Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-12-08
guess that she made him suffer- He
looked at her blankly.

guess that she made him suffer. He
looked at her blankly.
But how, then, do you know iti Why
should you have describedtthes things If
you have not felt them? Surely, surely
you said that because that is what you
thought when l was awayT
"Ah, can nobody be away but Won ?"
she cried angrily, and then because she
was but a child after all, the tears rush.
ed in a torrent from her eyes and she
turned away hastily from him to hide
them.
Then Roy began to understand. There
was some one else! He remembered his
sisters words; he had scoffed at them
and disbelieved in them at the time. but
now they came back to his memory. He
turned very white and stood quite still
for few moments, while the first storm
of the hideous agony called jealousy
swept across his young heart. Then,
presently, he followed her; she stood at
the other end of the -blossoming
veranda, stripping the tiny green leaves
off long spray of Banksia roses.
kitten, l have been very Dense" he
said with forced calmness. 81 was GER
tainly told of stranger who had been
staying here while / have been away
friend of your father, who walked
about the garden and the lanes with you
for a few days; but it never struck me
till now that this chance acquaintance
could be more to you-mOre than I-who
have known you and loved-you all
your life"
His voice broke little over the words,
Kitten turned away her face and was
silent.
ut seems that / am Mistaken" he
said wistfully, framing the words that
should have been an assertion uncon-
sciously into a question.
No answer. Oh, how he longed to hear
her refute with the indignant denial of
affection the charge which he made
against her! Why did she not turn round
eagerly and cry: "Oh, Roy, Roy, you
are first and dearest alwaysw But she
said nothing, only stood with averted
eyes, stripping the little green branch
she held in her fingers; the tiny pointed
leaves dropped to the ground one by one,
just like Roy's own hopes and longings,
lying there prone, ready to die and with
er at her feet.
mo one will ever love you as I do"
he said at last, very bitterly; "if he has
told you So"
She turned away from him and went
back into the house through the half
open window that stood behind them.
Roy went away slowly and sorrowfully;
he was unhappy, but he was young, and
consultations come easily to the mind of
a man who has his life before him.
Meanwhile, Margaret was not a wom-
an to let the grass grow under her feet.
When her young brother had made that
passionate speech to her three days ago
it had seemed to Miss Grantley that the
time had come when something must be
done to put check upon the headstrong
passion of boy who was ready to rush
upon self-destruction.
When Roy had left she went straight
Into her fathers sitting room. Sir Hugh
Grantley was an old man, and a very
selfish old man. When his daughter
knocked at his library door, he was
asleep-dozing in his great armchair by
the side of the fire, which even in June
he caused to be lit upon a damp or
sunless day.
He looked up irritably as she entered.
Dear me, Margaret how you startled
me; what do you want?" Her presence
usually betokened some business of an
annoying nature.
you were asleep, father? l am sor-
ry. But l came to speak to you about a
serious matter-about Roy. He has ex-
pressed to me a very decided opinion
about that little girl of Mr.. Laybourne's
at the White Cottage. He says he will
marry her."
Bother these children; what a nui-
sance their love affairs are! What is the
good of you, Margaret, if you can't stop
1t! Women ought to manage these mat
ters."
$50 can stop it, if you will let me.
Let me ask Uncle Gregory and Felicia
down here"
The old man frowned. "Your uncle
would not enjoy himself. Mrs. Knox
can't cook for him. He had a French
cook once, his name was Hyacinth. Great
heavens! what a cook that man was!
His soups were poems, his entrees a
dream! His sauces were Incompatible!
Gregory is used to all that, he's a rich
man. I'm poor one. How can ask
him down here to be poisoned by Mother
Knox and her heavy-handed expert
ments."
But Felicia, father Has not Uncle
Gregory said that he would consent to
her marrying Roy? Think what a fa-
nous thing it would be for him. She
will have so much money, and Roy will
have none. She is handsome and lively,
he likes her already. If she were to
stay in the house she could soon put this
village girl out of his head. He can't
marry her, can he?
Marry village girl? What fools
you women are! OH send for Gregory's
girl if you like, but you had better send
too for somebody from town to cook for
your uncle, if he comes. do wish, Mar
garet, that you would not worry me in
this way" he added whiningly.