The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-09
CHAPTER XVI.

In Exchange For q Soul.
Behind the counter all the day
The old obliging dealer stands:
He hath a grave and quiet way,
Yet now and then he rubs his hands,
And what am I to give for this?'
A maiden asks, below her breath:
oh something none will ever miss
Only thy little SOUL he saith"
Frederick Langbridge.
Lionel Gladwyn paced his cool.
comfortable bed-chamber in perturb-
ed meditation.
Life was moving fast, and ever
since he left the quiet farm at Gold
en- Ridge the sense of excitement, of
adventure, had been growing within
him. He felt as if he had been guided,
step by step, across continent and
harmonious room, abode of staid
provincial propriety and white prov
incial peace-and there to be con-
fronted with what he sought-to per-
ceive the Gate of Freedom rolling
back before his captive eyes-to des-
cry, beyond the woman of whom he
1oathed to think, the woman to whom
he scarcely dared aspire.
He had arrived at about eleven
O'Clock that morning. A carriage
had met him at the station-but en-
m hriv fho rivl- eriv.
as he insistently told himself. He
had been drizen to the house upon
the hill, vaguely admiring as he pass
ed them the lovely blooming things
that fringed the drive. The country
after the rain, bore a holiday aspect
which made his heart beat riotous-
ly. He had not remembered how
beautiful England was, nor had he
ever, to his knowledge, been in the
west country before
Ushered into the morning-room he
had been received by Mrs. Bardsley
Her substantial, amiable, kindly man
ner, was reassuring. But her words
were most discouraging She told
him that she was empowered by her
niece to say that she had quite de-
cided that no marriage was possible
between herself and Mr.. Gladwyn for
two reasons. The first and, in fact,
the all-sufficient one was that she
had come to the conclusion that her
affection for him was not enough.
The second, that she did not think
he was free to marry as long as his
wife lived.
Gladwyn, after the solemn pre-
amble, had been sensible of vast
relief He was glad that Vernon was
not too facile. 1t enhanced his al
ready high opinion of her. Her
scruples would need careful, delicate
removal. Her feeling for himself de-
manded, and should receive, wooing
and homage, combined with a chival-
rous self-restraint.
He was told that she was willing
to see him-that she thought it fair
est that he should take his dismissal
from her own lips. He replied I'M
daunted that he wished nothing bet
ter.
Aunt Emma looked with approval
at his fine psysique, his really hand
some hazel eyes, his manner, of the
best English, with an acquired Colon
ial self-reliance not at all aggressive.
She decided that this man would be
difficult to resist. She wished with
all her heart that the wretched wife
were not in the way. Otherwise,
surely Vernon could never find bet
ter husband. He was evidently in
the full vigor of perfect health. The
disparity of years mattered but little.
If Vernon's idea were true-that
Jem vas jealous of herself, and un-
hapU1 about Selma-it would be IN
excellent thing to have her niece
married and settled down somewhere
near. Mrs. Bardsley had the usual
feminine realization that marriage
need never part mother and daugh-
ter, though it inevitably parts mother
and son. Vernon married-Vernon
with babies-would be an unfailing
fount of pleasure and occupation for
her declining years.
She went in search of the maiden