Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-09-19
CHAPTER III.
> HASTY STEP.
n We hours, We sunny hours!
In YOUR silent flow;
We are mighty, mighty powers!
Rring We bliss or woet

ye are mighty, mighty powers!
Bring We bliss or woeF
rord Seton did not stay TO luncheon,
~. he called again the following day,
ii persuaded Mrs Fordyee, who was
~a,tIe. placid woman, always lamenting
sbo dull life her children led, to let him
lr;vs them down to Nottingham.
ar Brabazon seconded his lordship's
s,r+s and he was soon established as
t tbo Great friend of the family. From
~ fav of that eventful first call, the
.,Io oirls' lives seemed entirely altered.
Penies and driving parties followed
al an one another no day seemed long
enouob for the amount of enjoyment
tbev could crowd into it. As Daphne
The Fairy Prince had come and
changed Cinderela's life"
Daphne was openly grateful to the
Fairy Prince, and declared herself en-
.;roly on his side. Joan took the change
rohnly: she enjoyed the gaiety, ami was
nIeased to see her sisters happiness, but
aItbough Iveagh Seton was an energetic
rooer. he found, rather to his dismay.
that he did not make much progress with
his lady love.
Mrs. Fordyce kept very much i'll the
,ackground She seemed satisfied TO
lave all arrangements to her sister, who
was always ready to chaperone the girls.
SETON made several Intellectual at
tennis to draw her out of her shell. but
Mrs, Brabazon assured him that it was
useless.
NV sister never visits, and is timid
NJ strangers" she said once, with an
evident desire to explain the situation;
she has had heavy trials in her life"
Joan remembered afterwards that her
mother had been nervous and frightened
throughout that season, curiously unlike
her usual self.
The few cautious inquiries that Seton
thought it prudent to make, elected the
feet that Mrs. Fordyce was a sister OF
Mrs. Brabazon's, and had only recently
returned to England, having lived some
years abroad.
Her husband, who came of good fam
liz. had been much older than she. and
had died in Rome soon after the birth
Of the third child.
Her object in returning to England
seemed to be to place her son in bank,
by Mrs. Brabazon's influence, and to in
troduce her elder daughter to society an
As far as Seton could hear, the latter
had been first attempted on the night
at the opera All that he learnt pleased
him; he was glad that Joan had not
been dragged through several London
seasons in her aunt's wake, and he was
delighted to feel that he had borne his
part in all the gaiety the girl had yet
seen
If he felt amy dissatisfaction at the
fact that no one seemed to have heard
of the Fordyee family, he would not ad
nit it, even to himself; and one day in
June he asked to see Joan alone and put
his fate to the touch.
He had had a good deal of experience
with women, and was not like very
Young man who might be misled by his
own conceit, so he was hardly surprised
when his carefully worded proposal was
met by a simple negative, all the more
decided from It's very simplicity.
Il do not care to marry anyone" Joan
said calmly, as if it was the most nat
ural answer in the world.
Lord Seton was so taken aback that
nc felt as if he had sustained an electric
shock
You mean at present" he suggested
soothingly, perhaps he had startled her.
ut is impossible that you should never
marry!"
Joan looked at him with her clear
eyes There was not the slightest touch
Of additional color on her fair skin.
which showed every change so sensitive
". He was obliged to admit that she
did not look startled
Lots of women do not marry she
said coolly; sometimes l think the UNI
married ones are the happier"
Tie wondered what her mothers story
was, and whether she was then thinking
OF it. as sine went on
1T is such n pity you could not fix
your mind on Daphne. She likes you,
and you admire her; she is much better
suited to you than / am"
Seton drew his breath hurricdly
This was awful. BY a sudden impulse
he caught at her hand
Joan, my darling. don't talk in such
an unnatural, cold blooded way. 1t is
You | want. Daphne has never mistaken
the situation; she knows, every one
knows, how fond l am of you"
she drew her hand away as he finished
tins despairing outburst. For moment
she struggled with her feelings, and then
she broke into a laugh of such con
tagious merriment that her lover was
forced to join in.
You have striven hard to make it APP
parent" she said reprovingly, ''if any
one had not known, they must have been
stupid"
Have / offended you by making it too
apparentf" asked Seton eagerly
lie did not in the least understand her,
nut he felt he was making ground some
how.
You have never offended me-" said
loan, ashamed of her merriment, and
making an effort to resume a dignifed
manner; only no marriage can possibly
he a happy one if all the affection is on
one side"
But why should all the affection be
on one side?" asked Seton eagerly.
fou have known me such a short time,
you have not thought of our marriage
night and day as l have done. / am
sure you would sget to like me- Love
such as mine must meet with a return"
lie watched the girls downcast face