Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-05-13

she asked, with little gasp.
Yes" replied Barbara. Il am sorry
about it for your sake / am not going
back to Croylnnds any more. / have left
II forever | have an aunt residing IN
distant city, and can have a pleasant
home with her. She IS fathers only sis
ter, and wrote TO me to come immedi-
ately after his DEATH
Why not make your home with us =
Mrs. North asked. earnest solicitude In
her tone.
That would be pleasant enough. bul /
can't" stAmmered Barbara. do not
be offended at me. for really appreciate
your kindness. want 10 get away.
That is, | wish to be with my aunt and
have little Ei1e constantly with me. l
regret that | must sever the attachment
between you, bnt how is it to be helped
She belongs to me now, and / must look
to her interests. and to mine before con
sidering anybody's else"
II suppose ! ought 10 feel resigned,
Mrs. North said, half-begrudgingly, half-
eomplainingly. But know III worry
a good deal over il; have become so
strongly attached to her"
Mamma. you will not 60 away airy
more" Efie said, with pleading glance
and tone and a earessing movement of
her hand.
mo. dear" replied Barbara, kissing
her repeatedly. an enwrapt look on her
face. II viii take you with me wherever
| go. All other things were 70 be taken
from me, so that I would not possibly
fall short OF my duty to you. Oh, how
much she looks like Brieep' she thought.
her head bent. her hand at her throat,
there seemed such lump there.
Mr.. Gilmore North came home after
dusk. He was delighted to see Barbara,
for he knew that q pleasant evening was
in store for him He found much to
charm him in = Irbara's lovely face. soft
brown eyes. gentle voice and engaging
manners.
They played chess for an hour, during
which he lost every game. with a suspi-
cion that ii was not owing so much to her
superior skill as to the fact that be had
become inattentiYe while SO steadily ad-
miring her small, white. aristocratic. cap
able-l0oking hand as it futterud above
the board.
Next he discovered that she could play
and sing. and so another hour went By
on swift wings. Barbara. in turn. was
favorably impressed By his manlincss.
his frankness. bis dignified bearing. Ills
high views Of life. its purposes AID its
privileges, its designs and It's duties.
Mr. North tried to persuade her to stay
with his mother. but she would not con
sent She would not remain longer than
one night. He saw that she had a rea
son for wanting to go. and asked her to
enlighten him. She complied to some ex-
tent, because necessary to explain the
secrecy about which she insisted.
II don't want them to know of my
whereabouts at Croylands. =" she sajd. Il
don't want them to fellow me. II was
becoming very unpleasant to me there,
she said. 1T was not so much Il sense
If dependence that led mo to leave rs
my desire to be with little Eflie and to
pay my aunt Iong-tieferred visit Mrs.
Rutherford viii offer no end of induce
ments for me to rethurn, and | 30 not
want to pain her by refusing"
\ faint pink flush came to Barbara's
cheek, net because she had dsvinted from
the truth bat because she had withheld
50 much of IT,
Where does your aunt liveF" Mr
North asked.
I'm New York"
How fortunstef" exclaimed Mr.
North. 81 have business in New York
tomorrow. ard III take yen Under my
charge"
THAT will be very pleasant Barbara
reioined. without the least suspicion that
his business at New York was SO trivial
IN its character that II might have been
attended to by mail or wire on any other
day during the month.
He saw that there was a troubled look
upon her face, either the result Of some
great disappointment or some unexpected
sorrow. He could not help but wonder
whether Brica Rutherford was in any
way connected with IL. lie felt sure Of
il by the very next remark that Barbara
made
Mr. Rutherford will come here 70 look
for me. | know, she said, with auttering
lips. repressed excitement in her tone
lie must not know whittier ! am gone.
iou must not give him any satisfaction.
You must shield me from hiS-pcrsist-
ency"
II understand" Mr., North replied ''l'll
De as communicative as a mummy"
The next day they started for New
! York little Effie In high giee and Mrs.
! North suffering great deal. yet curb
/ il her emotion with a strong viii. II
sent very hard with her to part from
the sweet loving, trsctable child
Mr. North made himself SO agreeable
Z that the journey seemed very short one
TO Barbara He felt Ike proposing "a
! her, only he was afraid il might not be
opporturs If suffering from recent
disappointment, it was not probable silat
she would feel ike entertaining nay prop
ositipns Of the kind.
Leave me now. please" Barbara said
when they reached the depot at New
York If you do not GO with nss TO my
aant's. you can truthfuIly say that yo,
10 not know precisely where / am
"po you think would leave wa alon,
with the child amid all this h,wiidcrin.
maze of streetsY' Mr.. North asked No
indeed IN see that you are safely dc
liyered." he added, laughing sottb III
not betray YOU, Miss Bradlelgh. to an
ane OF in any event.
Mrs Kingston was widow. c'lidless
, aud well TODD, and living on fashion
able street of the city. She was tai
stately woman. her hair slightly sprlt
kled with gray. her manner suave. he
attire faultless. She was trihc worldly
and little querulous. yet strong in he
attachments.
! She had not seen Barbara fer year
but was very much pleased with ht
ladylike face figure and tcmeanor III
/, advent Of the child called forth y nun
4 bcr Of rapidly put inquiries, which la
. bars promptly aud truihfully auswero'
! snd the Gttle girl was as promptly n
Z ceived on probation.