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108 si WILD MARGARET.
oS \
yt
is mine! Even this country clown makes one... Yes, 1
‘shall win; and then, Violet! and then——” ——s—‘Ct:ststSt:
He walked quickly through the wood. The dog cart he
_ and Blair had engaged. was waiting, and he dismissed the
boy who was holding the horse.’ They: had driven from ~.
Harefield, the nearest large town, to which they had come —
by rail, and were going to drive back and take the return
train there. on oe
. Ashe had said, they had taken every precaution to keep “|
their visit a secret.
came striding toward him. He was rather pale and very
quiet, and signed to Austin to drive. .
‘“‘T should drive you into a ditch,’’ he said; ‘‘ my hands
are all shaky!’ Austin, she is an angel!’ and his voice was
shaky, whatever his hands may have been.
e . \ \
‘*Meaning Miss Margaret?’ She is better than an angel!
She is a lovely and a charming lady,” said Austin Am-_
brose.. oo
‘‘Isn’t she?” exclaimed Lord Blair. ‘‘ Austin, I did not
. . exaggerate?” |
~ not love, and I love her more than ever a man loved yet, |
-**No; you did not even do her justice! I never saw a
more beautiful and bewitching young creature! I don’t
. wonder at your infatuation.” | sg
_“Infatuation! I don’t like the word. Infatuation 18
I think.” ee | .
‘‘And you are right,” said Austin Ambrose, emphatic-
ally. ‘‘ Blair, my boy, you are in luck, I’m not given to °
raving about women, but, upon my word, I could do a
little raving about Miss Margaret!”’ _ -
‘Rave away, then!’ said Blair, bluntly. ‘‘ You won’t
bore me. ‘Ah, Austin! if you knew how I hate all this
secrecy and deception! I tell youI hate it! Why should
,not I declare my love for her to all the world? I tried to_
persuade her to let me go to the earl after you had left us,
but she wouldn’t let me.”
‘You area fool!’ burst from Austin Ambrose’s lips; 7
then, as Blair looked at him with astonishment, he added
quickly, *‘I beg your pardon, Blair; but it does make me
mad to'see you so bent upon destroying that sweet girl's
future.in the way that you propose to do. Why, man,
what harm does it do her or you keeping it quiet for
awhile? The earlis an old man, any year—a month, a
day—he may die, and then—why. then’you may tell all
the world, when you have got his money. safe at your —
banker’s for you and your wife and children! Miss Mar- .
aret is more sensible than you.” | -
“Yes, after she had heard you,” said Blair, slowly.
_ After. he had been waiting five or ten minutes, Blair