Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-12-19
The Love of the Violet.
CHAPTER N.-tcontinued.l


,nent knew he was cropping his way to-
wards the spot where she lay.
With a shudder of horror lest he
sbouId find her she drew herself back
amongst the bushes.
Almost opposite where she 10y he
nausea and called her name softly.
Then he advanced few steps and
called again.
Curse the little fool!' she heard him
mutter. and then again the footsteps
nassed heras he retmccA % the gate.
She waited for few minutes, and
then. rising to her feet, glided down She
alev, and so through the garden back to
her own room.
Her dream was over, her idol shat
tered: and the rest of the hours of that
night were passed in an agony OF shame.
With the first rays of the sun she rose
and threw open the window.
The pale morning light lit up the noon,
and fell upon the sachet she had placed
on the table the preceding night
With a little cry she seized H.
'He loved me-" she moaned "Ife was
true! Oh, if l had only known then
what I know now!"
The GIRLS face was very pale, and
there were dark circles under her eyes
when she came down to breakfast.
Lady Eversmore was quite concerned.
"My goodness, childi What have you
been doing with YOURSELF" she OK
claimed "And just now, when you
ought to be looking your best. lord Up
tonbury--" But the look of anguish
il. Letty's eyes stayed the words upon
her lips. "Well, well, dear, / will say
nothing more. But you know your duty,
and am sure you will do il"
1t was great relief to the girl when
Abel Sternford proposed long drive, to
lunch out, and return to dinner.
To this Lady Agnes, after a second
glance at her nieee's pale face, consented,
and Lefty felt that for a few hours at
least she had respite.
Anger and contempt had taken the
place of grief now the first shock was
over, but as yet she had not had time to
feel grateful for the escape she had had.
The wound was still sore, and she tried
to escape from her own thoughts by
forcing herself to assume an air of in
terest in all she saw.
They lunched at a pleasant little inn
on balcony THAT .oEerhung a brawling
stream A creeper formed the roof, and
baskets of trailing plants ard flowers
hung in the arched openings, through
which the snow-capped submits of the
Abula could be seen.
The drive had made Lady Eversmore
drowsy, and she sat half asleep in
wicker chair at one end of the gallery,
which ran the whole length of the inn,
whilst the American and Lefty walked
I'D and down. or lent over the railing and
gazed down on the white fiecked torrent
below.
The old saying that mockery is catch
ing proved true that day. Lefty, from
trying to appear gay and unconcerned,
had reached state of high spirits very
unusual with her.
Her gay laugh rang out, and her aunt,
nodding in her chair smiled contentedly
and wondered dreamily how many mil
lions of dollars that dear Mr.. Sternford
possessed.
To Abel Sternford it appeared that the
girl was happy in his company. At start
ing she had been pale and languid. and
he had seen quite enough at the hotel to
be sure that Lord Uptonbury's attentions
were distasteful to her.
AS they chatted he was calculating his
chances, and came to the conclusion that
he might as well try his fate for the sec
ond time as later.
So, as they lent over the railing with
the sound of the torrent in their ears,
and the cool breeze from off the noun
tains tanning their faces, he asked Lefty
if he might dare to look for q more
favorable answer than that he had Te-
eeived that early summer afternoon on
the banks of the Thames.
There are many of our American girls
who marry Englishmen- mostly men of
title, / know" he said Now have no
title to offer you, Miss Monkston but
am rich enough to give you all that a
nobleman could give his wife, and love
you too dearly to deny you anything.
If you will but take a plain man for a
husband, Miss Lefty, on my honor / do
not think you win regret it."
And Lefty gave the promise he desired
That night Lady Agnes came to her
niece's room.
you are good girl, Lefty" she said,
and as it seems you could not prevail on
yourself to like poor Uptonbury, you
have acted quite rightly in accepting Mr.
Sternfmd. He is most generous, and
speaks of thousands of pounds as if they
were so many shillings. | shall write to
your father tomorrow to put his mind
at rest about the mortgage. And You
can add few lines yourself. Bless you,
dear, you have done your duty, and can
most eonseientiously say l have done
mine by you and your father"
The next few weeks passed peacefully
and rather happily for Lefty.
She was free from the doubts and wor
.ries of the past.
She had administered the greatest re-
buff in her power to Cyril Fortescue.
She had saved her father. for Abel
,Sternford had quietly told her one day
that the trifing mortgages on the Monk
,ston estate should be paid of and settled
on herself.
Above ALL her future husband did not
press for any of those endearments com
mon to lovers.
lie kissed her cheek of a morning. and
again if they CHANGED to be alone when
she babe him good night.
He was quite content for Lady Agnes
Z