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

CHAPTER IX.-(Continued)
The party at Endon Vale was breaking
up. Lady Marion Alton on being In
formed of her niece's engagement had
come to Endon Vale and carried her OFF
to London, and thence to pay visit to
Berkshire. Francis Clayton had left the
day before for London. Miss Champion
had stayed on, in the hope of winning
back Lord Harold to his allegiance; but
now that she found each day attracting
him more and more to her cousin, she
could endure it no longer. The visit to
Lady Grace, from which she had antici-
pated such great results, had been
fraught with the most bitter mortihca-
ton.
That same evening while Lady Grace
was in her own little sanctum reading,
Winifred knocked at her door and, in an
swer to her 'come in,' the girl went i'll
and shut the door.
Lady Grace looked up and smiled
kindly, and then she looked again. Wini-
fred did not seem bright and beamlng
as was her wont-she was nervous, and
there were tear stains on her face.
What is it, my love? You have been
cryingr' There was such tender solicit
tude in the tone that it was too much for
the girls overstrung nerves, and the tears
came thick and fast.
80 Lady Grace, 1 am so grieved"'
"Grieved, my child? You have not had
bad news from home"
"Oh, no, not that; but l am so afraid
you will be angry with me and never for
give me. 1t is about Lord Harold Frs
kine,'' Winifred said, nervously, and a
sudden chill came into the heart of the
elder lady, for she was very fond of her
nephew.
about Harold, my dear?'
Lord Harold asked-asked me to mar
ry him this morning; and, oh, Lady
Grace, l aIn so sorryp'
Sorry that he asked you to marry
him."
"Because-indeed, Lady Grace, never
dreamt of such a thing-I thought his
position made him SO far beyond me. 1
thought he was kind to me, just from
generous-m -mindedness like you, that
might not feel strange at coming into
society was not used to-
"Then you do not love him p
'I do like him very much-I could not
help it, he is so good-but. oh, dear Lady
Grace, / could not marry him." and the
tears rained down.
'"Then you have refused him?'
81 told him the truth could not de-
ceive him."
And then all of a sudden it flashed on
Lady Grace Farquhar's mind that there
was something noble and high-minded in
this girls refusing such position and
such wealth because she did not love the
man. A more worldly minded woman
would have held such romantic folly in
contempt, and thought the girl a fool
for her pains; but not so Lady Grace.
Still there was momentary struggle in
her heart before she rose from her seat
and kissed Winifred.
Ny love-" she said sweetly, st think
you have done quite right, if you feel sure
In your own mind that you cannot love
him. But are you quite sure? Harold is
kind and good; he is handsome, and is
rich-ought you not to weigh everything
in your mind thoroughly before you de-
cide?'
II like him, respect him, but do not
love him-I cannot marry him. tconclud-
ed Winifred, piteously.
Every well, my dear, I will say no
more. I am sorry, for my boys sake, and
/ should have been we'll content to have
you for a niece"
And then the kind-hearted woman took
the sobbing girl in her arms and Wini-
fred laid her head on the kind breast,
and cried to her hearts content. There
was good deal more talk before the two
parted, and it was settled that Winifred
should go home the next day but one.
and stay there a few weeks; and then
she should pay EndOn Vale another visit,
when Lord Harold should have left But
Lord Harold left that very day, after see
ing and confding in his aunt. His part
ing words were:
Aunt, do you think there is any hope
that she will ever come to care for meY'
Lady Grace kissed his forehead and
stroked his head very tenderly.
81 cannot tell, my boy, but l am afraid
not"
CHAPTER x.