Lola's Guardian

When Lola Btnsen's father ditd I e coi üded lus infaut daughter. lef t mot - erièss a yeac before, to tho guardianship of bfs Weel friend, John Hgood The trust was accepted in noWJ hp'irted way ; for tho child s inothei SEen "thVobject of Hargood'S M and only love-a love wluchhe liad leu nlnk.n ur,ñ bidden away among the secreta of hia bearten discovering Ui frlend had been beforehand In becoming the lady's choice. How wonderfully Uto h ■ she haa grovrnl" was John Hargoods flrst thought, ,vhen Ix)la Benáen, a crowii young lady, and "Unished at K mé hSme f rom school to take ier place as bis adopted daoghter and mis tress oí bis house. , , He was oíd enough to be Lola a ía ther, and fancied, for a long time that helovedberasafather. BntJ pasaed, ma the likneas that had ao Shta at the first gw .pon hln day by day, he began to be consclousat feelíngentertainedtowaifl ims i.i.h-uFor a long time he utíuggled against such thougbta ; calied liimself a loo tor forgetting the disparity of age ; ai verelv chldod bis own bdfl&aMB tít even saggesting tbe bimlmg ot a íresn Joung Ufe, in the bfightffess oí Lts moruing, to one already begirinuig (o declino in llie vale of yeare. ' But it may be doubteil if any man himself tooyoung tobeloved. John Haigood was close tofïff.y, bètwaafetall reckoned a handsomo and witü liis eqnally handaöme í'ortune, many a belle of twenty vould have jum])ed at the affer of his hand. It was a long while before he eoult make up his mind lo teil Lola tho true eonditionof hls feelings. The revela tion startled her. IL was evidently un expectcd. She turned pale and trem bied and, for ui instant, a pained ex pressior. agitated her bfcautlfifl c&anQ nance. "I would nol for tho world constraii vour inclinationu," Mr. Ilargood haat __„j t„ „aa . Kiif T,rvUi_ ir' vou thin yoa can love an oíd fellow Jike me weil enough to be ny wife- " "Do you wish it- does it coneeru yotirhappmess?" shefeked, M.owlyp,nd calmly. 'It does!', lio retarned, in a voice quivering v.ith emotion. "Yonr consent would make me the knppiest of men, but not if given at the eost of your - " I consent," broke iu Lola, reaching out her hand and placing it quielly in hi9, 4 John Ilargooddvew Lis waro towarü him and kissed her, mach in the old paternal way. and thua was their engagement sealed. It was nol many daya „jj .T,„f V.ifno T? n-t lprlrfí 'A. VOUníI1 inan highly esteemecl by Mr. Sargood, at whose house he liad always been a weleonie visitor, presented lumi-.elf beforo tlie latter. Withmuc!iblushmg;u;d üirtiiy Btunimeviugs, Mr. Kutledge at last succeeded iu explaining that the object of iiis coming was to ask Mr. Ilargooa's rcrmissian to pay eourt to his vard. 'Hayeyou informeel her of your feelings?' inquiredMr.Iiiirgood.inaquick, sharp voice. whieh Yates Rutledge thought boded hirn nogood. 'I i did uot wish to do so without tirst coii3ulting you,' the youiig man Btwnmered,with a fresh accompaniment of blushes. 'Have you any reaaon te - to believe that your aentimentsaie reclprocated? asked the eider gentleman, looking quite as anx'iom and embarmssed as the younger. I have faucied l iniglit hope began the latter. I shallbroacb the matter lomy ward this evening, and give you an answer to-morrow,' said Mr. Hargood, hastijy interrupting, and ciitting short th interview. Lola's face turned very palé and then very red, when her guardián reported the visit of Yatei Kutledge am) ita object. 'And now vvhat auswer must F give Lola hesitated an instant. Had Mr. Hargood's eyes been younger and sharper he might have seen the tears tremblinginhers, tout tbeyescaped his notice. 'Teil him he must not come ba sueh an errand,' she answered, in a voice that falteied a little, tbough it was quite decided; 'and how can you ask me such a question.' she aclded, 'in view of our - our own engagement. "My dear Lola,"replied her guardián, patting her cheek f ondly, "our engagement, I wisli it always understood, is subordínate to your happiness." "Ana i wiMi you to uuuersianu, jji' dear guardián," she said, looking up in liis face tenderiy, "that I shall best subserve my own happiness by promoting yours and keeping my word." Poor llutledge was sadly crest-faHen wnen Mr. Hargood gave him his anwer the Dext day - and worse still on sreceiving as a reason for it, the intelligönce that Miss Bensen was already engaged. "What are those tears about, Lola dearï asked Mr. ilargooa, as neeaine upon bis ward rather suddenly half-anhour later. "Notliing." He took her hand and draw her to him gently. "My darling," he said, ín a voice ever so kind and fatherly, "if, af ter all, you are not eutirely happy in our engagement - if there is any other - Yates Rutledge, for instance - " ':Oh! don't! - don't,'' she cried, pleadiugly. ïhen dashing away her tears - "I am quite happy," she added; "and come what will, I shall keep my word!" Mr. Hargood sat a long time alone in his study that evening, and did so tor several evemngs iouowmg. n.v spoke no more to Lola of their engagement. II is day3 seemed to bo vry busy, and in the eyeniugs he preferred being by himself. "I think I shall go i'or a rnoonlight sail on the river," he said to Lola, as siie carne one night lier goodnight kiss. "Don't be Hiixious if l'm out late. Vou know I shall be quite safe."' Mr, Jlargoocl wrul out ar.d nevermore returned! liis small boat was found nexttuorning empty and drifting with the current. By some accident )ie must have fallen oveiboard and drowned; for the idea of suicide was out of the que3tion to any one acquainled with Mr. Ilargood's principies and character. The river was dragged and no effort spaied to recover the body; but it must have been borne away by the tide, for all searchas proved unavailing. Lola'a aoiTOW was deep and lasticg. And wlien Mr. Hargood's will was opened, and it was found that he had lcft her his sole legatee, hor grief broke out afresh as she thought of tlie fond love vtiich she had only been able to repay with a divided beart, It wa? two yeara befóte Lola could be brought to listen to the suit of ates Rutledge, whom she had loved from the first. But sbe yielded at last, for holding out now oottld ot beneftt the Jösd There's a countrytoau of yours lyiug ill here," raid the ganuloui landlord of a litüe Germán inn at whicli i ates liUUtügW illlVX 1110 ynuv m%- - r - tlieir wedding tour. 'The doctor, indeed, has quite giveu Mm up Imt 1 think it might do him good to scesome of liis own country .-.t least it might serve to revive hts spirits a Uttle " Yates followeü the hos!, who led the way to the riet mun's room. 'Lolftl Lol!" cried Vates, returning quickiy to the head of the stairway,"como quick! - quick! ' She hurried up the short flight and ioined h r husband, who, too much agitated to expiain, led lier into a charaber Lola útteced a ciy. There, wasled t a slmdow, lay oh á cöuch the scarc recognizable foria of her oíd gnu In au instant LoWa arma were ftbout ii;s r.eek, and her feisses pressed his "Ohl my uioie tuan father!" sbe exlaiined. "Herë you ,ae alive, uud to think tbat I should have taken possessïon of your fortuné believing jou were lead -and raout unjardon;ib!o oL all," slie addcd hastüy. l'that I should bare brokeri my - " a fhii!. wan hand was placed apon j llt( !■■■ ------ her lips. „ "1 míW vrbeii it wrs tao Hite, tlie tlying man murmured, "that 1 had made a místate in asking you to bo mywife; that youv hfearí haíl already beeu given to aaother. But 1 knevv you would iustet on keeping your promise to me, even at tbc cost of wrecking your own life, and that the best way out of it all would be to mako yon believe me dead. Forgive me if I have caused you a pain. ] knew that iiiue a-icl ;i lover's care wouia heál it. As to tlie fortune, have r.o Bcraples. Your tille wil! bood be complete, und 1 cuiried with me quile sufflcient for my own wants." Theu calling Yates Riitledge, he j.iiued his and LoWs hand. 'Lilf-ss you, my cltüdren!'' he rauttered half ináudiWy, and sank back upon the piHow. A sliglit tremor shook his framp, ana tien foUowed the Btülnesa of deatli.