The Grit-advocate., 1903-06-05


how it will be. Tomorrow | cannot
| bear him. Very near quarrelliag have
| we been for a week
Il know. katherine. know. Lea re,
then, with Bran. and go first to Mar
garet Pitts, and ask her if the new
winter fashions will arrive from Lon
don this month. And look now, kath-
erIne. peace is the best thing; and to
| his own house Batavius will go in Il
| few weeks
Min Moeder, sad and troubled a:e
thy looks What is thy sorrow?
For thee my heart aches often
mine and thy good fathers, too Dost
thou not suffer? Can thy mother be
| blind? Nothing hast thou eaten late
| ly. Joanna says thou art restless ell
the night long. Thou art so changed
then, that vert ever such happy
little one. Hard is thy mothers lot
| The dear children l nursed on my
breast, they so here and they go
there, with this strange one and that
| strange one. Last night. ere to our
sleep we went, thy father read to me
| Jacob. They are true words. Every
good mother has said them, at the
grave or at the bridal, IF l am be-
reaved of my children, | am bereaved."
There was sad pathos in the
homely old words as they dropped
slowly from Lysbet's lips. Many
year afterward Katherine remember
nG hn
in the gray glooms OF late October
evenings.
The next morning was one of per
feet beauty. and Katherine awoke
with feeling of joyful expectation.
She paid very short visit to the
mantuamaker, and then went to Mrs.
Gordon's.
A coach was in waiting. and In a
few minutes they stood together at
Hyde's door There was a sound of
voices within; and, when they enter
ed, Katherine saw, with a pang of
disappointment. fine. soldierly look
ing man in full uniform sitting by
Richards side. But Richard appeared
to be in no way annoyed by his COM
and wore chamber gown OF maroon
satin, with deep laces showing at the
wrists and BOSOM
With an air that plainly said, This
is the maiden for whom have fought
and suffered: is she not worthy of my
devotion?" he introduced her to his
friend, Capt. Earle. But, even as
Nfr.c
| don, at a call from her; and Rather
| inc noticed that door near which
they stood was open, and that they
went into the room to which it led,
and that other voices then blended
with theirs. But these things were as
nothing. She was with her lover,
alone for a moment with him; and
Richard had never before seemed to
her half so dear or half SO fascinat
ing.
MY Katharine" he said, Il have
one tormenting thought. Night and
day it consumes me like fever.
hear that Neil Semple is well They
will make you marry him, my dar-
ling"
But l suffer in the fear | suffer
thousand deaths. If you were only
my wife, katherine!"
"Oh, my love, my love!"
See how l tremble, Katherine
Life scarcely cares to inhabit a body
SO weak. If you refuse me l will let it
go. If you refuse me, | shall know
that in your heart you expect to
marry Neil Semple-the savage who
has made me suffer unspeakable
agonies.'
Never will l marry him, Richard,
never. never. My word is true You
only | will marry"
Then now, now. Katherine. Here
is the ring. Here is the special
license from the governor; my aunt
has made him to understand all. The
clergyman and the witnesses are
waiting. Now, Katherine? Now,
now"
She rose, and stood white and
trembling by his side-speechless
also. To her father and her mother
her thoughts fled in a kind of loving
pleading of one whom she so tenderly
loved, and to whom, in her maiden
simplicity, she imagined herself to be
Sc deeply bounden? And when Rich
ard ceased to speak. and only be-
sought her with the unanswerable
pathos OF his evident suffering for her
sake. she felt the argument to be ire
| sistible.
We'll, my Katherine, will you pity
| me so far?"
All you ask, my loved one, I will
| grant"
Angel of goodness, Now?"
AT your wish, Richard"
| He took her hand in a passion of
| JOY and gratitude, and touched a small
bell. Immediately there was sudden
silence, and then a sudden movement
il the adjoining room The next
| moment n clprpvma, in copopico |