HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Record, 1881-12-23, Page 2THE ARUNDEL INTEL
BY MARY CO011. HAY,
Author qf "O MtIddleton's 31014 ;" 01 ijiati&
;" " The,.$1autre'it begaey ;" VIFteg put
-Vanquished ;' Nora's Lore Test ; ' "
Shadow
'm the 7'hreshold " RatttLfho
ost Hums ;" set, set
CIIAPTAR Ir.NXVI.--Oentinmod.
His frown „gathered blisitiottely„ but
he pleaded ball; Dever silenced. by her
low, Arm negetive, never silenced even
when she, rese and attempted to leave
the rem.
4'ke.annot take your answer," be Al aid,
a I mess savagely seising the little trent b -
__tins hand that•leaned for support upon
the tehle, and holding it between his,
own. must try again, for,--sHessie,
yott,a, re deaser. to me Hunt isty own
life.
"I shall never angwer .3701,1 tttiOst94
Sir Randal," said Rester?with empties
tic slowness. "I, will never let tSita.
speak to tue alone again,"
"What is your answer, theor • ho
asked, his voice horse in his anger,
' '"rliat• I, never could return Mr:
love," she said, as quietly as she ,eowld,
"even if vou•told me of it •every
And that I am very sorry you have
t given it the at all.", "
"And you reject 'meg"
• "Y es."
"You willrepent it—y,ott rettet-s-fer
) gannet, forget 41,tis, nor \VW 1:
bear to lose wy loye, •my beauty.
Think once more before you send nie
away. Who could ever love you het-
ter than I dots Hessie 7" • . . •
• He raised her hand tohis lips •and
kissed it again and again,. While, hot
thers 'trembled on her eyelids,
"You know that I ani .weak and
alone or you •would not. dare tide she
said, her eyes flashing.-,
"Give 'ine another answer, then," he
whispered, his face flushing drimson.
"Tell me may to Wait," • • . .1 .
There is only one answer I can give,
at; 1 have told. you." • • .
"Is there some °tie elsoin my 'way?",
he. asked, forgetting himself .1118
eagerileSS, . •
"1 do not quiteundersand you," 'else
answered, quietly. •. • ••
"Have you given all yoer love mve
1fssio 7" .
"If ever 1 do that," she answered,
with quivering lips, and Menet, sad
tsiie,''it wilt be to,a gentleman. That is.
legative enough for you; Sir Randal.."
Iu spite Of the frail form and white.
face, and the eyes ,that Were feverish
in their anger, she looked.so streag,and
beautiful in her youth and purity, that
he cowered a .nioment under -her gaze.
Then, with a sudden start he bent' Ids
head, left one quick, burning kis upon
the small, scornful lips, .sixt1 went
hastily from the Tom. ' • • .
Nester crept up -stairs when he was
one asidweshed her face energetically,-
1stt 4i4 nqt :go in to lancheon; and
jtIIawenciereq &011C1 t intervals
througlibuf the eypeittg.why Sir'. Ran-.
del Plot had ,not *ought: it Worth:
while to go jut int 9 Plse. c,ettP met sto
say good-bye to Hester, telten p.e,epte
had pretended to see so eteclideyetion
in hisscondoet et the:ga11.
But Hester. did nett anind then, for
the little boys were come honie from
their ride, and in their joy at beviiig.
her down stairs again slisehad pleasure
enough.
So Sir Randal was gone, .and there
were other good-byes to. follow. The
time wo.s comm for Alfy end -Wattle's to
ge School; and this. was 'a very sad
persting to Hester, who knew, too, that
tbe pop was chatving, near for Tom to
go pi:few?, as his Step -father had • long
promtsed estmield do. •
But hefoire, L—it Was, indeed, as
it itintised if.e.sheystp4od, ou St. 'Voice
-
tine's noting,see.retved a: letter
from Pollie goldstottitt-a ,letter
ent from Pollie's 8aI7.ssipiple and
loving tines;at :kettle. woe olotter, in
which elle mint* deactAtte & 'vita
r. Delehoyde its.d »a4..Jter after
l tester left; and thett—Ax ttreet ,eStteu-
ts•dy-2.touelied upon 10p .,C9ittensts Af
link hitter heliad sett h,e,r stem
teriously hitited•at undessse4 4.0,1k•
)it5, and, with many i it erssa ptitiesie
inrush rasublieg, told liestethtetv etied,
was, and hoW•-•unwortlie she beirtelf•
I !1 short—though Pilie hathakAttettly
expressed it in longeel-Iugh. had salted
her CO. be his wife, itielShe. had eetisent;
41 with happy gladness.. p.tister
laid her little hands upon the letter,
and looked out with Misty theashrel
, en.
Other. letters following tWs, iteld
1•er :‘tt" was to he in the sp.ingS atal
tvould Etcetera -sin: her love , fuel kind-
le-sit—come for It, and be he OU1Y
truest and bridesmaid, Mutat) inahn her
ha pp i ness perfect • A iel H em ter deter-
mined to do so, be ,Lp when it would;
and obtained Iter uncte's consent im-
mediately, not tett+ lieedieg Bellfee
remark that mit we. tad/oohing enough
to have a clergyman who Wag a balKaly
thitilaCif, • W14,941t /YU 41i141)04
marrying ataverness, and expecting
her to be received." Bella did not par-
ticularsze what Hugh "finished up" by
lds marriaste: nor whether his, wild ex-
pectation was that his bride shoeld be
"receisted" by Miss Lane.
lehell,not call, if I have my way,"
oltestritsttered, which threat, even if ear-
ried out, would not, Hester thought,.
greatly Mar the little bride's happiness;
"i/ou may do it all. It is just en a
par with your usual ridiculous notions
of standing godmother to dirty cottage
habieft,"
Hester tried to avoid the subject
after this, but Bella seemed to enjoy
Snapping it out on every convenient
and many an inconvenient opportunity,
and Nester could only try all the hard-
er pot te grow fretful or solitary and
reserved as she felt Sadly iuctined to
do. How earnestly she strove and
prayed against it, her own heart only •
kpew; bow she succeeded was proved.
by Me. Bruce's speech, nearly a year
Afterysitt,'•d*:
"Guess.44 sgetst,eeeld I guess. it,
when she was always the veriest.sun,
beam that ever -gladdened a man's
homer
The.last good-bye came on a gray,
February morning, such as makes a
ting doubly drear. The 'carriage
as at the.door, and a group bad gas
Aliered inth e ball waiting for Tom to•
come down. Hester, running 'up' to
*tell hith so, met nim at the•school-rooin
door. His handsome young face sash
dewed at the sight of her, and he drew
her into the empty room.
fressie," he said, brokenly, "let us
omit heie; before we join the others
clown •stairs. • Oh this is horkibly •
bartir • -
"Why, Tom 1" she pried, with an
echo of her old laugh, s't,who woultt im-
agine youwere starting for a top
anktisement, .ancl were wring tode Audi
wonderful
13ut she, too,. brake down es 4,bair
eyes met, for she was analogs' ft hiu
in her very heart. And she knew,
th
toe, at her • own dull and hopeless
lt'fe would grow nfore:groomy when he
was gone. . • " •
"Otted,bye," she said, :a world of
.
tenderness in has eyes. .1.,'Pottchtsye,
clear Tem." • .• ••
‘.1-socl-1)YeetPY 0.4ttr, :dent' IPtatl-ot'
he Wlisperech:striigglitig with litinself;•
"Only a few 4i:tenths for the Prenah.
polish mid:cher:man Odin: to do their
work,. and then lio� to bepin life in
earnest • Witch ts 4elte ter ittes uiy
stover .
agireslife of, e man whobeeps all•the
brave rebolittiens he tuade 'when he left
'college, ToM." .
"But the life .,of wan—however
resoltitimekeephig-esis yery gloonty by
itself," .. • . . •
"I thinkthe life of a Men whO is
worthy to lie"called a, sinati can never
he kept to hinisett:" '
'You • always stern away that sub-
ject,Hesete.
.tietlecitese, :yen see, we are (reusing;
Tem, tted I'should not 1114 to dropthe
pleasant relationship." • •
• ,"'But,. ins dropping
"Do aitihtliiiik,of dropping it, Totn,"
she interrupted,' hastily; "it does us.
both good, and there, is nothing else
•tvideli ean•ever take its platie, - • ..
"I know yoelepkatpoo tne as a boy,
Resole," he said, sadly",...heed now,
fear,as an tinsteedy.ene; but yep shell
see what firmness I have to wait 0,94
hope," • • • •
"Alt! Tom, you need' atil your firm.
nese-sated the help of a higher strength,
too—for t3othething, else."' , • •
• •"I kitew, .dear; to. resist, yleit'inften,
I will that,.too; and, f will tell you
'when we ntee#. vhat 'was the hope that
took me safely through tertiptation."
"There is only one Hopelwhich can
do that, dear Tont."
"Aa right. But the other lope
would de it, you will see. Dear, shall
you Miss e r
s"Very, yerV. much."
"Bet you iniased the children quite
;as muchwhen they went to .schooli" he
asked, wistfully.
_ .
"Yes, I think so. Chu rleigh has lost
Meet of its brightnessnow." ' •
He looked at her thoughtfully. "Are
you fretting, dear, about anythingr
She laughed, and that was negative
enough for him. —
t.Do not take to heart Bella's bold-
nage,'he Said, tenderly s "she is only
• spiting' everybody for Lealiohne's•ala
settee.. She cement underetand it, and
veuts her disaPpeinted ambition on
al of ais—on you, .espeeially. AS for
•the seether, she can't,. help her notate.'
1)anftmn1 her indifference. Be hales
pendeat,t of t dear. She, too, is suf-
feting tfrom complaint astd we
all know that • hope deferred .Maketh
the disposition sour. Et will 0,11 wear
oft muter consolatione.
Asrul /Jessie, • dear • though he doesen't
ettew it erery publicly, the governor
ft.p.meti Yeu •A slight degree better than
• ralelleet ,eepectally now she 'is so disa-
reeable. Ltear one 1 what is to keep
eitholeee ?ore at her pleasure? A
Ofte 6114044,n for him, smooth log get
• -
rufiled issathere.4
"Perb4ps you meet with him
abroad," Hester said, slowly, as if tee
Words were an 'tort. • •
"Possible, but not at all probable
dear; he keotie the old smite too well
to be wandering upon it now ; belts
not very fond of beeten traeks. 1 only
hope 1 may, but,1 do not expect it.
tiood-bye mace more; think of we some-
times,'
"I shall be always following you in,
tny thoughts, Tom." ' • ,
"Letwe. have one long look into
the beautiful face I love. Bessie,
will you—will you kiss mer
She raised her head and kissed foul
qaietly, _with a kiss which an .older
man would have felt as a death -blow
to'such a hope as Tom was nourishing. -
'Dear Cousin Tom; good-bye." "
He held her in his aro; a few. room-
ents without speaking ; then went
away with his frank. blue eyes full of.
tears.
The spring came on apace. Mr.
Hernmintg--staying in the neighbor-
hood agton—reeumed his attentions to
Bella, and made daily visits to Chun.'
grew gayer again, though
more exacting; .while, "day by , day,
there grew on }tester a tired, listless
feeling, which she .could not shake off,
and of which sheaves pitifully ashamed;
thinking it niusI surely lie her own
fault that it had geined this mastery
over her. See tried to be out as mueli
as possible; but •she gradually bed to
own to herself that she could not
walk as she had used to dq, and had
tu, rest very often, even in a stroll in
the park.
- The trees round Oburleigh were
growing faintly, brightly green, as
the leaves burst from their buds; the
air was Jaden with fresh, 'glad scents
and sounds of early spring and every-
thing looked pure and spotless, fresh
from its Maker's hand once more.
Hester—travelling by . herself to
Birmingham. to be Pollie's bridesmaid
,..s_aooked• out upoelhe sunny meas
flows, as. the train ratted over them
like a shadow,• with hei busy iittle
head very fell...of-thoughts. All for-
wardithough to -day --of' happiness
that was Coming to .othets. No 'tack -
Ward thought theoltibeallowed to in-
terferstavith tide visit. Wes not there
Much itt) rejeice ever for Pollie?-the
certaiiity, of her joy.; the full asserance .
of RAO s. net there the glad
proeptict of having this dear old friend
pear ,to lier through the --the years O.)
come t No need to stifle tliouglits like
tneee'etisel Ilesier let then) travel with
her, mild the engine pantedintethe
betty station ; ited ientsoes, lieppy.little
• .
Polite, who had been •pacing the plats.
form esker sibee.the train had 'leisurely
crawles1 pot of Wolverhampton etatioit,
forty esinutes before, •rushed toward
the •rarit'ttnt face 'which nodded to her
from the Oarriage window.
"Never the•*.leggage,". Reid
Hester,' tcsughieg: Mut ; eittoying .Pele
lie's new entharresement. 'It.sis only
a bridesttiaid's costimpe, and She Wed:
cling-HE.bett your parden, I mean the
cerenteey. you call "It'--scati be delayed:
if My bo X is Int," s •
There. •was Wondorfnl greeting
awating Rester., When • they readied
home; and: she was avelcomed,' she, said,
.with her old.sereet laugh, "jest like the •
predigal'diteghter;" yet Pollie was not
HO only -one who. glasiced eften.and an-
actouttlysioto the ole, small face:Si:int
-,,And last time I Imlay iii, Hesp, I
.feund, hint $» deniimet, Ifitnbles Iittie
latent; and. ,she taking to -him,
-hseee. pleasantly thenver beard her
Vitt te any one before. And he sat
there with her like an old .friend, with-
out a shade ,of strangeness or stiffness
.the visit; but I don't believe there
could be that in Ms visits, • And Jem-
iuut has kind, taoughtful ptesente, too,
now—just as I have had, Oh 1/Jes-
sie, WSW not that .a mod way to see
him for the last timebr
" Hush Pollits," whispered Hester,
starting involuntarily, do not talk of
teat times
Two liftoff, quiet days they all spent
together in the old house; and ' there
.was eo•sadness in the mother's lovi»g
heart, although her only daughter was
leaving her so soon. There was no
cloud of self upon this time. , EaaJi
one was cheerful for the other's sake,
and thoughtful only. for theother's
happiness; so that even that long, long
talk on the last nights of all was more
happy then sorrowful.
- A pretty quiet- little wedding,'
pronounced the feet stragglers who
were there to see the -dresses (which, of
course, are the only features worth re-
markingsin a wedding,) and who saw a
great deal, too; but °illy happened, per-
haps, to hear 'the low answers whisper-
ed and lost in the high, cold church;
" very pretty; indeed."
And so it was; though Mr. Ferris
man who was Hugh's hostel -ism, notic.
ed Ferri-
man,
once as she listened to Pollie's-
earnest whisper, the brideelnaid tincon.
sciousty clasped her bands together,
and a still, white look crept -over her
bright, fate.. • • . •
But.. no teleelse saw her struggle
with this weakness ; and' through the
elongated breakfast, where no one
meld manage to eat anything, even to
keep the hearty old efergyinan in twin-.
tenance, she was the gayegt-and most
helpful of them all. ' .• • -
Then .catne a fluttering, byaterical,s
congratulatory, weeping %Scene between
Pollie end Aunt Phylits-:--a , tearful,
gasping, embracing one, which
inilud-
ed the mother f and Lester detained.
Hugh at the hall window, to. allow
Sn‘l
Baxteedied, Delahoyde;" she Rajas
' pity. to lose. asgooti oporttn-
ity; so presently appeared anew work,
,Mere latees4eL•ds of Richard Baxter.'
and still
I aid. foteibly •teethrded of it to -day. 1
one more' last .word; ,and more . last
wordS, They seld -so well that il
seeuied a
kisses again, and more last words. •
gravely•thes'Saipta .Rent! man, yen.
know—some ohe published his lest
" He laughed heartily.
"Yen speak as .tf. it were, alnet •bey -'1
end dispute ; ;even within tintr own
knowledge, Miss 3.tstiew"-
.1 forgot • who :sseid me ; pet,. of
Chew, it is beyopi fear
you are inclined to tie skeptipal. I
must warn . your parishioners of the
fact when 1 resign my further inter-
ference in the.parish."'• '• • • •
"Win 'do you rjaughed- Hugh. •
"Of eourse 1 sliali,'she.said,never
Pollie's. direction "to Illy
pastor's Wife." • • • .
"I would not answer for what.Will
happen if you. do. Miss Brace," he an-
sWered. "There is no one else so wel-
comed. ThO 'schoolmaster's old mother
is .00ttlie only One who. likeg .to it
where she can see: 'the voting lady
•
41204 Soa4iingin it that was lie*. and '
sad. •
That, night there was a grand private
exhibition of Loyd Lealiolme's letter
and present. to. Pollie and Hugh.
which 'had been sent' to*Hugh before the
earl left Englitittl, to be delivered after-,
ward. Such a present! It seemel to
take Pollie's. breath away every. time
she displayed it—it eerenirny Which
had been performed, elritost hourly
since its arrival. s 1 --- .
.
"Ali silver, Hassle l" She exclaimed,
forestalling Hesterit wee discoveries,
"and isn't it chaste!! And 'all en-
graved 1 And shouldn't you think it
is plate
enough for a grand lionswtsal-
most ger Lealiolme. Castle, shoulde't
You ItliAtIr 2." , : .
etegtof piled as she took up each
thing sepetastely and admired it to
pollie'p bekfr,te;,' eenteut; but as she put,
tli eni de et it., sv iistt sttender, : 1 iiigeri lig
wool), she thooff,lt) in her own •uncal.
eulfitieg little 41;,i,ed, that the genereue,
thoughtful letter wittch• came with
them Was Worth them all tut their,
she was not going into hpusekeepings
" liateeie," began Wile, with edd
suddenness, 't where ie lie now l"
. :..i :have hover beard," replied Hese
ter, iti inply.
,
It tint.oli 4 Hes,eie, yeti surely Know
JI? 1)? 0 One l" ' .
k! liti,u,n she sail, shaking hep head
silegdy, ati, with wide, sad eyes, She
tied to rend Pollie's face,
1' And have you never seep hips
/*tee the ball 1"
..q Never.' . •
S' I ve;" Pollie whispered, MY
gently t mg her hand on the eme of
/tetetIJA Arb,411 still heltl W ktrr.
.comittg from Chtirleigly "
"That is Miss Lan*," put in Hester;
seriously. • • •
"Qiice I. pretended 1 thought so,".
said Hugh; with a .merry sparkle in
•his happy. eyes, "but Shesethly mnul
at .rest with theutthost precipitation,
'Bless yer heart, sir,. do ye think I'm
meaning that little ribbintin' thine 7'
' "And doeseriV•thesnitine just suit
beer laughed Millie, •joitting theta at
lAst. 13ut 'Hester did rioVanswer, and
Hugh, trying . to leek apologetic, said
he bad not.meent to tell her, only that
•snebail 'presumed •alt impossibilitty. •
, -"Now, dear," ci•id•Atiotst. 'ttt:ests, ner-
vously, "the train will be gorse,"
13ut, Pollie's sobbing, elhiging kiss heti
tit be .given to her bridesmaid. Then
Haigh:handed his wife into the hived
carriage that had been kept waiting so:
htiiers?eeial care, $7111.'eler1:
Mounted dressing -case: whieb )lad been
: Hester's gift, then followed htinselh•
• A. slipper sped after the carriage ; 11
head popped out for a minute, eveii•:Tit.
the publie street ;a white figure mth°
door, stop. nodded to it, sslaeing•te
watch the earriage till:it psssed;•not• of
sight. , • • . •
'Chen the .street was hn e•veryelay
street, and the home had a sad void in
it, vhioh wag to grow greeter and ired
der when Hester went ,flathlYi tthtl'IM
• the two old ladies to keepaip; The lipgp
Louse alone. • ,
pleasant lettere they were, IAA telling
very little of himself. Neither' shis
mother net his sister seeined to 1104101,
this. They tlla said, tosee how
be remembered everyone and every- •
thing at home ; bow umsehistily be
wrote, and what pretty, slight descrip-
tioris of foreign life he sent them.
/fester longed end craved for some.
thing more then this. These lettere
told nothing of the life he himself was
leedi»g; of the way be spent bis tiroe ;
of the carrying out of the early pars
pose of the winter. And the summer
was passing, and the year would soon
be over, Abe thought, as she sat read
Mg one of these: lettere, on the terrace
steps- in the S'eptenther twilight—the:
year which- she felt must he the turn-
ing pnint Tom's life. She put M
letter away with a little. sigh, and took
one from her little cousins. So often
they:vtrote to her s so hilly and frank-
ly, telling their troubles, telling then-
pleasuree, asking her help or her sym-
pathy in eitorythilig. Atich always so
glad they were of her kind, funny let-
ters; and the laughehle itttte drawings
she incloeeti 7 libe would not think
abt anything else, she said ; yet ,lter
heart was heavy as she slowly rose tst
last, Jr,11Hemming was dining es.
Churleighthat evening, and it was att
much to escape him, as to ej®Y the.
twilightsrest, that she bad. left . the•
drawing -room alone. s
Bella was making tea *ben she en-
tered, and she gave Hester her uneiets
•Cup to hand Ur hint. lie looked rather
searchingly into lief. face as he took it, •
thoughtfully stroking her white cheek
instead of thankingher„ •
"Where is , Mr, Lane, 3TQW r.
'1 -lemming was asking:,
"We • are never sure„" Mts. gmlicv
answered, laughing; "he is n'segullar ; •
will -0' -the -wisp.‘".• • -
"Enjeying himself somewhere; I'm
wish we were All, with
-
said Bella, from the tea table, s• a We • .
haVee't been Anywhere thissrummeri
Should ynu , like to go abretal
asked Mr. -Bruce, quizzieally.
•" 01e, :I si:Mid love it, 1'. -exclaimed
Hellas . ,
4 Alould. pin 'ail like fit 7' •
' I shall poi: make myself small for ,
nothing, shifted,' 'Said Lis wife, languid- .
ly.. •
L'.1.'ou shall go if-'ou ou like'' '
•
Oh, papa; 'dos you •really,'ronily
mean it 1' • •.. !
course you are jegthg; AIF.,"
Not at all.' • .
How could we get?'
You need not questionlif the 'hem',
because •I shall take you,: • • s
NS you.? Cart you ?
. ftir . • . • •
Thank 'you, dear papas Oh, it •
ayt11 beauttlel !
''Hesgie,• you -say netleing,, :.Are
pan not glad 7' . .
I think I ata too glad, t9 'Sett it, • • -
.onele.)• ' • • ••• •---
That Now • remelt:her
it is'asettled .1,et me sees tan ,
yeti b1 ready in. teweek •. • .
• Oh, yes!, •
, it was decided those. 'few, •
wattle; hut,liest”-. Itneiv, by the stem- •
inering hinte Hemmingstet fate as
hestood talkitt„e:Of this trip, • that in • •
the end he 'would join. them, tbo, "•
• . Mrs. knit's!. seethed to read. this fact
in het teacup, as she loOked ititn. it for •
a long thine placidly stirring its iosi.
tents, When the tine for . his -ie:
parture causes lie iitanagecl :to propose
it boldly.. Bruce; taken by surs' •
prise, thought that "indeed it. would .be •
Very preasant—if he did 'not. -think it •
would be a tie neon hini, -Bella
ed anti sinned, resolving to do all. also
•coeld to tighten. • and strengthen the
tie. it was to -upen•hini,.
He, thanked -them bothe-stella. most
profusely-t-atid went away , ht. high
. .
•
'81)'1.,,.)ritF. i true. e did Mit ;think he was
necessary in the discussion which bo- • •
gan then so. •excitedlyes so • took his
eiger out epee the. terrEke, ,they
all sat.atid talked of whatthey should
03rttee; at Inqy . •
lying back ins her . tsbeir, • that 'C.11.r, •
Homing will soon speak to you Moro
,•eerionsly, Beller .dor...You; sbouid
1 make ep.youranind Khat •to say - in •
ea f or a tIrne,) ' .
sweredsIthlla. . •
Ilersinother. lookirtg in the opposite
litectionsspOke agairpto her ,geotly.
sln seine respects this wouldhe- as .
goOd. a match for yop the other ;. •
not, of course, in point of rank, but in •
• Si 30- ir re' 161 I attrnopa,t1tbise.b.
idore-11or.e easy
and etlaptable in Vaulter than :Earl
Lea/lames Estee 1 myself am seine-
tinio startled a by Lord.
boime; he..oes so fe): ioto i.hings! •
Mrs. I-17uce did ifot explain whet
she Inemit by this , hut the girtas
seemed each satisfieil iiy her own Amt.
'Onion of that' sometetat vague
_09 et 9)1i;)
CHAPTER XXXVIL
ri.asss,'
Through tbs summer Tom's letters
itifived pi'' r#0.4rly,