The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-08-06


you very dearly; cannot but believe You |
cared for him. Do not let some 1ooiish
Lrihe, some false pride, mar the happiness
Of all your lfer'
Mrs. Clayton spoke with intense earn
and when she finished, tears ot
passionate regret stood in Winlfred
eyes.
st is too late, Fee! You do not un-
derstand. Your words only make me
more miserable"
"Why too lateY
Because | behaved wickedly to him;
because he must despise me, and because
he will go and marry that French woman'
who loves him and lets him see it."
"Did you refuse him, thenT
"Don't ask me, Fee. | think my pride
blinded me. II | could atone for it now
think would ask him on my knees to
marry me. | can't tell you the true story.
know you love me and would not will
ngly pain me. | have sealed my fate
with my own folly. Do not ever speak
about it again"
1t was nearly the end of September
when Mr.. Hastings called one afternoon
at Endon Vale. AS he rode up the ave-
nue. he met Mrs. Clayton sauntering
down it.
'Mr. Hastings" she cried, with real
pleasure in her voice; 81 have wanted to
see you such long time."
He dismounted and walked along by
her side, leading his splendid bay horse,
'There is nobody at home but me
they are all gone to picnic, and should
have been with them but for one Of my
bad headaches"
''It is better now, trust. You do not
look ILL.,"
"No; | am getting quite strong here.
Lady Grace is so good to me, and Winl-
fred" she added, looking sidelong at him
-"I think never knew any one so sweet
and thoughtful"
She noted the slightest quiver of his
lip, but he said nothing bent his
head as though in polite acquescence.
"Will you not come into the house|
she asked.
"Not unless you are going" And they
went together into what was called the
AVN garden.
"Am to congratulate you?" she said.
looking up at him suddenly.
Congratulate me, Mrs. Claytong he
repeated after her. "On what"
Il heard you were going to marry the
Princess Zelikof."
'sThen some one has been taking an un-
warrantable liberty with the Princess
Zelikoff's name"
mot altogether unwarrantable' Mr.
! Hastings"
! Surely, yes. am quite certain that
! she never gave the slightest foundation
for such a report"
"Come. confess now that 1t looks rather
suspicious when gentleman takes lady
cruise in his yacht"
''My dear Mrs. Clayton. what do you
mean?"
"Did not your cousin and the princess
accompany you on your yachting expedi-
tionY
"Most certainly not. No one went with
me but lie Marchant and Ashburton."
Mrs. Clayton looked rather blank, but
| felt secretly pledseu.
"Then we have all been misinformed,'
she said, laughing. "And, forgive my
bertinacity; but, seriously, you are moi
engaged to the princessY
II am not. feel greatly vexed thai
there should have even been a discussion
about the matter"
Mrs. Clayton sat down on garder
| Ill FOR q
then, looking up in her companions face
said, with some hesitation:
1--WE are old friends, Errol-are W.
notT
Eve are. indeed" he returned. smiling
with some surprise.
"May | take an old friends libertyF
she asked again. with still more hesita
tion.
"You may do anything that you wisl
or please" he answered.
"And you promise not to be offendedF
~ promise sacredly."
THANK you. Then, Errol, | am goin
to say something exceedingly distastefu
to myself and perhaps painful to you. TO
which some one else would, think, neve
forgive me. am bold-am | not!'
"You are enigmatcal,' Mr.. Hastng
replied, still smiling.
II like you very sincerely; | love her,
Mrs. Clayton went on, hastily, land
want you both to be happy; therefore
am about to perform a Quixotie actor
which may be the means of losing m
your friendship and her love. | see 70
frown! perhaps you guess of whom | al
, speaking"
Il would rather have certainty tha
a surmise." he said, grayely; tell me,
j you please
81 speak of Winifred Eyre. My tas
is all the more difficult because do no
, in truth, know, nor eau | guess at th
: circumstance which has caused your 81
arrangement. Do not be angry with mi
Enrol. must ash you one question:
you love herr"
81 love her," he said. seeming to fore
the words from unwilling lips, but ! al
trying to forget her."
"But. Enrol, if you thought she care
for you, would you still try to forg'
herT'
81 cannot answer you" be said. speal
. ing abruptly, after pause. Miss by
is not what thought her. ! believed d
to be sweet, and gracious, and womani!
: and | have found her hard. and prou
4 and eoldr'
> "Oh, Enrol, you mistake-she is nett
: er."
! "She is to me-" he said, sternly-
. Mrs. Clayton waited for some moment
eff might only tell you." she said,
n great perplexity. "She broke down on
II when we were speaking of you. She co
i demned her own false pride bitterly; 81
said you must hate her; that She
o And Mrs. Clayton stopped suddenly
# her rapid utteranee. feeling a terFio
e fear that she had committed an unWa
r rantable breach Of trust
A sudden thrill Of pleasure came N
Ie Errofs heart, but the expression OF
r face remained unchanged.
Mrs. Clayton" be said. with some pa
e sion. Il asked Miss Eyre twice, na
le three times, to be my wife. | made u
y self her slave beeause-weh. the reas'
matters Iittle-sufiee It that l hum5l
my pride into the dust for her sake ;