Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1893 — AT WAR WITH HERSELF. [ARTICLE]

AT WAR WITH HERSELF.

The Story of a Woman's Atonement, by Charlotte M. Braeme. CHAPTER IX—Continued. Then they sat for some minutos in silence, Major St. John amusing himself by throwing small stones from the rock into the sea, Captain Flomyng looking with a far-off, dreamy gaze at the heaving waters and the' sapphire sky. Suddenly Major St. John broke the silence that seemed to have enfolded them. “General Sir Huntley Pacre understands how to give a good ball. I never remember a better entertainment in Malta than that of last night.” Paul Flemyng made no reply', the subjoct evidently did not interest him. “How beautiful la belle Etheldroda grows! I admired her exceedingly last evening. ” “She is a lovoly girl,” said Paul, routing himself; “it seems a pity that youth ana beauty like hors should bo Duried here." “The General is sure to return to England, and when he dees that young lady will create a furor. If I. for instance, had any idea of asking her to marry me, I should do so at once.” And Major St. John looked curiously at the calm, handsome face. “That would doubtless prove a wise piecaution,” said the Captain, carelessly; “I am not a great believer in the felicity of either love or marriage." “Then you are no soldier," was the quick reply; “next to glory 1 a soldier values love." “It may be that I have had no actual experience,” laughed Paul Flemyng. “I nave imagined to myself a kina of ideal woman, but I have never mot any one like her.” “That's all very well. I prefer the real myself, ” returned the Major, dryly. “I should have imagined, for example, that la belle Ethel was infinitely superior to any ideal that you or I could imagine.” “She is a beautiful girl.” “She is more than that," remarked the Major. "I can read passion, genius, fire, power, in her face. Do you know,” questioned he, abruptly, “I fancied there was some little tenderness between you and Miss Daoro?" “I 'nevqr care to discuss such matters," said Paul, calmly. “That is so Bay, you will not boast of ‘good fortune.’” “I have none to boast of, and if I had there is honor in love, I suppose, as well as in war faro.” “Wo all noticed Miss Dacro’s bouquet of white rosebuds,” continued Major St. John, “and we could not help seeing that when you left the ball-room you carried one of them in your coat.” “There is nothing in that. Miss Dacre gave it to me because I admired them." “Young ladies do not give rosebuds for nothing,” said the Major laughing.! “I consider it a most suspicious circumstance. " To this Captain Flemyng mado no reply. "You will call at the General’s somotimo to-day?” said Major St. John. "Yes. I told my servant to follow me here first with the papers and letters from the mail. “Then you will not tell me anything about Miss Dacre, Paul?” “I have nothing to tell, except that I think hor very beautiful, and of an amiable disposition. How nlcoly she speaks to her father and how kind she is to every one! Ah, hero comes the letters!”

There wore soveral letters and papers. Captain Flomyng gave the papers to his fi lend, while he road the dosoly written pages of his English correspondence. He came at length to a blue, official-looking envelope, and Major St. John, instead of reading thq nows, looked at him while he opened it. The letter wp.s of groat moment to the young soldier. It was to tall him whether he was Lord Charnleigh, of Crown Leighton, a peer of the realm, with a vast fortune at his command; or whether he was to remain Captain Flemyng, with nothing save his undaunted bravery and his noble heart. Yet his hands did not tremble as he broke the seal, his faco neither flushed nor grew palo with emotion—he was calm and collected; and the Major, a 'brave man himself, did silent homage to his comrade's self-command. Paul Flomyng road the letter through, then laid it aside, and cihnly opened tho rest. Nothing could be gathered from his face—there was neither great elation nor disappointment in it. “What news?” asked the Major, curiously, unable to bear the suspense any longer. “I was lust going to tellyou. For a lawyer's letter, this is really romantic. The true heir is found, ana, to use a Hibernicism, she is an heiress. There will be no Pari of Charnleigh, but a countess. It is quite a romance. Even Mr. Clements seems touched by it; ho says there is not the least doubt os to perfect legality of the young lady's claims. The court has passed judgment in her favor. No will can be found, and she is the nearest of kin. Ho adds that she is young, exceedingly lovely, and has led a most retired life. ” “Who was she?" asked the major. “That he does not say; but, to give her her full title, she is now Leonie, Countess of Charnleigh and Baroness Fieldsaye.” “What a position for a young girl!” Major. “I cannot help •wishing, Paul, that the g;eat prize had been yours.” “I resign it cheerfully,” he returned. “I should have liked it, but it is hers, and I would not take it from her if I could, Heac en knows. She is welcome to it. See-I part with my hopes as easily as I part with this. ” And Captain Paul Flemyng, as ho spek j, tore a piece of paper into shreds and threw them away. “You are a hero. If I had just lost a peerage, 1 should be in a most unChristian frame of mind with tho whole world. I can admire your heroism, but cannot imitate it. Do you know what I should do if I were in your place, mon brave sabreur?” “No; I cannot even guess.” “I should get leave of absence, go home to England, woo, win, and marry the countess. ” “All young ladies are not so willing to be married,” said Captain Flemyng. “But I must go now, Major: it is time I paid my visit to tho General. Will you accompany me?” “No, I feel that I should be de trop. I shad see you this evening.” And the two, without more words, parted after the fashion of Englishmen, although Major St. John had such a warm affection for his friend that he could have wept like a woman over his disappointment. CHAPTER X. Meanwhile Captain Paul Flemyng walkod cn. He would not admit that he was disappointed; he said to himself that a soldier must bear the buffets of fortune as he bears the blows of the enemy, without flinching. As he walked on beneath tho sapphire sky, tho sun pouring down golden floods of light upon him, he thought much of the lovely young countess who was now mistress of Crown Leighton. He repeated her name to himself.

“Leonie,*" he said. “The face that goes with the name, should be bright, fair and dainty. I wonder what the richest countess is like. Only 18, and one of the richest heiresses in England, she should have some one to take care of her." Not until he reached the Gdnorol's handsome house did Captain Flemyng cease to dwell uptn such thoughts; fhen ho was roused from his dreams of far-off England, and returned to the ovory day practical duties of lifo. General Dacre was not at home, but Mi-s Dacre was, and the yoimj* soldier followel the servant into the drawingroom. She was net there, but through the long French windows he saw tne gleam of her dress in the balcony. Even as he crossed the ro' >m ho thought to himself what a perfect picture was before him. The golden su 1light came brokenly through the oo >1 green vine-loaves; the light iron balcony was one mass of blooming flowers, and the lovoly girl in thoir midst lookod like their queen. Tall luscious roses twined round the slender pillars, and purple passion-flowers lay at her foot. “A flower among flowers,” ho said, laughingly. “I called to thank you for one of the happiest evenings 1 huvo ever spent, Miss Dacre." “You owe me little gratitude, Captain Flemyng; the ball was papa’s idea, not mino. Will you pome out here on to tho balcony? It is so much pleasanter than in tho warm room. I think July is a monjh that tries ono's temper severely.” “I do not think you have any temper to try,” he remarked, pushing back the roses while he f.,und a place by hor side. She looked at him with flashing oyo-. "You are mistaken. Captain Flo in j ng. A man'* idea of feminine excellence is always inanity. Now, do believe mo, a woman without a temper would bo simply insipid and unbearable. ” He laughed at her earnest, vehement words. “You must allow ono thing—oven if she has a little spice of temper, she must not show it. ”

"I shall not agree even to that," sho replied. “What would tiro any ono more than a oontinual diot of sugar?" He smiled to himself, wondering if the young Countess in far-off England was of the samo opiuion, and sho, looking up at him suddenly, caught tho smile. Ho hail not noticed that while sho speko to him hor bouutiful face turned shyly away; he never saw how tho white hands trembled and tho dark eyes droppod, so he did not toad their secret. Ho was blind to all thso signs, that would have boon so woll understood by a man of greater vanity. Sho caught the smile, and ha tenod to change tho subject. "Captain Flemyng,” sho said, “I wonder if I may ask you a ques'.ion?” “You will do mo honor,” ho repllod. “I know tho English mail was in today, ana—pruy, pardon me—l heard papa' talking about you to my aunt. Shall you think mo very inqulsitivo if T ask you whethor tho Cnurnloigh caso is settled?” Looking at her lovoly face, and tho dear, true eyes bent so kindly upon him, tho impulse came to him to tell her the whole truth. She listonod, even as ho read his letters, with a calm face; but when his story was ended, there was little of calm in the flushed face and trembling lips. “Then you have lost entirely,” she said; “thore is no ohanco for you?” “None at all," he answered; “tho affair is finally sattlod." “And you know that only two hours since, when the mall camo in?" “I received ray letters and loainod my fate then," ho replied. 11 Yet, with that knowlodgde, you could cim > hero calmly to fulfill a trifling social duty, and never onqo montion what must have bln hdaylly on your heart!" “I assure you,” ho explained, earnestly, “that since I have stood in this balcony until you asked mo about it,-I nave libvor given it ono thought." Sho was to bo forgivep if Bhe misunderstood him; her lovely face flushed and hor eyeH dropped with a glad, happy lcok which sno did not sock to repress. (| , So the sweet, fragrant sunshiny hours passed while tho two conversed among tho flowers. To the young girl those hours seemed stolen from paradise, they wore so full of happiness; they flew like golden moments; she could hardly realize that they wore ended when Captain Flemyng said that he must go. He held tho little white hand in his for ons minute, then ho was gone; and to the girPit seemed as if all the sunshine, the fragrance, and tho beauty had gone with him. Ho had Iwen standing with one hrd lying lightly on tho iron railing; when;he was gone, sho stooped down and kissed tho place whore his hand had lain, and then a hot blush burned hor face. “I would I wero a queen,” sho said, “that I might give him all the riches that wonla bo mine. I wish I had tho largest fortune ever given to woman that I might it with him."

CHAPTER XI. Captain Paul Flemying never spoke of his disappointment; he had nqt mentioned his expectations, but every one knew from tho papers what they were. „ But one feeling was general, and that was universal admiration of the coolness, the courage, the grace with which he here what to most men would have seemed an almost unbearable disappointment. 'No one admired his cool, calm courage more than Ethol Dacro. “Ts ever we go to London," she said to Captain Flemyng, one day, “I shall hope to see your beautiful young countess. Have you ever seen her yourself?” “No,” he replied; “to tell you a still more startling truth, Ido not know of her existence. I shall net bo sorry when leave of absence comes, so that I may go home; then I shall tee her.” “You will he sure to like her very much,” said Ethol, wRh a sigh. “She is the head of the family; I must look up to her as ‘chioftainess’ cf a great race. ” Ho did not understand the wistful look she gavo him. “You will think her very beautiful, without doubt, Captain Flemyng." “Lawyers aro given neither to romance nor to exaggeration, and Mr. Clements tells me she is lovely." “You will be sure to think h:r the vory nicest girl you ever saw,” He looked up with an amused smile. “I cannot tell, Mi-s Dacte; I will let you know if the mat er interests you.” “Of course it interests toe,” 'she replied,turning away with something like faint envy of tho young countess. Yet ho did not understand—granite itself was not colder or harder, not more insensible than he. Meanwhile Leonie,Countess of Charnleigh, was learning to fulfill all the duties of her station. Crown Leighton had in former times boen justly celebrated for its magnificent hospitalities. Lady Charnleigh was very anxious to resums thdm. “Imagine a fete in these .grounds!” she said, with tho ardor of one of whom all such things were new. “Imagine colored lamps amid these trees, fountains scattering silver spray high in the perfumed air, and music floating over the trees and flowers—ladies in iewels bright aa the stars in the tkyf Oh,

Lady tfanshawe, do Ist us have ono fete 1” “Not until you. have been presented, my dear Lady Charnleigh. I know what is due to your position and rank. There can be no objection to a few quiet parties, but your first public appearance must be at the cotfht of her Most Gracious Majesty.” She had been to a very few quiet evening parties, and Lady Fansnawe had invitod some young people to Crown Leighton, but Lady Charnleigh did not care for these dull entertainments. “I am so tired of seeing young ladies in white muslin."sho said one day, with a sigh; “they all ling, and play, and dance, and talk in low voices about the lust new fashions. Auntie”—for by that nams “my lady" chose to designate her guardian—“tall me, dees not tho mind require food as well as the body?” “Most assuredly, Leanie.” “Then my mind is starving. I thought people talked so cleverly—they do in books. No one ever says anything trite or stupid there. I want food for my mind, and I cannot find it in tho society of these white-robed young ladies." One duy in April she entered the drawing-room whore Lady Fanshawo awaited her. “Oh, auntie,” she cried, “I wish it wore May! You said we should go to London in May; I am counting the hours." “You are to bo prosonted in May, Leome," returned the older lady; “so wo must decide soon upon your court dress. Of course you will wear the Charnleigh diamonds.” There came to tho young girl, who had boon reared in the midst of poverty and privation, a kind of wonder as to whether this was all a dream whethor sho would wake up suddenly and laugh at hor own folly. Lady Fanshawo looked at the brilliant face. "Leonlo," sho said, suddenly, “you ought to marry well -you are sure to marry woll." A low ripple of laughter camo from Lady Charnleigh, as she looked up with tho frank, sweet smile that characterized her. “Marry!" she said; “why, what can marriage give me?” Lady Fanshawo mado no reply. “I have wealth," continued the girl, "jewels, rank what more does life require to make it happy?" , "You will find out some day—that is, if you are of tho samo nature as other girls. I am not romantic, nor do I teach romanco, but at your age 1 should have thi ught that love would take precedence of nil." “Perhaps it might if I know anything at all about it; but Miss Templeton did not allow such a thing to be inontionod. Any young lady found guilty of receiving a love letter would have been severely punished." “Miss Templeton acted rightly," said Lady Fanshawe; “girls at school have no business to think of such a thing." “Of courso," continued Leonid; with an air of charming candor, “wo wore allowed to talk us muoh as wo liked about money; so that I understand that hotter than love." But in the oyos of Leonio, Lady Charnleigh, as sho spoke, there was something that belled nor words. |TO SB CONTINUKI). |