The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-28

sibility, was laid up with a fever which, for a time, threatened to terminate fa- tally. Colonel Brandon was dispatched to bring Mrs. Dashwood from Barton to the bedside of her daughter and performed this task-as he did everything-with per feet coolness and propriety.
 While Marianne's illness was critical there came to Cleveland none other than Willoughby, who asked to speak with Elinor. The man was almost hysterical. He tried to defend himself for what he had done. His actions in regard to Colo nel Brandon's niece had, he said, come to the knowledge of his family and he had been deprived of all expectations. When he first had met Marianne he had this he had soon experienced. However, as he was poor, he had, upon being dis inherited been obliged to marry woman with wealth. He pleaded for forgiveness, and Elinor calmly bade him depart, prom ising that she would think as well Of him as she could under the circumstances. 1 AS soon as Marianne was able to travel
 
 Brandon cottage, where their former course of life bgan over again. Elinor grew impatient for some news of Edward Ferras. She had heard nothing of him since leaving London. Some letters had passed between her and her brother on account of Marianne's illness. In the first of these John had written this sentences Na lrrn ,0th ioy ,F Ot-f,, fa Edward, and can make no inquiries on so prohibited subject. We conclude that he is still at Oxford
 l One day a servant of the Dashwoods- who had been sent over to Exeter on bus | mess and was waiting at the table l said: "I suppose you know, ma am, that Mr. Ferras is married. I see MT. Ferras this morning myself, maam, in Exeter, and his lady, too-Miss Steele as was | They was stopping in a chaise at the door of the New London Inn, and Miss Lucy that is, Mrs. Ferras-called to me and sent her best compliments and service to 1 you, saying that she was sorry they did | not have time to come and see you" 1 Elnor had no more appetite for that | meal. She saw Lucy and Edward settled | in their parsonage house at Delaford; she saw Lucy, the active, contriving man. I ager, uniting at once the greatest dis play with the greatest economy, and | ashamed to be suspected of half her fru- galites. She saw her counting the favor of Colonel Brandon, of Mrs. Jennings, she knew not what she saw, nor what she wished to see. Happy or unhappy, nothing pleased her; she turned away her head from every mental sketch of him. | T wrote to Colonel Brandon last week. said her mother. and should not be sur- prised to see him arrive at any minute. | Scarcely had Mrs. Dashwood said this when a man on horseback drew rein be- fore the cottage. Colonel Brandonv' | thought both the mother and daughter
 But it was not Colonel Brandon-the rider was Edward Ferras! Not word was spoken by the mother or the two daughters, though Elinor would have given the world to have been able to say that she hoped no coolness might appear in their welcome of Edward. Edward en- tered the room with a face white with agitation. Mrs. Dashwood forced her self to greet him formally, to give him her hand and wish him joy upon his marriage Marianne retreated as much as possible out of the range of fire. Eli nor gathered herself together and spoke about the dryness of the weather. Then she asked if Mrs. Ferras was at Long, staple. "At Longstaple?' replied Edward. mo. my mother is in town" 'I meant" said Elinor. 'to inquire for Mrs. Edward | Ferras"
 "Perhaps," said Edward, you mean Mrs. Robert Ferras-perhaps you do not know that my brother has lately married-to the youngest of the Miss Steeles-to Miss Lucy Steele" His words were echoed by all three ladies in astonishment. "Yes," continued he, they were married last week and are now at Dawlish." Elinor could stand it no longer-she fairly ran fromfthe room