Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-03-27
CHAPTER XXXV.

"a IRIS. CRANSTON followed Lydia
IMI into the sitting room, where
III she was putting on her hat be-
IL fore a mirror.
You will not compromise yourself
by going there, dearY Mrs. Cranston
said excitedly.
You may call it that if you like" re-
torted the girl, turning as she was
thrusting a hatpin into place behind
her head. 81 am going to. explain why
he has not heard from me-"
"Oh, daughter, don't, don't! Think
Of your family, Of me, of your father"
"I'll think of you when l have more
time" replied the girl. I'm going
straight to George Buckley now. Moth
er, l respect him. l honor him mere
than any man alive. I-love him. Yes,
1 love him with all my heart and soul,
and I'm simply furious at the way you
have treated US"
You don't mean that you would
actually marry him, Lydia Cranston"
'Well, you just let him give me the
chance and see if l won't. I'd rather
live on bread and water with him than
with the richest man the sun ever
shOne on. There, are you satisfied?
You and father have been treating me
like q child, with no regard for my
feelings, but now that you have dared
to interfere throughssne with George
Buckleys rights as an American citi-
zen, intercepting his letters when he
lay at deaths door, treating him as if
be were a dog-well, you have simply
T forced me to do my duty"
Lydia, daughter But the girl had
turned into the hall and was walking
-apidly across the lawn toward the
gate.
She went directly to Hillyer's house.
Hortense was in the yard gathering
flowers and greeted her with a sur
prised smile as she came toward her
across the grass.
"Hortense," said Lydia tensely, Il
want to see George May ~
"Why, yes, of course" said Hortense.
81 have just left him. l came after
| these flowers for his room. Go right
up; it's the first door on the left at
! the head of the stairs. Oh, Lydia, I'm
so glad you came; it is very good of
you: it will make him so happy. Ever
since he was hurt he has
| "Oh, know, but it wasn't my fault;
that's what l want to explain"
The door of Georges room was open.
His face was turned from Lydia as she
entered the room and he did not look
toward her, thinking it was Hortense
returning with the flowers. 1t was not
till she stood over him, her burning
glance of sympathy on him, that he
looked up; then he flushed and started
to sit erect
Don't don't, Georger' she cried, and
she laid her hand softly on his brow
and gently pushed him back on his pill
low
It's kind of you to GOMEZ he said.
Il really was not-not expecting-that
is
mo; l know you were not looking fol
me, George, and l wonder what you
have thought Of me. I've come to ex-
plain and beg you to forgive me. l am
not quite as bad as 1 seem. George
l did not know of the shooting till we
|
danger was over, but l at once wrote
| you letter. l have just discovered
that mother intercepted it. Not hear
ing from you, l wrote another. 1t alst
was intercepted, but, not knowing that
l took your silence to mean that yol
wished all to be over between us"
Buckley was staring at her tixedly.
What did you writer he asked.
She was silent; the warm color wa
mounting into her fine face; her eye
{ were downcast.
Don't you want me to know nov
|, what the letters contained?" he ques
/ TONED gently.
o IL don't see how L can tell you
l. George, unless She paused.
s Unless" he prompted, the fire o
y hope almost aflame in his eyes-"ur
70 less?'
], You see" she said, II don't know
IS how you feel about me right now, an
lie when l wrote it was under the-men
lie DRY Of what you said that night in A
y lanta"
n Il could never change, Lydia. low
IN you with all my life and soul. al
y furnishing for one little word of hop
y. from YOU Did your letters
u Il told you frankly in the hrst on
a George, that / loved you, that Wa
Id tired of the way was being treate
Id at home and that if you wanted me L
L. come to you in spite Of all the wor
o. and consider myself the lucklest WoI
an alive to be your wife. but when yt
III did not answer l hoped there was son
es mistake, so wrote another note te
~ ing you had received no reply al