Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08

good sign, grew quite courageous. He
rode over every day TO see Miss Digby,
yet Ethel never offered the least com
ment upon his absence. He took
twith him at times the most superb
bouquets: she made no allusion to
them. Once or twice he asked her to
accompany him to Chantrey Court; she
complied, but even there she made no
sign When Miss Digby spoke to her,
she answered with perfect composhre
and Indifference. She sought for no
Communication with her, and she re-
Delled none. She was calm, her manner
full Of proud, graceful nonchalance,
land no one knew what an aching heart
liz vailed
Miss Dayencourt looked wondering
~ at her After she was gone, while
/ the spell Of her beautiful presence
rested on her, she said to Miss Digby:
Either | have been mistaken in my
estimate OF Ethel Gordon's character,
or she has been very much changed"
Lady Davencourt, who overheard
/ the remark smiled.
Rely upon it, Laura" she said,
that you have been mistaken. | do
not think anything would ever change
/ Ethel She is the proudest girl
know and nothing will ever make her
| less proud"
/ II should have imagined that she
would resent instantly any attempt at
setting her authority aside" observed
Laura.
Miss Dlgby said nothing, but
thought deeply. She would almost
have been better pleased if the young
girl had shown some little resentment
If she had been angry or contemptu
GUS; anything would have been better
than this polished Indifference, this
nonchalant calm Helen Digby never
doubted in her own mind but that it
covered the raging of tempest.
Once. when Sir Leonard tried to re-
yive the yexed topic, Ethel, looking at
him, quietly said:
I'VE had better not discuss the
question, papa. What must be must
be; nothing further need be said about
it, I find that words are very use
less, after all.
After that Sir Leonard said no more.
June came round with its warmth,
It's sweetness Of perfume, its bloom Of
roses. and brightness of sun.
One morning, quite Unexpectedly,
Sir Leonard received telegram. The
government business had been hasten
3D. and he was to leave on the morrow
for Austria.
Ethel he said. there is news that
did not expect must leave you to-
morrow
The next moment he wished he had
broken The news more gently to her,
for her face grew white even to the
very lips.
Tomorrow" she repeated we
have never been parted before it is
very sudden"
II am very sorry" said Sir Leonard.
III wished to take you myself to St.
Ilnas; that will not be possible now.
should have left You more happily if
/ / had seen you safely there"
| Ethel had recovered her calmness,
but the color did not return to her
face
Perhaps it is better as it is, papa.
shall leave my old home and YOU at
the same time. Life will never be the
same again for me,
ut viii be happier, my darling, he
interrupted and she, remembering
how soon they were to be parted. re
pressed the quick retort that rose to
her lips.
/ How she suffered during the re-
maiuder of that day no one ever
guessed; the love, the pride, the sor-
/ row that Warred in her soul-the
struggle between her love for her
father, her grief at losing him, and
the angry pride that forbade any eX-
preston Of either love or grief-her
hatred of the fair-faced, gentle lady
who was 10 take her dead mothers
Iplace- her natural sorrow and re-
| uctance at parting with her old home
and laying down the crown she had
worn SO long all rushed over her at
|ance
She had long and bitter sorrow be-
/ fore her She had 10 carry a burden
,hat would have broken the heart Of
| her from which the strongest heart
might have shvuuk in sorrow and dis
/ may
| But in that sad after-life there was,
perhaps no day except one in which
she suffered SO terribly as she did
! nov.
Sir Leonard was busily occupied; he
HAD arrangements to make with his
lawyer and his steward The house
Hold was 70 be kept on as usual-none
Iat the servants were 20 be parted with,
1 The housekeeper was left In authority
during the summer months. and the
servants were told that in the autumn
+ Miss Digby would return with Miss
/ Gordon. and that from that time all
authority must be considered as vested
ln the formers hands There was
ame little murmuring some little
Ilemur but no one dared to utter a
word