Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-04-29
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CHAPTER VII,

h'oEt, sdlu MrS. Lyme W regis, as Sn
and her granddaughter sat in the drawing
room in Victoria Road, awaiting the ad
vent of that young sailor. ut is goo,
thing for him, of course, to have got
ship, although | suppose that means bid
ding him good-by for a very long while.
Yes replied Beatrice, that is tn,
worst of 1t. 1t is of course very mic,
that he should get ship. because know
he wants one; but, | must say, | don
like losing Jack for so long"
Pooh, child Jack has got his wa,
to make in the world. and that is not t.
b- done by dangling about your apron
strings"
II don't think Jack minds being bullieC
and leased by me, grandmamma," replied
the girl.
He will probably bring home a wifi
from the other side of the world
Jack will never marry" replied til,
girl quickly.
"Ah, well, my dear" said the old lady
demurely, no doubt you know best
You are wicked old woman" crieC
the girl, as her cheeks flushed and she
threw her arms round her grandmother
neck and kissed her. How dare you
entrap me like that?'
But now the door opened, and Mr.
Phillimore made his appearance good
looking young fellow enough. with fair
hair bold blue eyes, and a blonde mus
tache. He shook hands cordially with the
ladies': and his greetings made, in obedi-
ence TO the announcement that dinner was
ready, handed Mrs. Lyme Wregis with
gay courtesy to the dining room.
"And so. Jack, you are pleased with
your appointment" observed Mrs. Lyme
Wregis Il suppose it really is nice
thing for you"
Great bit of luck" he replied. ''I
am going out, you-see, as the Admira's
flag lieutenant"
And so you are to be away three
years, Jack" remarked Beatrice.
YES; but it is to be spent at a first
rate station"
And you would have no regrets about
leaving England for so long?' inquired
Beatrice. in somewhat more serious tones.
"Wel. of course" replied her cousin,
81 should be sorry not to see any of you
for so long time but then, you know,
when a man turns sailor he of course ey-
poets all that sort of thing. Besides.
shall never be more than a few days
distant from you, and can always make
a dash home if any event of Importance
is about TO take place in the family"
"Such as my marriage, you know"
replied Beatrice demurely.
Yes, you may be quite sure shall be
there whenever that takes place." said
Jack Phillimore, ''even if l am tried for
desertion afterwards"
( "Oh, but you might not be asked, you
know"
"Ah, well, Trixie, you know that
should be very unhappy if thought your
wedding could take place without my be-
ing present"
well. now." said the old lady. 'T shall
leave you young people to have your talk
out by yourselves while | take my usual
nap before tea"
Then you have to leave almost at
once. Jack?" said the girl in low tones,
while her cousin closed the door behind
Mrs. Lyme Wregis.
Il leave Waterloo by the mail train to-
morrow night" he replied land this is
the last time that | shall see you, Trixie,
till | don't know when. | have got so
much to do tomorrow that it will be
quite impossible for me to get out here
but / have counted on this evening. /
have something to say to you before l
leave England, something indeed that l
could not leave England without saying.
Cannot you guess what it is, Beatrice?"
The girls lips syllabled a scarcely au
dible mo" TO which the blood that man:
tied her cheeks gave fat contradiction.
"Yes, | think you can. darling" he
continued. IF have never told you in
actual words that love you. it is because
/ have told you in so many other ways
that it was needless. | have loved you
for years. l loved you as a child, loved
you as school girl, and now that you are
a woman grown, / want you to tell me
that you can love me in return. Can you |
not tell me that. darling? Can you not |
promise that, when | come back at the !
end of three years, you will be my wife,"
mo, Jack" she replied softly, II can |
not do that"
Have / been mistaken, Beatrice" he !
exclaimed sadly. Can you not regard |
me no longer as a cousin, but as your |
betrothed husband?'
"You must not ask that question,
Jack"
"I cannot see that" he rejoined In res
olute tones. "The minute | got my ap-
pointment l made up my mind to ask
you that question before anything, and |
surely a man deserves a courteous reply, |
If it be to say him nay You may tell
me, Beatrice, that l have already had 1t,
and that it is unfair to press you fur
ther but my whole life is at stake"
"But / do love you," she replied, with
flushed cheeks.
well enough to be my wife, darlng?"
ne whispered, as he stole his arm round
her waist.
YES: and was Just about to tell you
70. only you were so dreadfully impetu-
JUS. And, Jack" she continued, as she
yielded to his embrace, when you be-
ran to tell me how you loved me 1t was
20 delightful that l could not interrupt
Tou. l suppose / ought to have melted
,efore," she said half shyly. half saucily,
but can not you understand a girl being
70 proud Of having won such a love
hat she could not bear to break In upon
,er lovers pleadingsT
but, Beatrice, dearest, what made you
% cruel to me at frstf Why did you
elI me you could not love ms7"
~OA. Jack. I did not You aaksd me