rather than wealth without
him"
There was deep silence between theb,
for many minutes-a silence tnat neitnel
of them cared to break. Then Peter
Tannox moved nearer to her and looked
into her face.
"You deliberately r%aounce Erceldear
and my wealth, my love and the inherit
, ance 1 could leave you for beitran va
rewT
81 would renounce the whole world To-
him." she replied.
He bowed.
"I can say no more, MisA Lennox. fo'
4 can tell your mother that THIS mouse
= your bsme no longer"
), 81 cannot bear it, Trixie," sobbed Lad
!, Lennox. II thought 1 was stronger l
! will kill me to leave the luxury and com
!, forts of this place for the lonely, desolat
y solitude of Strathnarn. l am not strong.
!, Beatrix looked at her uncle.
= "Uncle," she asked, "could you not nm
a some other way of Furnishing me! MAX
!, me suffer twice as much, If you WILL Du
"a spare mamma.
He neither looked at her nor spoke
Q her, but turned to Lady Ailsa.
N II am sorry you have to suffer for you
IA daughters wrong-doing. You must pa
don me if am firm. When your daugl
r. ter submits to my wishes, will make G.
IN erything as pleasant as possible for yo'
but while she persists in her willfulness
4 will persist. Lennox has met LennoA
!, YOU know how it must end. Let me ae
that shall be pleased if you will take h
q. away to Strathnarn rs soon as you ca
II l shall leave my house now, and not
I'D turn until she has quilted 1t. =.
Beatrix rose from her mothers SIC
%, and stood before him with flashing eyes.
"a. "You are cruel" she cried, angriiy
;lv "cruel and unmanly. l do not care WI
you do to me, but is it worthy OF m,
,,e to punish weak, delicate woman TOT I
n. fault of her child? You strike at
through her, and say it is cowardly, D
m. worthy Of you. The meanest Iocs me
!, face to face-you strike Mt me throu
ad one whom / hold most dear"
He never looked at her, never answer
70 her: the girls slender figure uemol
with agitation.
nm "I have no respect for you" she "a
%, proudly. II did not think that you COZ
vi have done such thing. l would not
you vour heiress now IL l could. You nre
no trader, and no gentleman. You VIII
he kept out of your house long. 81
.r 90 to Lady Rayncr's now-at once;
ary dear mother will so with me; and we
nor. travel to Strathnarn when she - v
enough"
ror She made him n low bow and sw
from the room, leaving him behind hel
,om "Do not cry. Ailsa," Peter Lennox !.
q more gently; you shall want for nothi
But we must bring that girl to her sens
sve A few weeks at Strathnarn will quic
elf. nut an end to all this false heroism
hers, and everything will come n
ona again. Having made the threat. m
eat. follow it up"
mid Il wish that I lay safe by Charl
,,;th .;dep' sobbed the helpless lady; and
Z it grim, stern brother-in-law liked her
fer for her weakness and dependence
him.
CTo be continued.)
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