Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-08-21

Mr.. Clayton.
Impervious to my annihilating glance
he Joined US, utterly frustrating tha
purpose for which had tempted Norah
out. Fortunately, my rage rendered me
inarticulate, and we walked along in
silence broken only by Clayton's mani
ties 1 had no doubt that he had guess
ed my purpose and determined to
thwart It; and 1, In my turn, resolved
to clrcumvent all his endeavors to pro-
pose to Miss Desmond.
Less fear Of the result than inten-
ton to annoy him led me to form this
amiable resolve; and yet, as 1 looked
at the woman walking at my side, I
wondered at my temerIty. She was
made to sit among the great ones Of
the earth; to enjoy the best It could
offer; to walk only In the rosestrewn
paths. All these things 1 would win
for her In time; but l wanted to go
to her with my hands full Of offerings.
tried to comfort myself by remem-
bering how sllghtingly she had spoken
of wealth and what wealth brings; but
1 derived more comfort from studying
Clayton's physiognomy. Surely no wo-
man would sell herself to that, what
ever price he was prepared to pay.
From this date an unseemly struggle
ensued between us. Neither he nor I
would allow the other to enjoy a tete-
a-tete with Miss Desmond. The wealth
er remained exquisite; every day and
all day there was yellow sunlight glim-
mering like a golden veil over the wa
ter and woods, and every day and all
day Clayton and I, to the immense di-
version Of the rest Of the party, quar-
relied over Norah.
She was remarkably just In her deal
ings towards us, and balanced her IA
vors with extraordinary fairness. She
allowed me to dedicate a book of verses
to her; to balance this she accepted
an exquisite etching Of Frank East's
from Clayton, who had heard her adj
mire his work and had promptly avail
ed himself Of the opportunity 1t offer
ed. She played my accomplishments
with a sympathetic touch that argued
a heart that beat in unison with mine !;
but she remembered all Clayton's favor
lite songs, and sang them to him every
evening, accompanying herself on
mandolin. Lovely she looked doing 1t.
Day by day Clayton and 1 fell more
violently in love with her, and were
barely civil to each other.
Then, one day, things came to a eli
max. He, by a strategic move that 1
had not anticipated, got rid Of me and
proposed to her-or rather half pro-
posed to her, for I interrupted his
amorous declaration. Unaware Of my
proximity, heard him say: you can
have no feeling for that young brute
from Fleet street. Marry me .
and l."
He didn't finish, for with magnificent
self-control I appeared In impromptu
fashion, and for once, losing his head,
he walked off, trembling with rage and
leaving me In full possession of the
field.
There was not a moment to be lost,
so proposed. ! pointed out to her that
she could not be thinking seriously of
that gross brute, and so on.
If she would only marry me she should
be happy as the day was long. :"
Incited by my love for her, heaven
knew could attain any and all ambi-
tons If she only would mar
~ me.
She temporized, and said she would
think 1t over. Norah Desmond could
never bear to say mo- to anyone.
longed to ask her if she had told Clay
ton that she would think it over, but
forbore.
Next morning Miss Desmond received
a telegram recalling her to London
Clayton and L kept such a jealous
guard on each other that neither Of us
saw her alone before her departure,
but am still convinced that her sweet
est smile was for me. We were both
determined to follow her, and both were
determined that the other should not
travel alone.
At this critical period Mrs. Garstin,
with a very fair attempt at blush, In
tervened. poor dear Norah," she told
me in the strictest confidence (she had,
it transpired later, made the same con-
fidence to Clayton, whose language on
receiving it was from Mrs. Garstin's
account, sulphuric), Poor dear NOrah
is er-er-going to marry Sir Charles
Morton. He was on the verge Of pro-
posing to her in the spring, but he
didn't He has been so much run after
that he has become a little afraid Of
being married for his money and title,
and so on. But Norah's ruse has quite
succeeded. She assumed the Indifferent
pose. Hearing that two men were pre-
pared to give their heads to marry her,
he got frightened and realized that he
might lose her. A thing seems so much
more precious when you are certain of
getting it." added Mrs. Garstin pro-
foundly. "And l hope it will comfort
you to feel that you have brought him
I'D to the scratch mean to saw have