Middletown transcript., 1905-02-04
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

him it is fair play! He has made plenty
Of girls unhappy, they say, and dare
say that you have only avenged some
OF them but Percival-what reason can
YOU have had for leading him on to this
when you knew that you had no lnten-
ton OF marrying him?'
II did not know"
"You meant to marry him? You care
for him? Is it only some lovers quarrel,
then? Did you tell your mother that :"
sI told her, as I tell you-though l
really don't see what right you have
to ask me"-and her eyes flashed an
grily they were no longer fearful, but
defiant and bright-"that | did mean
to marry him. must marry someone,
and liked him, and saw that he loved
me. l did mean to marry him, but at
the last couldn't!''
"Why not?'
"Because I don't love him !! There !!
NAV be everything that IL bad dare
sav that am-but at least ! won't marry
a man whom do \ iiGys I won't,
unless I am driven kou stand
there and preach to bu take upon
yourself to Judge me Bk to yourself
Are YOU so perfect " your marriage
quite all that it should bef If there had
been no question Of sunley, no conven-
lent arrangement about money and land,
would you and Lady May have married
one another? don't think 90. don't
believe that you care for each other
bit, and should be ashamed" She
broke off suddenly. She was frightened
by the sternness in Angus's eyes.
"If you have quite finished" he said
icily, "you may 90. / did not ask you
for your opinion on my engagement
She did 90. She had always been
rather afraid OF Angus. and wondered in
her heart how she had dared to speak
to him as she had done, but it was UT
bearable that he should scold her. For
her mother to do SO was different thing.
She spent most Of the day in her room,
and appeared at dinner looking very
white and downcast. IT only Captain
Perciyal had never come to Frewely she
thought regretfully. She had been SO
happy there, and now She looked
at her mother and Angus. They were
both unrelenting. How miserable she
was!
When, moment later, Angus spoke
to her kindly and quietly about some
trifing matter, she felt as if she could
have thanked him openly. She looked
at him with her big eyes full OF gratitude,
and answered his question hoarsely and
humbly. He had asked her if she were
going to the Greys' on the next day,
and she had said no.
''She will 60 to no more parties Of any
Sort" Agnes said, quietly but sternly.
'I cannot trust her out Of sight"
"You are awfully hard on her" said
Angus quickly. "After all, she is only
child, and"
s'She is old enough to know the harm
that she does. Please don't excuse her
conduct, Angus; you mean it kindly,
but"
"No-pease don't !" Lenore said, but
once again she looked at him gratefully.
'T don't deserve any one to stand mp
for me, and mother is quite right. i
won't 60 out any more, and-try to for
give me, mother! Indeed | am sorry,
and will try to behave differently"
She got up from the table and rushed
away with muttered excuse.
You know about it, then?' Agnes
asked, and looked up quickly.
"Yes-I made her tell me-"
'sWhat is to become Of her?' All
Mrs. Daintrey's quiet calm had deserted
her, and her lips trembled as she asked
the agitated question. "Supposing any
thing happened to me, what is to become
Of Lenore? Angus, don't 20 against me.
but help me! It is for the child's sake.
What can lie before her but misery if
she goes on like this? 1t is heart-break-
ing It is not once or twice, remember !
At least five men have loved her, and,
after making them think that she cared
for them, she has tossed them away.
What am / to do with her ?"
It was not an easy question to answer,
although he felt sorry for her when he
saw her evident misery. No one could
deny that Lenore was entirely in the
wrong. Five men Angus smiled little
bitterly as he thought of it, Well, lie
could sympathize with them.
When he went into his study after
dinner the girl followed him noiselessly,
and he turned with a start at the sound
of her voice.
cousin Angus, want to thank you
for speaking for me SO kindly" she said.
t'Oh, I know" she continued recklessly,
''that you did not do SO because you
don't agree with mother. but, after my
rudeness to you, it was good OF you. and
I want to thank you, and to say that
am sorry r
"Sorry for what, Lenore ?" He spoke
little coldly.
"For what I said about you and Lady
May. I had no business to say tit
was only because was angry, and wanted
to hurt you. Will you forgive me?'
"Yes-I forgive you"
"And you will speak to me kindly
sometimes, cousin Angus? | shall know
that it is not because you are forgetting
and am so miserable Mother will
not forgive me for long time, and
deserve it; but it makes me so wretcled.
almost feel'-she hesitated, and then
went on-"I almost thought of writing
to Captain Perciyal to tell him that |
have changed my mind. and that will
marry him but / know that | should
never be able to carry it through, and
it wonld only make matters worse ii
got engaged to him and then threw
him over"