The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-30
CHAPTER XIV

CHAPTER XIV.
The day before the funeral Captain
Carmichael received a letter from his
step-daughter, offering to execute any
deed he might choose to lave prepared
settling upon him the iGcome which his
wife was to have had after Vioiet's
majority.
Il know that you are a heavy loser
by my mothers DEATH" she wrote,
land l shall be glad to do anything in
my power to lessen that loss. l know
well that it was her earnest wish that
you future should be provided for. /
told her a few days before she died
that / should make you this offer. |
do it with all my heart; and l shall
consider myself obliged by your &C
ceptance of it,"
The captains reply was brief but
firm.
Il thank you for your generous of.
fer" he said, which feel assured is
made in good faith; but l think you
ought to know that there are reasons
why it is impossible / should accept
any benefit from your hand. l shall not
re-enter the Abbey House after my
wife's funeral. You will be sole and
sovereign mistress of all things from
that hour"
He kept his word. He was chief
at the quiet but stately burial
under the old yew-tree in Beechdale
churchyard. When all was over he got
into a fly and drove to the station al
Lyndhurst road, whence he departed
by the first train for London.
Violet had telegraphed for her ole
governess directly after Mrs. Carmich.
ael's death, and that good and homely
person arrived on the day after the
funeral, to take up her abode with her
old pupil as companion and chaperon
until Miss Tempest should have be-
come Mrs. Vawdrey, and would have
but one companion henceforward in all
the journey of life. Rorie and Vixen
were to be married in six months.
Mrs. Carmichael had made them prom
Use that her death should delay their
marriage as little as possible.
You can have a very quiet wedding
you know, DEAR" she said. "You can
be married in your travelling dress
something pretty in gray silk and ter.
ry velvet, or with c~hinchilla trimming,
if it should be winter. Chinchilla is
so MISUNDERSTANDING You will go
abroad, 1 suppose, for your honey
moon-Pau, or Monaco, or any of those
places on the Mediterranean"
1t had pleased her to settle every
thing for the lovers. Violet remem
bered all these speeches with a tender
sorrow. There was comfort in the
thought that her mother had loved her,
according to her lights.
1t had been finally settled between
the lovers hat they were to live at the
Abbey House. Briarwood was to be
let to any wealthy individual who
might desire a handsome house, sur
rounded by exquisitely arranged gar
dens, and burdened with glass that
would cost a small fortune annually to
maintain.
II should like to show you Briarwood
before it is let, Vixen" Mr.. Vawdrey
said to his sweetheart, n November
morning. You may at least pay my
poor patrimony the compliment of
looking at it before 1t becomes the
property of Lord and Lady Mallow.
Suppose you and Miss McCroke drive
over and drink tea with me this after
noon? / believe my housekeeper
brews pretty good tea"
Violet had a new pair OF ponies
which her lover had chosen for her.
after vain %endeavors 20 trace and re-
cover the long lost Titmouse. They
found Roderick standing at his gates,
waiting for them. There was a glori.
Gus fire in the amber and white draw
ing room, a dainty tea table drawn in
front Of the hearth, the easiest Of
chairs arranged on each side Of the
table, an urn Kissing. Rorie's ~favorite
pointer stretched upon the hearth,
everything cosy AID homelike.
They all three sat round the fire,
drinking tea, poured out by Vixen,
sweetly. They talked of old times,
sometimes sadly, sometimes sportively,
glancing swiftly from n old memory
to another. All Rorie's tiresome ways,
all Vixen's mischievous tricks, were
remembered.
Il think / led you a life In those
days, didn't /, Rorie?" asked Vixen,
leaving the tea tray, and stealing softly
behind her lovers chair to lean over
his shoulder caressingly, and pull his
thick brown beard. There is nothing
so delightful as to torment the person
one loves best in the world. Oh, Rorie.
/ mean to lead you a life by and by!"
Dearest, the life o lead me must
needs be sweet, for 1t will be spent
with you"