News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1908-05-27

4 have always been tormented-
But during her visit to your plac
could you doubt she loved your
No. he muttered L could hay
staked my life on it. And believ
she would have been equally positiv
until she reached home on Monday
But she has not admitted any
change, said Joan.
She said she had been entrap
ped
so, in a manner she had BEEN Joar
insisted. Pauline is abnormally, sen
sitiyely conscientious. She warned
you she could not trust herself. But,
asked Joan rather abruptly, how dc
you propose to act?'
1 shall go home tomorrow, and try
to grin and bear it.
DO you still wish to marry her.?
asked Joan.
There is no longer any question of
our marriage he answered.
Because if you do, the worst thing
is to leave London. | see it has a
comical side, she said, but my candid
opinion is that at this very moment
Pauline is perplexing herself to de-
eide
She has decided
Then you give in, you surrender
her to Wray!'
1 have already surrendered her.
said Gilbert.
You have simply set her free to
choose
She will not choose me-
But said Joan, suppose she re-
fuses him.
He took a quick step towards her:
i would give my life, he answered
That would be Wasteful in my sup
posititious circumstances she sug-
gested. Now, understand, Wray will
ask her to marry him. At present she
is very sympathetic towards him.
Like all extremely conscientious per-
sons, Pauline has great self-esteem.
She no doubt blames herself for
having grown cold towards Wray.'
She thought she had done that
She made a mistake said Gilbert.
She fancies he is pining for love
of her.
is he not?' demanded Gilbert, with
every sign of establishment.
You see, Amabel has been trying
her by no means prentice hand
You prefer she should marry Anna.
bel, them!
There Bernard comes in, said Jo-
AN. 1 suppose she has flirted a little
'outrageously, but-well, l think Bern
ard stands to win
Then suggested Gilbert thought
fully, you don't want Warehouse to
marry at all
oh, | did not say that cried Joan,
rather imprudently. But Joan has
tened to continue, the point which
concerns you is this: Wray will ask
Pauline to marry him; she pities his
broken heart! But if you keep your
self well to the fore, how can she re-
fraip from plying you also? Take my
advice, Sir Gilbert: don't leave Lon
don. Stay and-as Bernard would say
face the music
I must think about it, he said
oh, you mustn't turn TAIL Joan
urged Seize every opportunity to
throw yourself in her way. For the
rest, you must put your trust in Prov
ddence. With all our puny efforts, she
added, there's always something we
mast leave, you know
CHAPTER XIX.
Gilbert left Joan without giving a
distinct promise to stay in London.
He could not adopt her more hope
full view of the situation, and indeed
she had been little carried away by
her advocacy. But she had suggested
the possibility of Wray's being refus-
ed by Pauline, and this chung to him.
He could conceive nothing more de-
Sirable; that she should make a de-
liberate choice and not choose Wray,
would forever put an end to every
jealous doubt Such a consummation
would be worth his present torture.
Gilbert did not return to Horsemere
on Thursday, but it was another mat
ter to put himself deliberately in
Pauline's way. 1t was true he had an
invitation, received many weeks ago,
for Lady Dubison's dance on Friday.
He knew that in ordinary circum-
stances she would be present, but it
was only after dinner on Friday eve
ming that he decided to 60
Pauline and Mrs. Cathcart were not
the only persons who felt surprised TO
see him arrive For his own part, he
was painfully embarrassed, and for
some time he carefully avoided her.
He never danced, but Pauline manoeu-
vred so that she finished a waltz by
his side With the necessary Gif-
ferences due to the time and place,
she greeted him almost in the SANG
sympathetic manner as she had met
Wray on Monday.
I did not expect to see you here
she murmured, ignoring her partner.
You remembered that | had been
invited?' he stammered.
/'Oh. yes; but | imagined your leav-
ing London
Perhaps | ought not to be here, he
said, gloomily.
, Why not-?