Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-07-26
CHAPTER XVII

CHAPTER XVII.
II was late the same evening. and
Mildred citing In her mothers room,
with one hand clasped In Lady Caro-
lines. was gazing idly into the Are.
seeming pale and detected In the RED
light OF the fame. that ever and anon
blazed up and sunk. and aimos, died.
and frightened up aIain. Yet In her
heart there was a great well OF thank
fulness. OF JOY unuttcrable-for had
not the doctor. fully nm hour before.
declared DcnEii out OF any immediate
danger.
Up TO that moment Miss Trcvanion
had remained In her own apartment.
not caring To encounter the gaze o.
curious obscrvcTs-now walking fever
ishiy backward aud forward with ua-
spoken prayers within her breast. now
ElttiEs atunaod and wrc;chcd. waiting
for the ;IdlnsS she 80; dreaded TO hear.
Hut. when Lady Caroline came 10
tell her all was well for the present.
she could say nothing: she only fol-
lowed her mother back to her own
room where che fell upon her knees
and cried aH II her hear; would break.
Suddenly the door opened and scf-
want stood revealed.
Lord Lyndon'S compliments TO
Miss TrcyanIon. and he would be glad
20 sec her for n few minutes in the
north drawing room" he said. and lin
scrcd for n reply.
Il will be down directly" Mildred
answered ircmulousiy. and when he
had withdrawn turned ncryously to-
ward Lady Caroline. 'oh. mother.
she said. what can say TO him?
Wha, mus; he think OF mc7''
Have courage. my darling" whis.
pcF.d Lady Caroline. "and own the
iru,h-plain speaking Ia ever the bss,
and wises;. Aft.TWard he will forgive
you. Remember how impa;iHntly |
shall be waiting her. for your return.
"ot course he will understand that
Il il now all over between us7" Mil
drcd asked. haIt anS!uusly. as she
reached the door.
"of course he will" Ea!d Lady Caro-
line. with a suppressed sish. How
could she help rcsTc;;ins this good
thing that was passing away from her
daughter. Now so. and do not Keep
him In suspense any longer"
So Mildred went: but. as abe passed
tho threshold of the room that con
/ tajprd Lord Lyndon. sudden rush OF
memory almost CvcTpowCrcd her. car
rying her back. rs il did. TO that other
njght. a few short weeks ago. when
she had similarly stood. but In no"
difrcr,n; n position in the sight of the
man now standing opposite to her.
| Thrn shc had come TO Offer him all
,ha, was dearest to him on earth. now
sho was come to deprive him Of that
boon-waa standing before him. iudE-
cd and condemned as having given
away that which in nowisc belonged
/ 20 her.
She scarcely dared to raise her head.
I'm, waited. .shamc-stTiCkCn. for him
to accuse her. with eyes bent soFFo"-
fully downward.
81 have very little to say to you.
said Lyndon. hoarscly. in voice tha'
was strange and cold. all the youth
hciur gone out Of IL. but thought 1t
bc,,sr to &c; Il over at oncc-to ehd
IRIS farce that has been playing 50
| long" ..,..
No answer from Miss Trevanioh.
49,, ,,,yrm.n,-po sound even. beyond
a sIirht catching Of tho breath.
why you should have treated n'e
,s you have Is altogether beyond III,
fa,bcmips." he went on. surely !
sa,,id rcycr have deserved II at your
t,,ds when gave you that pa.tIE
nnpey a few weeks ago. l'''.y
,hnrsh, I, was accepted as the price o'
,.,,- ,ncrtion Affection Nay, rath.,
,o,cr,tion. Had known IL "ouiu
80, a,py Il into the sea before II
should have so degraded oo'n
and me. Had you no comP'SS'o
n, thought Of the drcary tn'"'S
were 40 coldly planning OUT Io'
hath ever striving to Eaih ~
r., ,,,,s M, to be Eainch-you pc
-. .,,,. r,mcmbeying past days tha'
Contained all the sweetness VI
i,fnp Thcrc-it is Of small use III; go,
..a,,,,iry Won now: the thing Is don.,
and cannot be undonC. You nave on,s
.., "'l" ~, rrndrcdg OF women have ac'-
ca before YOU ruined one "'h" Is.
piness completely. and NGry .nn, nf
wrcctsd anotlier's, all for the want
a little honesty. ,..,r,rd ns
~ r,dc n few steps forward, az
though to pass her. but she aIr, az his
him by laying both her hands 0" "''
arm. 49,. ,,,,r, ahc ex-
oh' fie .,s icon emotion. You can
not not ieMo MoJ wicked deceitful. in every