Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-07-28
CHAPTER XIV

Winifred was summoned home.
Il would gladly let you remain longer,
wrote Lady Grace, but you remember,
my dear, that our original plan was to
leave for London on the 2Sth, and Sir
Clayton never likes his plans interfered
with
On the 25th Of April Winifred return
ed to Endon Vale, very sorry to leave
her friend, but with almost a sense of
relief at being freed from the obnoxious
society Of Mr.. Clayton. Everyone wei
coined her with open arms; the house had
not seemed the same without her-it lack
ed the sunshine, as the old French lady
said.
On the day appointed Sir Clayton and
Lady Grace Farquhar and Miss Eyre
arrived at Eaton Square and were duly
announced in the fashionable chronicles.
A new life suddenly opened ON the girl
who had spent all her young years in
such quiet, not to say motonony. She
found it very pleasant, although not al
together what it had been in her dreams
two years before.
Her debut was to take place at the
house of Miss Douglas, Lord Harold
Erskine's aunt, a lady occupying very
decided position in the fashionable world,
and the entree to whose entertainments
was very generally desired. Lady Grace
was anxious that her protege should lock
her best.
When Winifred appeared, dressed. ON
the night of the ball, Lady Grace had
no reason to regret having allowed her
to exercise her own taste. Her dress was
of a marvellous whiteness and softness,
almost like snow clouds, and here and
there over it were the softest white feath-
ers, that might have been fakes of fallen
snow.
Very late in the evening Mr.. Hastings
appeared. AS he entered the ballroom he
caught sight of Winifred talking in a
very animated manner TO Lord Harold
ia an interval of waltzing. He stood and
watched her intently; until tonight he
had never thought her beautiful. He had
loved her for her grace, for her pride,
for her innocence; but as she looked and
smiled now, he felt she had a greater
claim to general admiration than he had
ever dreamed of.
And she might been my wife
now" he thought. How I should have
loved her-how proud 1 should have been
of her! 1 wonder il she really cares for
that fellow Erskine?'
At this moment voice said close to
his ear, as though the speaker had di-
vined his thoughts:
will it be a match. do you think p
He turned with an angry start, and
met the moeking gaze of Flora Cham
pion.
.'You mean Gray and Miss Went
worth? l think it very probable" Mr..
Hastings answered, curtly.
''Oh, no, that is beyond a doubt.
meant Lord Harold Erskine and-and his
partner"
''I cannot form the slightest surmise.
Your cousin'-and he spoke the word
pointedly-"your cousin is very beautiful,
and may even do better
Perhaps be chosen by the descendant
of all the Hastings?' she asked, with
a scornful laugh.
Your penetration seems unusually at
fault tonight, Miss Champion" he re-
turned, coldly; .'but pardon me. the dance
is over. / am going to seek partner
for the next; your card is full, l see:
and he moved off before Flora had time
to intimate her willingness to exchange
bis name on her program with that of a
less eligible aspirant. She bit her lip
angrily as she saw him cross straight
over to where her cousin stood. and bend
to, speak with her. She could not but
remark the tender difference of his bear
ing toward the country girl whom she de-
spised, and whom she well remembered
ignoring to him as only a formers daugh-
ter. She turned to the quiet, middle-a ged
man on whose arm she leaned, and began
to talk to him with some of her old
brightness and vivacity. He listened
with admiring attention, but had very
little to say in reply. Flora felt mex
pressibly bored.
''This man is a dolt"' she said to her
self, angrily; ''the idea even of all his
money scarcely recenciles me to the hor-
rible tedium Of spending so much time
in his company"
Mr.. Maxwell was an excessively un-
interesting, rich bachelor of two-and
forty. He gave one an impression of
weakness and yielding that made it a
matter of surprise he had beer allowed
to remain SO long in the unblessed estate
of bachelorhood. He had met Flora
Champion several times and had admired
her.
He is rich," she said to herself; he is
as weak as water, and he is greedy
three admirable qualities for a husband
whom you do not want to care about!
Why should / not marry him?"
Meanwhile Mr.. Hastings has crossed
over to where Winifred was standing,
engaged in laughing conversation with
Lord Harold, a bright smile on her lips
and apparently very happy. She did not
see Enrol until he came up to her, and
then she stopped in sentence and chang
ed color. She felt quick thrill of pleas
ure when she saw his handsome face
bent on her with genuine admiration.
Some sudden thought Of forgetting her
pride and yielding to her love came surg
ing into her brain; and then her second,
new, unnatural self rebe1led, and she
greeted him with cold, Indifferent smile.
'.You will dance with me. Winifred?"
ne whispered, as Lord Harold turned to
speak to someone behind him.
II am engaged for every dance, thank
you"
MAY I come and call in Eaton
Square|
Il dare say Lady Grace win be pleas
ed to see you.'
But your
Tt is my duty TO be pleased to see any