Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-16

riage will make me supremacy happy;
1t will make my remaining days peace
full" He paused You can trust me,
dear. in this matter Say that you
can
Something in the tense, pathetic
face forced back Diana's words of op.
position. Perhaps she was wrong.
Tharo was no tangible reason for this
rebellion that her perplexed mind
could grasp. Her rather, so gentle,
so wise, SO loving, could not be doubt
ed. Sir Charles watched. her eagerly.
He loved her, but in his short-sighted
desire for her happiness he failed
TO see the depths of her troubled heap.
Almost convinced that her frightened
instinct was wrong. Diana rose. and,
with a gentle pressure of her fathers
hand, yielded to his OPPORTUNITIES.
Tactfully. and in silence, Sir Charles
accepted her consent.
A strained pause followed. Sir
Charles reflecttvely sunk into the
cushions Of his high.backed chair. He
was sure that D.ana's outburst was
mere nervousness: It was often so
With Young, inexperienced girls before
marriage. The excitement of Lon
don life was great fatigue to hiul
Even the mufI1ed, vibrating roar that
half penetrated into the dwellings, Of
Mayfair, told on his sensitive nature.
He closed his eyes.
Diana's girlhood had been singular
ly isolated from the world Shortly If
ter Jim's departure for India, she had
been sent abroad to a school on the
Continent. She had usually spent the
summers with her father at some
peaceful, out of the way corner. Her
education completed, she had returned
during the April previous, to the quiet
life of her fathers home.
X There followed the lonely weeks
with her awakening womanhood cry
ing out for comprehension. Then one
day Henry Wynnegate returned to
the Towers, She had only vague
memory of the subsequent days of
amusement that passed so quickly.
All that her youth and gayety had go
long desired was given her. She was
unconsciously swept on by thee pas.
sion of Henry's love and could hardly
recall when she promised to be
his wife. That was in the autumn.
At the beginning of the season she
was presented at court. Her youth
and beauty made sensation and her
marriage was arranged to take place
within a month.
Eager to grasp the bloom Of the
fresh flower he had plucked, Henry
would tolerate no delay. Backed by
the dominant influence of his mother,
who In Diana saw not only the graft
f1cation of Henry's desire. but a gra-
cious bearer Of his name and, with
the persuasion Of Sir Charles, Diana
acquiesced to an early marriage. She
was in love with love, not with the
man, and her lovliness and purity nf
her fresh young soul made her ideal
lie the best Of Henry's shifting, many
sided nature
Sir Charles dozed peacefully Di
ana, with feverish cheeks and burning
eyes, longed to escape from the warm
room. Through the closed windows
she could see that the rain had ceased
She. wanted to be alone, to calm the
battling emotions of the past hour
AS she tiptoed to the door, it wa;
thrown open, and the Countess OF
Kerhill and Lady Mabel Wynnegate
were announced.
Sir Charles aroused. rose quickI,
from his chair to greet the visitors
My dear Lady Kerhill began
as she entered the room and en-
braced Diana, 1--WE are going to ask
you for our tea at once if you will take
pity on us. Such an afternoon! We
We're obliged to turn back from
Ranelagh because of the storm. For
tunately we had closed carriage
but Mabel and were so anxious tc
know whether you and Henry had
started before the shower sprang up
with quick look of surprise about
the room, she exclaimed, why, where
is Henry?"
Diana rang the bell for tea.
had note from Henry dear
Lady Elizabeth. saying he was de
tained by some unexpected business. y
Sir Charles noticed with great sat
isfaction Diana's superb control. Her
rebellious mood. as he surmised, had
been mere whim
For moment a half-frightened look
came into Lady Elizabeth's eyes She
was never quite sure of Henry, but
even to herself she never admitted It
She had cast him for role that he
neither suggested nor attempted to
play, but she never fiinched before the
duty Of wilfully binding herself to
these truths Her love and her belief
would win, and out Of 1t all would be
created the son she SO desired Henry
to be-that was her unconscious
prayer. She threw off the moments
anxiety.
mo doubt 1t is busy week for
Henry" she said She crossed to a
chair near the fire, and with the an.
nouncement of tea began to gossip
with Sir Charles. Mabel moved close
to Diana's side at the tea-table. She
had grown into fairy-like creature
with exquisite, youthful coloring
Very shy and utterly subordinate to
her mother and brother, she lavished
upon Diana great affection in return
for her sympathy. She stole shy
glances at Diana's unusual color rs
the latter poured the tea. mechanical
ly, but Joined little In the conversation
Diana caught Mabel's eyes wonder
ingly fastened upon her. She could
no longer endure the close room.
Il must get breath OF. air. Car
Mabel go with me?" she said, as she
rose from her untouched tea.