Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-02-01


expectedly, and used 1t for the purpose"
"Well, 1 am glad you're in it. Good
day."
Mr.. Baumgarten paid his first visit to
Avon House on the following day. Lady !
Grace was alone in the room when he
entered. Her countenance flushed Grim |
son, and then grew deadly pale.
Mr.. Baumgarten took her hand, almost
in compassion; he thought she must be
i'll. what has been the matter?" he in
quired.
"The matterl Nothing" and she grew
crimson again. SIS 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 be
| 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 low
ing MIN uncneckeu.
Did he give himself up to the same, by
way of reciprocity Not of loving her;
no, it 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 a
live earl for brother, was not, of course,
light whose beams could be hid under
bushel, more particularly as the live
earl was In the cabinet. 1t 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.. Eliotsen
should step into the canon's shoes, rich
living and all. This left Great Whitton
vacant. AS luck, or the opposite, chanc-
ed to have it, Lord Avon was on a few
: days visit to his mother when Mr.. FL
liotsen received his appointment.
Don't put such another as Elliotsen
into Great Whitton, 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
I deserving man, Henry; he will restore
$ peace to the parish, and as a preacher
j few excel him."
e Lord Avon laughed little as he sat
down to face the sofa.
; why, mother, Baumgarten is the very
+ man had in my own mind. 1 thought
by your preamble you must have fixed on
some one else. l would rather he had it
than any other person in the world. l
, can tell you that the smart the last con-
e tretemps brought me fingers yet. Let it
e be Baumgarten; we owe him recon-
y pense."
: And that very day the earl, afraid, pos
: sibly, of fresh interference, personally of
= fered Great Whitton to Mr.. Baumgar-
! ten, and shook hands on its acceptance.
= That same evening Mr.. Baumgarten
: presented himself at Avon House. Grace
s Carmel was standing amid the rose trees
e 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
l, a white dress, he might not have distin.
e guished her in the fading twilight. He
" left the open path to join her.
1T Is late visit, Lady Grace, which
= l must apologize for; was called out tc
e a sick friend as l was starting, and de-
tanned an hour" he said; "but l coult
It not resist coming to say word of graft
y tude to Lord Avon"
e Your visit will not accomplish its OBJ
. ject, Mr. Baumgarten, for my brother i,
gone. He left before donner upon som,
y matter of urgent business in town. Nam
Il !, ma says she is very glad that you will b,
y =. nearer to u.s."
Perhaps I have to thank you for this
d as much as Lord Avon," he said.
II mo; no, indeed; it was mamma whc
spoke to Henry; or he to her; they ar
, ranged it between them. IL"
"What?" he whispered.
70 II did not speak to him." she contin
n. ued, filling up the pause of hesitation
re "That is all l was going to say"
1T But Mr.. Baumgarten did not fail to de
tect how agitated she was. Her tremblin,
hands were busy with the rose trees
though she could scarcely distinguish
o buds from leaves. Mr.. Baumgarten tool
ID one hand, and placing 1t within his owl
,r arm, bent down his face until 1t was Oh
h a level with hers. "Grace," he whispered
ID have we misunderstood each other?"
~ She could not speak, but her lips turn
ed white with her emotion. 1t was tn
hour of bliss she had so long dreamed of
n Grace" he continued, in tone of i'm
v. passioned tenderness, 'have we loved eac
d. other through the past, and did mistak
Id my feelings? Oh, Grace, my best-beloved
forgive me! Forgive my folly and m
H. blindness |"
With plaintive cry of satisfied yearn
ed ing, such as may escape from one VIII
h suddenly finds a long-sought-for restin
place, Grace Carmel turned to his EN-
N, brace. He held her to him; he covere
nd her face with impassioned kisses, as h
re had once covered Edith Danes: he whis