Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-13

crimson again. rs your visit to mamma!
Do you wish to see herr"
II am here by appointment with Lady
Avon"
The countess came into the room, and
Grace found that his visits were to DO
frequent.
From that day they saw a great deal
Of each other. Lady Grace strove to arm
herself against him she called up pride,
anger and many other adjuncts, false as
they were vain, for the heart is ever true
to itself, and will be heard 1t ended in
her struggling no longer; In her giving
herself up, once more, to the bliss Of lov-
ing him unchecked.
Did he give himself up to the same, by
way Of reciprocity? Not of loving her {;
no, 1t had not come to it; but he did
yield to the charm of liking her, of find
ing pleasure in her society, of wishing to
be more frequently at Avon House.
The Hon. and Rev. Wilfred Elliotsen,
claiming a dead earl for father and
live earl for brother, was not, Of course,
light whose beams could be hid under
a bushel, more particularly as the live
earl was in the cabinet. It therefore sur
prised no one that when the excellent old
Bishop of Barkaway was gathered to his
fathers and lucky canon, who held one
Of the best livings in the kingdom, was
promoted to his inter, Mr.. Elliotsen
should step into the canon's shoes, rich
living and all. This left Great Wilton
vacant. As luck, or the opposite, chanc-
ed to have 1t, Lord Avon was on a few
days visit to his mother when Mr.. H.
liotsen received his appointment.
Don't put such another as Elliotsen
into Great Wilton, Henry" observed the
countess to her son, ''or we shall have
the parish in rebellion"
He has not succeeded In pleasing his
flock yet, then" remarked his lordship.
give 1t to Mr.. Baumgarten. He Is a
deserving man, Henry; he will restore
peace to the parish, and az q preacher
few excel him."
Lord Avon laughed little as he sat
down to face the sofa.
why, mother, Baumgarten Is the very
man l had in my own mind. I thought
by your preamble you must have fixed on
some one else. would rather he had it
than any other person In the world. 1
can tell you that the smart the last con-
tretemps brought me fingers yet. Let It
be Baumgarten; we owe him Q recon-
pense."
And that very day the earl, afraid, pos
sibly, Of fresh interference. personally Of
fered Great Wilton to Mr.. Baumgar.
ten, and shook hands ON its acceptance.
That same evening Mr.. Baumgarten
presented himself at Avon House. Grace
4 "a rnQI w at nd II
she liked to linger in the open air at the
dusk hour, to watch the stars come out,
and to think Of him. But that she wore
a white dress, he might not have distin-
guished her In the fading twilight. He
left the open path to Join her.
1T 10 late visit, Lady Grace, which
I must apologize for; was called out to
sick friend as was starting, and de-
tanned an hour" he said; "but I could
not resist coming to say a word of graft
tude to Lord Avon"
your visit will not accomplish its OBJ
ject, Mr.. Baumgarten, for my brother is
gone. He left before doinner upon some
matter Of urgent business in town. Nam
ma says she is very glad that you will be
nearer to u.s."
CAAaPD L nave " tuhuk you IOT IQlH.
AS much as Lord Avon," he said.
mo; no, indeed; 1t was mamma who
spoke to Henry; or he to her; they ar
ranged it between them. Ill"
"What?" he whispered.
II did not speak to him." she contin-
ued, filling up the pause of hesitation.
"That is all was going to say"
But Mr.. Baumgarten did not fail to de-
tect how agitated she was. Her trembling
hands were busy with the rose trees,
though she could scarcely distinguish
buds from leaves. Mr.. Baumgarten took
one hand, and placing 1t within his own
arm, bent down his face until 1t was on
level with hers. "Grace," he whispered,
have we misunderstood each other?
She could not speak, but her lips turn
ed white with her emotion. 1t was the
hour of bliss she had so long dreamed of.
Grace" he continued, in a tone of i'm
FASHIONED tenderness, have we loved each
other through the past, and did mistake
my feelings? Oh, Grace, my best-beloved,
forgive me! Forgive my folly and my
blindness J"
With plaintive cry of satisfied yearn-
ing, such as may escape from one who
suddenly finds long sought for resting
place, Grace Carmel turned to his eaa-
brace. He held her to him; he covered
her face with imprisoned kisses, as he
had once covered Edith Danes; he whis-
pered all that man can whisper of poetry
and tenderness. She was silent from
excess Of bliss, but she felt that she could
have lain where she was forever.
sVoy do ~ he Too 4
"you do not tell me that you forgive the
past. Grace, say but one word; say you
love mel"
Far deeper than another ever did,"
she murmured. "Oh, Ryle! l will be
more to you than she can have been!"
Grace, pardon my folly" he implored.
Il am doing wrong; have forgotten my
self strangely. Forgive, forgive me! 1t
is madness to aspire to you. l have no
right to seek to drag you down from
your rank to my level"
But she chung to him still. "Your own
wife, your own dear wife," she whispered.
"Ryle, Ryle only love me forever"
Never had Lady Avon seen or suspect
ed aught of the case regarding her daugh-
ter and Mr.. Baumgarten.
The revelation came upon her with a
blow. 1t was Grace who, calling up her
courage, impaired it. Lady Avon went
into a storm of anger; and then, finding