Year: 1876

y
read this as clearly as if she had spoke
it. Yet, with maidenly instinct, she kne>
that the proposal to clasp hands for lf
must come from him, not from her, an
she waited for him to speak. He turne
at the piteons appeal in her last words
and she shrank from the white, stern face
little guessing the anguish it covered,


What am to say p he asked, and hi
voice was hard and cold. The problem
we were trying to solve is taken ont of ou
hands,


You think ought to 90 p Eta said, il
II faint voice.


You will be an utter idiot if YOU do not


She shrank from the harsh tone, won
dering what could nave changed him 50


Ned very piteously, must | go? d.
you want me to go?'


Not II muscle of the rigid face quivere,
under the pleading of the soft dark eyes
Smothering with all his might of man
hood the wild desire to gather her in hi
arms, never, never to let her escape, ht
spoke, quietly; vet he did not dare b.
| tender


1t would be simply insanity for you Il
refuse this offer. Henrietta


'Oh, how angry he is' the poor chil(
thought. 'He never called me Henriett;
before


You are so utterly alone


Il have you-' Then she stopped, the
crimson tide flowing over face and throat
IL mean you were my friend. But you
are angry with me. land the tear
gathered i can't help having grand
father, Ned


You ought to be very grateful, said The
stern young mentor, whose own gratitude
was of the smallest proportions. %
course you will accept his of1er?


'No-I thought hoped-I-oh, Ed
wardr


How much of this can stand p though
the tortured man. Aloud he said SIS he
to call again?'


No; if decide to go to him. | am to &C
to the hotel at three o'clock. He will
send Il carriage


Three o'clock You have not too much
tine to get your possessions together
Shall take charge of the pictures till you
are settedo'


Yes Oh, 50 weariy the word was
spoken.


4 will leave you, then, to pack up
Good-by y as if they were to meet the
next day


Eta could scarcely bear it. She rallied
what little pride would come at her call
Surely he was glad to be rid of her.


'Good-by, Edward"


He took the little cold shaking hand,
and with u quick impulse, gathered her
once in his arms, kissed her forehead,
whispered, God bless you, my darling =
and was gone, leaving new radiance up
on her face.


Just in those words she read the whole
story. lie loved her, and he would not
take her from this new life of ease and
luxury But he loved her. That was
enough to know now.


At three o'clock Mr. Randolph's grand
child stood in that gentleman's private
sitting-room at the hotel, very pale. but
perfectly self-possessed.


4 am going to Italy, my dear the old
gentleman said You must have y suita-
bic wardrobe, and a governess


a wardrobe if you will, grandfather,
as my present one might disgrace you
bat not u governess. | am young and ig-
anything you bid me. but | will not have
q governess.


We'll, my dear, Just as you will. But
about the clothes. DO you know what to
buy q


Exactly


And, with q full purse, her grandfather
for escort, the young lady fitted from
shop to shop, enjoying immensely the de-
light Of unlimited shopping for the first
time in her life She had accepted her
life with the full resolve to make the best
of it, Edward loved her. Some time it
would all come right. In the meantime
she would try to repay her grandfather
for every kindness, and grow womanly,
accomplished more worthy of her lover,


1t had been one of her fathers frequent
remarks that it was Impossible to keep
Eta down. No matter how great the
pressure Of circumstances, of poverty,
trouble. or sorrow, her buoyant spirit
rose ever to carry all lightly. And the
great change in her life once inaugurated,
man, who had wearied for eighteen years
for just such companionship. 1t pleased
him to see how naturally she fell into the
routine of her daily life. 1t gave him
keen delight to bow to all her little tyr
annies, and accept her reign en- princesSe
over all his possessions, including him
self


And she learned to love him with true,
deep affection, worshipping his gentleness
and his rare power Of intellect. She would
literally sit at his feet and listen while he
taught her more than he ever guessed
himself by his talk of a long life's expe-
rience. He found himself petted and hui
mored in a thousand ways, every whim
Of advanced years tendcrly considered
and alternating with this a delicately-
veined tyranny, that carried him into a
thousand gay scenes to which he had long
been a,stranger. And Eta, happy in low
ing and giving love, unfolded like a
flower, studying tercely in her hours of
solitude, learning even more in the varied
scenes of travel and in society Not that
she forgot Many a tear was given to hel
fathers memory, and never once did the
faithful heart waver from its allegiance
to Thornley,.


Her grandfather had requested her to
hold no correspondence with any of the
companions of her old life. and she obey
ed implicitly Loving Edward, firmly
trusting his love, there was a spice o
mischief IN her obedience, a thought thai
il was fitting punishment to her lover
for giving her up SO easily


She knew that her grandfather hat
made his will, leaving her his entire es
tate. that she could win him to consen
to any desire of her heart, and yet hel
lovers name never passed her lips. Sht
told him of Bruin, the pompous patron o
her father, who had made money by rag
picking, and later, paper-making, and sh,
wakened the old genteman's merry wratl
by mimicking her ancient adorer's horri
bic grammar, uncouth manners. and SLOW
enly habits, touching but lightly upon hi
age. 1t pleased her to see how Mr.. Ran
dolph frowned upon all possible suitors
Rich or poor, grand OF simple, every mar
was an ogre to him who threatened t.
take his idol from him. Attention to hel
pleased him, admiration of her piquan
beauty and odd yet graceful manner, de
lighted him, but when he thought NOR
personal interest was awakened, he sud
denly tired of the place in which the fas
cinating or fascinated monster resided
and moved away. And Eta in merr,
| mischief U0uld hawaii +ho Loot c,,;to ',