Middletown transcript., 1903-08-08

in your heart Of hearts, you dis.
pise! I shall stand by and won
der, and then
And then you will go home and
marry Phyllis! Hilda interpo-
lated; her hand shook a little but
her voice was quite calm and full
of gentle Indifference. She is
just the girl to suit you! She will
put you upon a pedestal and wor-
ship you blindly, and think you
the best and wisest of created
beings. And you will be very
happy, Paul. Then sometimes
not very often, but just once in a
way-you will look back and per-
haps think of me and all the happy
foolish time we had together.
Her voice had grown suddenly
low and tremulous, and she turned
away that Paul might not see the
tears in her eyes. There was a
moments silence; ;then she added,
with a forced laugh:
Well, what do you think of the
programme? Is it a satisfactory
one?
Most satisfactory! What bet
ter fate could the heart of man
desire? Oh, happy fate! Paul
spoke ironically, and his lips
curled in a sarcastic smile. And
you, Hilda?
I? She put into her sketch the
outline of dark rock with a
somewhat unsteady touch. [
shall marry of course. I must,
for I shall not have a large for
tune; most of fathers estate is
entailed property, and he spends
every halfpenny he can spare in
improvingit. The property was
much incumbered in my grand
fathers time, and it is fathers
mbition to leave it to BERTHE per-
fectly free. I dare say I shall
have few thousands-just suffi-
cient to keep me in gloves and
pocket-money-but no more. So
you see it is my duty to make a
good match!
l see! AS he spoke, he thought
of q little incident which had oc-
Cured during the proceeding
week, and some words of his
mothers which had puzzled him,
as her enigmatical speeches often
did. Sir Johns agent had rid
din over to Hazel Farm to inquire
if there was any truth in a report
which he had heard to the effect
that Paul wished to sell the farm;
if it were so, he was empowered
by Sir John to offer a good price
for it. Paul had laughed and de-
clined the offer. Times were
certainly bad, but he could man
age to make a living and had no
intention of selling the property.
Well, if you feel disposed to do
so at any time, let us have the
first offer, Mr.. Rayton said. AS
you know, it joins Sir John S land
and is, Ibelieve, a kind of Naboth's
vineyard to him.
Then he had gone on to speak
OF the great improvements which
Sir John was making, the trees
which he was planting, and the
breakwater which he was build
ing to protect the lower portion |
of the property which stretched |
to the sea from the encroachment |
of the tide.
twill be the finest property in
the county, the agent had said.
Paul remembered theodd smile
which his mother had given at
the words.
One sows and another reaps,
she had said absently. He is
heaping up riches and cannot tell
who shall gather them.
Paul had been startled more by
The strange look Of malevolent
which accompanied the
words than by the words them
selves, and he had also noticed
hat the agent looked surprised
Ind puzzled.
There is not much doubt, he
had observed carelessly, while he
has that fine boy of his to come
Ifter him. I suppose-and he
ooked with sudden interest at
Paul as if the fact had only just
hen occurred to him-after Ber-
lie, you are the next heir?
Yes, Paul is the next heir, Mrs.
replied, in tone of sup
pressed triumph.