Middletown transcript., 1905-01-07
TROUBLESOME LENORE
CHAPTER /
BY MARGOT MAUDE


.sYou must not wait any longer. It
isn't fair, Hope! Charles has waited for
two years, and-well, il you don't care
enough for him to marry him now. You
had better break off the engagement Y
But the speaker smiled. He knew per-
fectly we'll that his sister was devoted
to her fance, and that she only delayed
her marriage because she found 1t hard
to cut old ties and to leave the brother
with whom she had lived since her school
days.
Hope and Angus had spent many
happy days together, but two years ago
the girl had fallen in love with Charlie
Fairford, who had been in England on
furlough, and who had gone back to
India after she had promised TO marry
him-as soon as she could leave Angus.
ssDon't talk nonsense p she said now,
in answer to her brother. She was very
pretty, and very like Angus their Scotch
blood showed itself plainly in their fresh
fair faces, their crisp fair hair, and their
blue eyes. But she was more than ten
wears younger than he was, and her face
was not 80 hard and resolute. you
know perfectly we'll that | am not gong
to give up Charlie, even for you out IL
is hard to think of going SO Tar away
and-oh, I know you promise, but you
are such a lazy creature, Angus-when
once 90 out to India it will be goodbye
forever! You will never come out to see
me ~
sThere are homeward as well as out
ward bound steamers, you know. Hope y
.sYes but we shall not be too well on.
expect"
sThen you think it will be an eternal
farewell when l ship you off to Charlle?"
But his eyes twinkled as ne spoke the
words.
II know that we shall never see very
much Of one another again, and ! cant
take it uuite as coolly az you do, AngusF'
"My dear Hope"-for once he spoke
earnestly enough" what is the good OF
lamenting? have heard from Charlie by
this mail, and it is hard on him! This is
the third time you have put it OH, ana
you mustn't do it again. You must san
in September. Charlie can get leave ana
come home and marry you, which Is, l
think, very preferable to your going out
and being married in India, and So"
"And you, Angus?"
II shall get on all right. | can hurry
on my own marriage"
II don't think May is in any great
hurry" Hope said drily.
"No-neither am i! 1t is rather mis-
take, the whole thing, isn't it? But II ones
life Hope, do you know that l have
never regretted anything so much in all
nv life as I have that allowed myself to
be persuaded into consenting to that ar
rangement" j.
"You couldn't well do anything else!'
Hope said obviously. 1T seemed hard
on May-if she were willing"
'Was she so willing? They all told US
so, know, and they managed to work
YOU up into state Of pity for May, and
to make you think that she would feel il
90 if I sighted her publicly by refusing to
carry out the old mans wishes; but be-
gin to think now that they may have tried
the same game on with May. They may
have told her that it was hard on me, e
catera. Not even you can pretend te
think that May is violently in love with
me-"
'No but
s'Or with her. However, as old Lord
Melford kindly mentioned in his will that
we must keep the place and the money TO-
gether by marrying each other, and VIC
were good enough to consent, there wac
no help for it. And it is more than .
year ago now suppose we shall have te
be married some day we can't well &C
on like this much longer-but think 1t il
great mistake"
ssYou would have been obliged to have
let Sunley-practically to have given il
M p,
"Well?'
ttAnd-I suppose he was afraid Of May
being married for her money?'
s'May is good-looking enough to be
married on her own account. However
it is done now, and we can't undoit. Al
present, May is enjoying very well,
think, and Sunley Ss kept up with hel
money, If don't like it, it is my own
fault for agreeing to it r
Don't you think it would be almost bet.
ter to ask May to marry you soon, and to
try to get fonder Of each other?" Hope
asked the question hurriedly and ner.
vously. 81 don't understand May very
well, but think she may perhaps be Of.
Tended and hurt that you don't try to
make her marry you.'
May isn't that sort of person." he re.
piled drily. "When she feels inclined to
be married I dare say she will let me
know. In the meantime, we may as well
both Of US enjoy life in our own way"
"When you have got rid of me-" she
said, with little malice, "how are you 20.
ing to get on here ? What about the people
you have invited to come in the antumn?''
81 thought Of writing and asking Agnes
Daintrey to come and look after me.
Don't you think it would be good plan,
Hope +? She is very nice woman aud q
very difficult one to help, because OF heI
uncomfortable pride but if she came and
acted as hostess here it would be nice
change for her, and any one can get on
with Agnes"
"You mean May could And of course
you can't have May here unless you have
hostess. / think it is good idea, An.
gus. I am very fond of cousin Agnes,
and she must have very dull time. She
would make you SO comfortable that you
won't miss me-" she added dismally
"but Of course don't want you to miss
me, and But there is one thing you
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