Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-04-02
u ~ ~ ~ - !"
CHAPTER II.
Continued.

CHAPTER II.
Continued.
"Do you see the Tenants house, Mr..
Mohun? Look straight away to the
right, across those last larches which
divide Yatton from the moor. 1t used
to hide it's intrusiveness and look al.
most respectable when the great elms
were standing; but that old Goth, Mr..
Tenant, had them all cut down last
autumn, and the effect is, as you see
no, as you do not see. Are you really
looking for the Tenants house in the
centre Of your own woods, Mr.. MOhun?
or haven't you heard word Of all
the interesting country news I have
been so busily telling your"
Now, Clifford was thinking neither of
Mr.. Tenants house nor Of his own
larches, but of his companions fair
little outstretched hand.
Very pleasant hands to hold between
ones own, Clifford thorght.
An almost irresistible impulse over
came him, then and there, to take her
hand in his and kiss it, and ask her
to give 1t to him for good. But he did
not. Something in the girls soft, un-
ruff1ed face held him back from going
to such fierce extremes just yet; and
all he did do was to sigh very deeply,
and then, blushing, 1 believe, to say he
had not quite heard what Miss Grand
aid-and-and-he rather thought he
must have been attending to something
else.
"The Tenants have grown up ex-
tremely pretty" remarked Jane, very
quietly, and without blushing at all.
"Aggie, in particular, the one who used
to be thought so plain when they were
children. Have you seen them yet?"
Yes, Clifford had seen them. The
Tenant family had been at Yatton
that morning, and the young ladies'
had kindly assisted in presiding over
some of the outdoor festivities.
"Ah"-and the slightest shadow
passed over James heart. "Aggie is
very pretty, indeed, isn't she? don't
think ever saw such lovely eyes In
any other face"
"Well, they are neither of them beau
ties" said Clifford, indifferently; "and,
of the two, Miss Tenant is the hand
somer. The little one-Aggie, did you
call herr" (he had had quite flirta-
tion with poor Aggie that morning; and
her mamma and sister had already
speculated upon the advantages of her
future position as Mrs. Mohun Of Vat
ton)-"the little one laughs too much.
and inclines toward fat"
"You think Miss Tenant very hand
some, then?"
Better looking than her sister, GER
tainly; but I am not in raptures about
either of them. My taste in beauty Is
difficult to please, Miss Grand! And
Clifford tried hard to look sentimental.
"Your taste will be very unlike that
of all the rest Of the world IL you don't
admire the Miss Tenants. 1 hear no
girls get on so well at balls as they do:
and both of them have received what
Miss Lynch calls most eligible offers.
Yes, indeed, Mr.. Mohun, in real practi-
cal earnest, although you do look so
s.iaptical. Mr.. Tenant Is so near
about settlements and money that
every one of the engagements have
been broken off; but that the offers
were made is certain. Robert Nash, of
The Craig, was the last. He wanted to
marry Aggle."
"A Nash would do anything for
money" said Clifford, with somewhat
supercilious uprising Of the eyebrows,
J. In N for n
old Tenants"
"You are very severe upon the Ten
nants, Mr.. Mohun. suppose you think
it n thoroughly degrading thing for
man to have made his money in trader
Jane spoke quickly, and her cheeks
grew hot.
II was not thinking Of trade at all"
answered Clifford. II was thinking OF
common honesty when spoke of the
kind of feelings a man must have who
could wish to inherit Mr.. Tenants
money, or to become the husband of
one of Mr.. Tenants daughters"
"But at least Bertha and Aggie are
innocent of all that their father may
have done years and years ago. 1t Is
very hard to visit the sins Of fathers
upon their children, I think"
"Well, you need be under no fear OF
parental transgressions being too harsh
Iy remembered in the case Of the Miss
Tenants said Clifford, laughing. Il
give q little eccentric opinion Of my
own when say that I would rather
marry the daughter Of any honest
farmer in the county; but there are
plenty OF men In the world-Mr. Rob-
ert Nash at their head-who hold di-
rectly opposite opinion. AS many thou
sands of pounds as Mr.. Tenant pos
sesses can cover a multitude of sins" :
"T think charity forbids us to impute
evil to any one, Mr.. Mohun.'
"But don't think charity compels us
to become Mr.. Tenants son-in-law,
Miss Grand. A man with good,
broad pair of shoulders, like Mr.. Rob-
crt Nashs. could find better ways of
getting his bread than by buying it
with ill-gotten money"
"And, If he really should happen to
care little for Aggie, as well as for
her fortune?" Miss Grand persisted.
.Well, If a man fell in love with one
of the Miss Tenants, without knowing
Mr.. Tenants history, and found it,
out afterward, he would t7 !. :, ~. n q