Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-06

"A hOst VI llflpUSSlDle IucuS JOStleu IN
his brain. lie strove desperately to
find some ensy way Of suggesting the
settlement which appealed to him as
the fitting one. but his soul revolted
from the notion of formulating de-
cree OF Punishment against this ethe-
real, ghostillie creature who had been
thrust back into his very keeping from
out the heart OF the storm.
He stood up and faced her. careless
whether or not the stress of inward
conflict In his eyes beled the calm
gravity of his words.
Perhaps you are stronger than l."
he said. I'VE must meet again, to-
morrow or next day. Some of the
young people will be returning soon.
If you wish 1t will not tell them |
have seen you"
at Is for you TO decide. Stephen"
She seemed TO be quite hopeless, re-
signed to any twist or turn of fate.
Here was broken woman indeed. and
the spectacle was torturing. lie had
never understood her as bright young
girl and bride of nineteen. lie did
not understand her now. 4 man of his
oalilihe qualities could not grasp the
nature Of woman who bent as reed
before each puff of wind.
1t was hard to utter even a common
place farewell She held him by her
very hclplessncss. But the rapid trot
of horse caught his ears, and while
he stood irrcsoute lie saw Constance
alighting from the dogcart. His wife
looked out too. They heard their daugh-
ter laughlngly regret that she could not
ask Mr.. Pyne to luncheon--meals were
irregular events Just then.
Brand felt timid hand grasping his,
and Il choking sob proclaimed that Con-
stances mother was crying.
He stopped with motion that was
almost Il caress
Don't cry" he said. II cannot bear
it."
Il can bear anything. stephen" she
sobbed. iii only YOU will let me stay
with you forever"
do you mean that. Nanette?" he
gasped increduously.
Il have prayed. yes, dared to pray,
that it might be so ever since l saw
my child. She has brought us togeth-
er again. Let us not part, for her sake
and for mine, stephen, If it is not too
late"
/ SO Constance In stcning up the gar
del path, could not believe her eyes
when she saw her father lift her moth
err into his arms and kiss her.
/ Mary, the maid, never ceased Won
dering why every other member of her
sex IN Laburnum cottage should be
fearful yet ridiculously happy that aft
ernoon. Mrs. Vansttart wept and Miss
Constance wept, and Miss Enid wept
when she came in. while Mrs. sheppard
was weeping at intervals all day.
! Nevertheless they were all delighted
in their woe, and Mrs. Sheppard. al
though she cooked tremendous din.
ner, never scolded her once.
1t was also Il remarkable thing that
the invalid lady should insist that she
was strong enough to come downstairs
that evening. She did not eat a great
deal. poor thing, but she looked ever so
much better and seemed to find all her
pleasure in gazing alternately at the
tening TO every word they said.
In the garden next night, the moon
being now very brilliant indeed Pyne
said TO Constance that, the stcp-auut
idea having fizzled out. he guessed that
the lady who figured in that unclassi-
fed degree Of relationship would pose
more satisfactorily as a motherinlu
He said other things that have been
sIid in many languages since men be-
gan to WOO women, but the phrases are
hackneyed save to those who listen, and
need not be repeated here.
But why two marriages should take
place after extraordinarily short en-
gagements no one in all PenZance
knew save Lady Margaret Etanhope,
and she, mirable dictu (being wo-
man. kept her counsel. 1t created no
end of sensation when Constance
was described in the London newspa-
pers as only daughter of Sir Stephen
Brand. Bart, of Lesser uambledon,
Northumberland Local gossip quick.
ly exhausted itself, as both weddings
took place in London, the only avail
able items being the magnficence of
the diamonds given to Enid and Con-
stance by Mr.. Trail ami the fact that
in CouStance's case the brides moth
err was described us looking charm
ing in silver gray costume trimmed
with point d'alencon Lace
Even when confronted with this mo-
mentous statement by Mrs. Taylor
Smith, Lady Margaret only shrugged
her shoulders and purrcd
a romance, my dear-a romance of
real life"
On the day following the departure
Of two happy couples for the continent
Mr.. and Mrs. pyne to Italy, Lieuten-
ant and Mas. Stanhope to the Riviera
with intent to meet in Rome at Easter
"a Quieter and more sedate couple
took train at Waterloo for Southamp
ton, bound for the far west.
Although Il Nebraska decree of d.
law, Lady Brand wished to be married
again in the state which sanctioned
her early folly. Her husband agreed
readily. Everybody. including Mr.
Trail and Lady Margaret, had arrang
ed to turn up at the north country
mansion in May. Provided there were
no hurricanes, Sir Stephen thought his
wife's health would benefit by the dou
Bile sea voyage, and he was personally
delighted to see the new world for the