Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-05-06

Il
ing forward only to an occasional visit
from her daughter?
4 host Of impossible ideas jostled in
his brain. lie strove desperately to
find some easy way Of suggesting the
settlement which appealed to him as
the fitting one. but his soul revolted
from the notion OF formulating a de-
cree Of Punishment against this ethe-
real. ghostlike creature who had been
thrust back into his very keeping from
OFT the heart Of the storm.
He stood Up and faced her. careless
whether or not the stress Of inward
conflict IN his eyes belied the calm
gravity Of bis words
Perhaps you are stronger than l."
he said. we must meet again. to-
morrow or next day. Some of the
young people will be returning soon.
If you wish it | will not tell them |
have seen you
1T 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. He had
never understood her as a bright young
girl and a bride of nineteen. He did
not understand her now. A man of his
oaklike qualities could not grasp the
nature OF q woman who bent as a reed
before each puff Of wind.
1t was hard to utter even a common
place farewell. She held him by her
very hc.plessness. But the rapid trot
of Il horse caught his ears, and while
he stood irresoIute he saw Constance
alight:ng from the dogcart. His wife
looked out too. They heard their daugh-
| ter laughingly regret that she could not
! ask Mr.. Pyne to luncheon-meals were
/ irregular events just then.
! Brand felt a timid hand grasping his,
and a choking sob proclaimed that Con-
/ stances mother was crying.
! He stopped with motion that was
/ almost a caresS.
! Don't cry" he said. 81 cannot bear
/ it."
Il can bear anything, Stephen" she
sobbed, IF only you will let me stay
with you forever"
DO you mean that. Nanette?" he
/ gasp9d incredulouSly.
Il have prayed. yes dared to pray,
that it might be SO ever since / 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, Fastening up the gar
den path, could not believe her eyes
when she saw her father lift her moth
er 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
ernocn. Mrs. Vansittart 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 a tremendous din
ner, never scolded her once.
1t was also a remarkable thing that
he invalid lady should insist that she
was strong enough to come downstairs
that evening. She did not eat a grea
much better and seemed to find all hel
pleasure in gazing alternately at thu
master and Miss Constance and in lis
tening to every word they said.
In the garden next night, the moor
being now very brilliant indeed, Pyn'
said to Constance that, the step-aun
, idea having fizzled out, he guessed tina
the lady who figured in that unclassi
> fed degree of relationship would pos
! more satisfactorily as mother-in-law
He said other things that have bee
said in many languages since men be
gan to WOO women. but the phrases ar
) hackneyed save to those who listen, an
= need not be repeated here.
: But why two marriages should tax
7 place after extraordinarily short er
= gagements no one in all PenZanc
. knew save Lady Margaret Stanhopt
= and she, mirabile dictu (being a We
: mani. kept her counsel. 1t created n
= end of a sensation when COnstanC
was described in the London newsps
, pers as "only daughter of Sir Stephe
- Brand, Bart, of Lesser Hambledol
Northumberland" Local gossip quic.
=, ly exhausted itself, as both weddin:
-. =. took place in London. the only ava
=. able items being the magnifcence
:, the diamonds given to Enid and Co
stance by Mr.. Traill and the fact tn
in COnstance'S case 1.-The brides mot
q err" was described as looking char
~ ing in silver gray costume trimm
81 with point d'alencon lace
CA Even when confronted with this N
mentous statement by Mrs. TaylC
lie Smith, Lady Margaret only shrugg
iu' her shoulders and purred:
X, a romance, my dear-a romance
NV real life
OF On the day following the departr
ICE of two happy couples for the contine
Mr.. and Mrs Pyne to Italy, Lieutt
ant and Mrs. Stanhope to the RIVE
ld' with intent to meet in Rome at Eas
lSI "a uuieter and more Sedate cou