Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-05-22
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BY MARTHA BEIddNGER
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MARTHA BLLLINGER
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Aleck, on his part, had not come to
his decision suddenly or impulsively;
nor, having arrived there, was he to
be turned from 1t easily. True as It
was that he sincerely and aifectionate-
ly desired Melanie Reynier for a wife,
yet on the whole he was a very cool
Romeo. He was manly, but he was
calculating; he was honorably dis
posed toward matrimony, but he was
not reborn with love. And so, in the
sober bedroom of the club, he quickly
fell into the good sleep induced by ia.
tlgue and healthy nerves.
Morning brought counsel and a dis
position to renew operations. A note
was dispatched to his Diana by a pri-
Vate messenger. and the boy was bid
den to wait for an answer 1t came
presently:
Come at twelve. If you wish.
"MELANIE REYNIER."
Aleck smiled with satisfaction. Here
was a wise venture going through hap
PLY, he hoped. He was pleased that
she had named the very hour he had
asked for the night before. That was
like her good, frank way of meeting a
situation, and it augured well for the
unknown emergencies of their future
life. He had little patience with IT,
nudity and traditional coyness in wom-
en-, and great admiration for an open
and fearless spirit. Melanie's note
almost set his heart humping.
But not quite; and no one under
stood the cool nature of that ryan
better than MelanIe herself. The la
dies in the apartment at the Arch
angel had fingered at their breakfast,
the austerity of which had been miti-
gated by a center decoration of or
chlds and fern, f~resh-touched with
dew; or so Madame Reynier had de-
scribed them to Melanie, as she
brought them to her with the card of
Mr.. Lloyd-Jones. Miss Reynier smiled
family, admired the blossoms and turn
ed away. .1
The ladies usually spoke French
with each other, though occasionally
Madame Reynier dropped into the
harsher speech Of her native country.
On this morning she did this, telling
Melanie, for the tenth time in as many
days, that in her opinion they ought
to be going home, Madame consid-
cred this her duty, and felt no real
responsibility after the statement was
made. Nevertheless, she was glad to
find Melanie disposed to discuss the
matter a little further.
do you wish to go home, Auntie, or
is it that you think I ought to go?"
Il don't wish to go without you,
child, you know that; and I am very
comfortable here. But his Hfghness,
your cousin, is very impatient; l see
that in every letter from Krolvetz.
You offended him deeply by putting
off your marriage to Count Lorenzo,
and every day now deepens his indig-
nation against you. l don't like to dis.
cuss these things, Melanie, but | sus-
pect that your action deprives him of
a very necessary revenue; and | I'M
derstand, better than you do, to what
lengths your cousin is capable of GO
ing when he is %displeased. You are,
by the law of your country, his ward
until you marry. Would it not be bet
ter to submit to him in friendship,
rather than to incur his enmity? Aft
er all, he is your next of kin, the head
Of your family, and a very powerful
man. If We are going home at all, we
ought to go NV"
But suppose we should ..cide not
to go home at all?"
"You will have to 90 some time, dear
child. You are all alone, except for
me, and in the nature Of things you
can't have me always. Now that you
are young, you think it an easy thing
to break away from the ties of blood
and birth; but believe me, 1t isn't
easy. You, with your nature, could
never do 1t. The call of the land is
strong, and the time will come when
you will long to go home, long to go
back to the land where your father
led his soldiers, and where your moth
er was admired and loved"
Madame Reynier paused and watch.
ed her niece, who, with eyes cast
down, was toying with with her spoon.
Suddenly a crimson flush rose and
spread we Melanie's cheeks and fore
head and neck, and when she looked
up into Madame Reynier's face, she
was gazing through unshed tears.
She rose quickly, came round to the
older woman's chair and kissed her
cheek affectionately.
Dear Auntie, you are very good to
me, and patient, too. It's all true, I
suppose; but the prospect of home
and Count Lorenzo together-ah,
welli" she smiled reassuringly and
again caressed Madame Reynier's