The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-11-22

practice in the game If am to be
clergyman's wife. and real infu-
ence. !,
It was most interesting drive.
Every one said so. Even young Os-
good, later on in the interval, when
he was waiting on Lise in the supper
room, told her that he'd had his sus-
PIGEONS too; for the man was SO much
like groom that If he wasn't one he
could only have been Duke.
What rum business it has been,
hasn't it? And Miss Cogwheels en-
gagement that's queer. too. Do you
know, always thought had a
chance there. She seemed to think l
understood her so we'll, and she's new
err been really understood before. She
told me so'
Lise laughed
"Oh, Harry she said, what
child you are! Does any one under
stand Audrey? We've all tried our
best, but she's still beautiful mys-
terry. There's poor Nigel. He's left.
his business entirely to Jack, SO that
we've no possible chance Of a holt
day now, and gone abroad to drown
his sorrows in the Mediterranean.
He's so wretched that he'll eat al
most anything without a murmur,
and he has never said q word about
the simple life since he heard the
news. I'm afraid he thinks he might
have won her if his habits had been
those Of other men, and regret is al
ways so much harder to bear than re-
morse, isn't it?"
Osgood laughed. Audrey, coming
up, caught Lise's last remark, and
put her own construction on 1t.
"Oh, hope she won't feel that"
she said softly--"not remorse. One
doesn't want any of ones fellow
creatures to suffer, AS Perciyal said
at the time, Uneasy is the head that
wear a crown, and I thought it such
an apt quotation when heard that
Tormentila was really Lady Alexan-
dra Greenrose and Lord Malinder's
youngest daughter, and that she was
to marry the Duke of Lavendale al
most directly. I feel more pity than
anything else. She was an impulsive.
misguided girl, Percival thinks, but
I feel sure she acted for the best ac-
cording to her lights. One can only
feel sorrow if the lights proved to be
but dim and smoky, can one?"
She was dear, unselfish child"
said Lise warmly. land very good
for all of us, especially Jack and me.
You treated her abominably, Au-
drey."
"You misjudge me- 80 Audrey
turned away with a sigh as she
spoke and events prove that | was
quite right. But the thought of that
poor girl driven to make marriage
Of convenience is the only blot on my
happiness. OF course, her parents in
sisted upon it, when Lady Doreen ran
away. Aristocratic parents are so
hard, so despotic, I always think.
Dearest / said to mother when l
heardi the news, If you and father
had disapproved of my engagement
I should have broken my heart; and
mOLuST Sdlu at OuSS Iudl ehCtA viz
wish was to see me happy-she did
really"
But isn't it possible Osgood
asked in surprise, with f1eeting
memory OF Tormentilla and John Ed
ward as he had seen them waiting
so happily together in the narrow
lane for the tardy bridegroom elect,
that they are fond of each other?
They seemed very jolly together"
81 think it's love match" said
Lise with quiet little smile, for she
alone knew the story of the Paradise
and the serpent who had swallowed
the, key, but Audrey shook her head,
quite unconvinced. She stood there,
elegant and ethereal, with the lamp
light shining on her golden hair-a
spirit-girl. Mr.. Bromsgrove said she
looked like spirit.
"Oh, no." she said wistfully; Gin
novels perbaps--or even on the stage,
but not in real life. How can a duke
expect to be loved for himself alone?"
The End.