The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-05-31

LET Rose speak, said the young
man..
He turned round petulantly, almost
with the air Of a spoilt child, to his
mother, as he said those words. She
had been looking fondly and proudly
on him the moment before. Now her
eyes wandered disconcertedly from his
face; she hesitated an instant with q
! sudden confusion which seemed quite
foreign to her character, then whis-
pered in his ear:
cam I to blame, Charles, for trying
to make her worthy Of you?"
Her son took no notice of the ques-
ton. He only reiterated sharply-"Let
Rose speak,"
II really had nothing to say" fall
tered the young girl, growing more and
more confused.
"Oh, but you had!'
There was such an ungracious sharp
ness in his voice, such an outburst Of
petulance in his manner as he spoke,
that his mother gave him a warning
touch on the arm, and whispered,
"Hush!"
Monsieur Lomaque, the land-steward,
and Monsieur Trudaine, the brother.
both glanced: searchingly at the bride.
as the words passed the bridegroom's
lips. She seemed to be frightened and
astonished, rather than irritated or
hurt. A curious smile puckered up
Lomaque's lean face, as he looked de-
murely down on the ground, and be-
gan drilling fresh hole in the turf
with the sharp point Of his cane.
Trudaine turned aside quickly, and
signing, walked away few PAGES; then
came back, and seemed about to speak,
but Danville interrupted him.
Pardon me, Rose" he said; II am
so jealous of even the appearance Of
any want of attention towards you, that
l was nearly allowing myself to be
irritated about nothing"
He kissed her hand very gracefully
and tenderly as he made his excuse;
but there was latent expression in
his eye which was at variance with the
apparent spirit of his action. 1t was
noticed by nobody but observant and
submissive Monsieur Lomaque, who
smiled to himself again, and drilled
harder than ever at his hole in the
grass.
II think Monsieur Trudaine was
about to speak," said Madame Dan
vile. Perhaps he will have no objec-
ton to let us hear what he was going
to say"
'None, madame" replied Trudaine,
politely. II was about to take upon
myself the blame of Roses want of re-
spect for believers in omens, by con-
Tossing that have always encouraged
her to laugh at superstitions of every
kind"
"You ridiculer of superstitions"
said Danville, turning quickly on him.
"You who have built laboratory; you
who are an amateur professor of the
occult arts of chemistry, a seeker after
the Elixir of Life. On my word Of
honor, you astonish me"
There was an ironical politeness in
his voice, look, and manner as he said
this, which. his mother and his land
steward, Monsieur Lomaque, evidently
knew how to interpret. The first touch
ed his arm again and whispered, BE
CAREFUL" the second suddenly grew
serious, and left off drilling his hole in
the grass. Rose neither heard the warn
ing of Madame Danville, nor noticed
the alteration in Lomaque. She was
looking round at her brother, and was
waiting with a bright, affectionate
smile to hear his answer. He nodded,
as if to reassure her, before he spoke
again to Danville.
"You have rather romantic ideas
about experiments in chemistry" he
said, quietly, mine have so little con-
nection with what you call the occult
arts, that all the world might see
them, if all the world thought it worth
while. The only Elixirs of Life that
know of are quiet heart and con-
tented mind. Both those found years
and years ago, when Rose and l first
came to live together in the house
yonder."