The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-06-18
CHApTER vII.-(COntinued)

more disposed to look lenlenliy Oh 80
offense, and let her love conquer her won,
anly pride. Il will at least make the trial
before | CO." he said to himself, and theh
he took up his pen and wrote thus;
81 inclose you q note, Miss Eyre, from
the man Fenner. You will see by that
that he engages to discontinue his an
noyance Of you, and to leave you Tor the
future free and unmolested. And now,
before | leave England on my long voy.
age, pray Of you to hear the appear Oh
INV heart to yours. Winifred, | love you
with all my soul, with the truest, deep
est strength Of which passion Is capable
and | come to you to decide my future.
Ny happiness, my misery, are IN your
hands. 1t is for you to seal my periees
bliss by consenting to become my eherisn-
ed wife, or to punish fault born OF love-
and TO condemn me to lifelong sorrow,
bv driving me away from the sunshine OF
your presence. Do not decide hastily.
shall not leave this for week, ana II
your answer is what | scarcely dare 70
hone il will be- shall not leave at ALL
II you cannot find 1t in your gentle, wom-
anly heart to forgive me, | shall go out
into the world and seek to forget the only
woman in the world ever really loved
When Winifred broke the seal, and read
Errors letter, her first emotion was one
Of intense relief. Then, reading the aVo"-
al OF Errols love, for moment her hear'
relented to him, and sad, fond recohec-
tion of the handsome hero Of her past
worship made the tears start into ner
eyes. Then her quick pride came to the
rescue-she tore the letter to atoms ana
threw them from her. II will never Tor
give him-neverw she CRIED passionately;
and then she thought what that letter
would have been to her if it had come
few days sooner.
1t wanted but one day to the compile
tion of the week, when Arthur lie Mar
chant rushed into Errors room.
"My dear Errol," he exclaimed, what
Is this | hear about your leaving the
Court? 1t surely is not true!
"My dear fellow" said Enrol gently,
81 cannot tell whether | am going or not
You shall know tomorrow. | am wait
ing for my verdict, and If it is adverse to
me shall go away, and try to forget my
trouble"
Two days after Enrol said to lie Mar
chant:
"It's all over, and I'm going. Don't
ask me any questions, old fellow-Im
hard hit"
Before Mr.. Hastings left the Court he
made his friend promise to play host
there in the shooting season during his
absence; and on the last day Of August
he was standing on the deck Of his beau
tiful yacht Oenone looking down into tnS
blue waters Of the Mediterranean. his
thoughts were full of tenderness to the
woman who had scorned him.
"She Is right" he said, but l think, II
she had known how | loved her, she
would have found it in her heart to for
give me-"
A fortnight later Lady Grace Farquhar
by dint of subtle diplomacy, managed t
secure what she had for some time pas
set her heart upon, and that was to prac
tically adopt Winlfred Eyre as her pro
tege, If not as a daughter. She was yer.
anxious that Winifred should have a.
opportunity of being introduced to SC
ciety and the coming shooting season a
Sir Claxton's estate. Endon Vale SCENE
to afford Lady Grace the opportunity
Among those who would be present 10
the shooting, her nephew, Lord Harol
Erskine, who was quite taken with Flor
Champion and whom she knew ths
young lady, in default of becoming Mr.
Hastings, would only too gladly accept.
With this trump card in her hand, Lad
Grace accepted a dinner Invitation
Hurst Manor. the home of the Chan
pions, and while there delicately, "
plainly insinuated to Sir Howard and
Mrs. Champion that unless Mrs. Chan
pion and Flora would drive with her
Mr.. Eyre's farm and second her inviti
ton to WiIifred to come to Endon Va
there would be no invitation for Mi
Champion. Moreover, Flora would hay
to bind herself to treat her cousin wit
at least ordinary courtesy during the
stay in the same house.
Sir Howard acceded readily enough
this arrangement as long as he was n
obliged to speak to his granddaughte
whom he had never spoken to or sv'
seen In his life or in any way to recO
nize her father. 1t was bitter pill +
Mrs. Champion and Flora to swallow, b
the thought that IL Flora did not go
Endon Vale, Sir Harold Erskine mig
possibly fall in love and propose to VIII
fred, obliged them to give grudging co
sent.
The young girl was gathering roses
the garden as the carriage from L
Manor drove up the road. She turn
away to the house. She could net be
the contemptuous looks the Champio
east on her as they went by. But tn
she heard the carriage stop, and she loo
ed back In surprise. The footman W
letting down the steps, and Mrs. Cha
pion was descending, followed by La
Grace Farquhar. What could It mea
The blood rushed to her face, and for
moment she hesitated. Then she We
forward.
"You did not expect visitors so ear
my dear?' said Lady Grace, kissing h
''Mrs. Champion has come to call W
you"
Mrs. Champion came forward a
shook hands with her, and uttered Z
polite eOmmonplaces, which put WI
fred at her ease She had a great d
too much tact to allude to the past
deed. she behaved precisely as though
and Winifred saw and heard Of eI
other for the first time.
Winlfred soon recovered her comp
ure, and invited them to enter the hou
Mrs. Champion was struck by tie ia
and elegance displayed in the miniat
drawing room, and while Winifred '
talking to Lady Grace. abe eXamil
her keenly. She was forced to conf
TO herself that this girl who had been
long ignored, and so much disdained, '
both elegant and pretty, and that
style was unexceptionable. The con
tion ala not please her at all. As {
were taking leave Lady Grace said;
Then remember, my dear, that n
Thursday week, at three o'clock, 81
send the carriage for you
PRAY do not think Of such tn
Lady Grace" interposed Mrs, Champ
"you have invited Flora the previous
- - Ala ~ vfsf& Cor naa daW