Not So Bad As He Thought

"Here I ara - Elinor Royston j myeducation linished and inyself ready to commenee Míe, with a fortune of $8UO a year and a large and varied assortment of oíd Valentines, a eanary wliich can not sing, a pug dog with a bad temper. Oh! and a heap oí hideoua dresses and an adorable new ulster." S(? excl.iimed a young lady as she stood in inomontary stillness upon the hearth-rug, after a breathless burst inlo tbé drawing-room of Oaktree Hall. The mastor of the mansión, Graham Daglish, had been reading in the peaceful enjoyment of a splendid fire and a Inxurious arni-chair, which, upon the girl's entrance, he had quitted, and carne f orward i few steps to grect her. " Well," said Miss Royston, and after a moráent's pause, in a tone of wonder, and gizing frankly inlo the cyes of her compívnion, ' are you not gojpg to ask iíiíí k)v I ara?" " How do you rir,:" Dasrlish noddecl, cool.lv. " I thought you were too muen engaed intakingihat inventory of your property for sueh a cermony as shakins kands." " Ilow do you like my ulster? Don 't youlikeit? U's all pockets," she said, thrusting her hand into one receptable, theninto another. " VV'hat a silly baby you are," Daglish ;ried, trying very hard lofrown añil not lo smile at the lovely, glowing face nowraised to his. " 3o you want every bodv to be the Metluselah that you are?" Elinor pouted. Aihadow erossed his countenanceat the nndom words. Elinor lloyston was 19; iraham Daglish 39; and as the dew md sunshinu arn neeessary tó the life cf the flowers, ,so snemod this waywart, winning girl to Graharn Daglish to be necessary to oxistence. When, 12 yeare ago, she was loft an orplian to theircare, both IarhsJi and his mothcr reffafded tho trust as a serious and unwelwmo responsibilily, but time had charged both thftir views. Tho old lady had called Elinor her siinshine, and Graiam had grown to love the sweet, vjrJoja-mooded girl withallthestreno-th of hisi-f.soluti! nature. Ei'mor's af.c ab.-snce nt .school was a somee of deep rcgiet, and now, upon herraurn home forgood, high festival would be held in the hearts and in the manson of Oaktree. " Are. you not glad that. I have finishod wíthlhat detestable school?" shc e.clainjcd, after a short pause. " 1 depends upon how mneh you Know. What can yon toll nio conscientiaislyyon havclearncd, Noli?" Slr took her stand hiimcdialely boff?vc-iira, and obocked off her accoinplishments on üio prelty fingers of her lcít tand as she spoke. "ílusic," she answered. "oice and piano gymnastics, I shoiid say." " terman, the whole of the French langiage, drawing, painting and geograprr." "touldyou stand a good examinationm the capital cities of Europe?" he int f-npted. y-should not like it," she frankly allí- i. " But wliat does it matter? Êvelik' km. Porhaps when I am age 1 slii-1 know nolhing else." " j nave yet to learn that ignorance is so interesting," said Daglish, somewhat cross!, uuder the irritation of her allusions. " Si I am igr.orant now, and I was silly tefore. You need not have told me so in the first hour that I am at home at Oa'ríree, I mean," she said in proud correcion of herself. Occroied with his own bitter reflections, íe did not notico the halt and changeof expression. But his indifference vas differently construed by the gin, wtio gathered up her hat and gloves and svept from the room in anger. "Hegaverue no welcome, althongh I gavdtum so many opportunities," she said herself as, brushing the tears from .er eyes, she shut the door. Hotever melancholie the effect was npon lis intellect, Mr. G-raham Uaglish had son to witness the terrible process ; for tlunext day the mansion of Oaktree was fUl of Christmas visitors, and one of the, Mr. Arthur Young, feil straightway 3 love with the brilliant beauty and uarming ways of Elinor lloyston, and is tender sentiments Mr. Young by no mansconcealed from an interested wor Miss Koyston seemed, too, to be reeiving his attentions with favor and omplacence. I);;lish might witness the position of evens with despair of spirits, but as her guarían he could make no reasonable )bjedon to Arthur Young, who was an lonet, handsome )'oung fellow, and ïeir 9 a good property. Beforehand, .houjh, he could not have supposed lim te kind of a man to attract bright, originl Belle lloyston. Her preference, lOwejtir, was clearenovigh ; in fact, witli he ecouragement Young received, the only marvel was tbut he did not urge lis stt more boldly. Thi new year had come in, and all the Hll guests were gono save Arthur Youn;, and he would appear to have akenup a permanent rosidence there. "Ivish 1 had one of those crimson roses hat are in the eonservatory,"said Miss Kojhton, late one afternoon. as heTSü ra tne tuavving-room. "íy are all well out, now ; you can lUf twenty," said Graham Daglish, ooking off his paper for a minute. " Let me get them tor you, Miss Royston," said Young, with veiy unnecessary alicrlty, Graham Daglish thought. " Hovv shall I find them?" '■Thank you; you are always kind. I wiï show you the tree," replied Miss Royston, with still more unneeessary alacrity, ill-used, Daglish considered. Tbe pair strolled away into the conserratory, Daglish wishing, too late, that he had offered to get the blossoms. To torment himself farther, he pulled out a watt-h to observe how long the oft'en Iers would be gone. But at lcngth the guilty ones reappearcd, just as twenty minutes were compteted ; not a bad allowanoe of time for ])Kicking a oouple of roses. Daglish stirrcptitiously pocketcd his watcn, affccüng not to notice their return; but everygay laugh of NelTs went into his bosoa like a poniard thrust. The next day was one of singular beauty, as rcgards weathcr, and tho Muidle horses were ordered round cari}', for Artliur and Klinor proposed lo take a long nde As she stood by her steed Daglish Offered to help Miss Royston to mount. ' You need not trouble," said Elinor, eoldly, the incident of his neglect with regard ti tbe llower rankling in her mimi "1 prcfer the groom; you ftither lift me up short, or nearly fling uiu over on the other side." Al the same time Young rushcd forward, and, seeing only a servant in attendance, ciied : " Let me put you up, Miss Royston.11 And she aecepted his attondance with the most graeious smile. Upon tlieir return, which was nol. until 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon, Daglish notíeed that Klinor was very much snbdued in spirits. I To this cireumstancc, thongh, he did not attach niuch meaning orimportanco until an everit the íollowing morning pave the depression ailment a iipw siL mlicanre. The erent was Arihur Young mnkiug thc startling announccment in llic course of breakfust ol a ncccssky fur ICRVlng liy the first train. " Is it posgible, Mr. Yonna:? and so siidclenly, too?" cxelaimed Mrs. Dasrlish. " Yon don'lreally mean it.old man!" cried (rahani DagtUh. Thc only person vvlio showed no snrprise was Miss Eltnor Koyslon. " Wcll, Nuil, ave wr. to have i wcdding?" asked Mrs. Daglish, wliile thcy were slill sittinp; in the unsettled state that a hasty departure of one member [cavlnp any family créales. At Hit' same inopportune moment a servant enterad wilh a message trom a poor w-Klow, a pcnsloner at ihe Hall, Ireggtng she would sec her with respect to some troúble she was in. Off bustled the kindly old lady, leavmg Grahani and Klinor to diseuss the delieatc topic slie had introdueed. "Ís that truc Nell?" asked Daglish, in a low tone. " What if it be?" said Miss Royston, llashing detiance upon him froiíi her eyes. " It is nothing toyou." " Notlung ! " he eried." " It ia much, Elinor," lie said, Bpeakinz ealmly, uui, witn a ceruiin tencicr graviiy. " Your happiness is almost my chief concern. Arthur Young is agood enough íellow, his position suitable and all that, if yon feel that he is caleulated to makc you happy and you love him.'' " It is something to be loved- to feel that one is cared for. Love to me is what water is to a man dyingof thirst,'1 she cried, passionately. "Elinor! Is that speech the fit réward of your treatment here?" " Forgive me - forgive me!" she said, bursling into tears. " I am ungrateiul ; but that is just my trouble. I ani a species of dependent; the recipiënt of kindly, geneious eharity- still euaiitv." " Well," he said, and he took both ber hands inlo hu and looked straight .at her. " I think you shonld know how much your presence is valued here. To niy mother you are almost necessary, and as for myself," he added, with a curioua break in lus voice, "gone, you k-ave me a solitary man for life. But IJeaven forgive me ! I never meant to distress you by saying so much." " Why should you notP Your - your conduct - " Then Miss Royston's lears flowed afresh- choking utterance. Her head slie turned aside to hide her tell-tale Jace. But not before Daglish had canght sotnething of its tell-tale expression. " C'hikl, let there be no misunderstanding between us in this supreme moment. If you have given your heart to Arthur Ybung, marry him, and happiness go with you." " ïou have no right to say sucta a thing," pouted Elinor, interruptinghim. " Much rirht and much reason, L iniiiK,;; he ariswered, "aitnoughyou vvm ver-y likely set it down for jealousy." Over Miss Royston 's features a brilHant smile tlitted sulliciently expressive of successful mischief. Buthertriumph was nis also, for he saw and interpreted the smile not altogether incorrectly. " Nell, could you ever learn to love me?" he asked abruptly. Miss Iloyston apparently needed time to gaugc her capabilities in that respect, for she gave Graham Daglish no ceply for a minute or tvvo and while sht hesitated two strong arms stole around and a voice whispered: " Are you mine, to be my davling, cherished wife?" Miss Royston seemed to be afflicted with a diílicnlty of speech, but she suffered without opposition or even remonstranee the bondage in which she was detained.