11185 1177TLE GIRL . OR,

denly on busimess, dear child. He o has written : here s his letter.” “What! without telling me? was so il Tast nmight 1”7 Matthew Rawdon, i writing

And he

for the last

Y/, SIS ,‘ g y S o ////// /

/ e ) Vaus - /

AR, RAWDON STOLE ouT.”

time to his daughter, had characteristically avoided much sclf-expansion.

e spoke of his absence as ncecessary cven for her own well-being, and begeed her m the matter of her marnage to be cuided by the wishes of Sir Arthur and Lady Peyton until his return.,

Eliinor read his words m silence. She felt that some heavy blow had fallen, although as yet she could not realize its extent or nature ; also she was wounded and amazed. Tler tather had already formed his plans and dis- cussced them with Sir Arthur when she bade him zood-night at his door, and had said no word to her. It scemed that he had purposcly avorded seeing her. Had she known of his sceeret farewelly her pain would have been less. She might have turned to Mrs. Montresor for comfort. Now she was silent and tearless.

She had scarcely left the breakfast-room when Lady Peyton arrived. Sir Arthur had taken his wife into his counscls, and she fully agreed m keeping such scerecy as might still be possible. It was a hard blow for her; the sense of shame, of having been duped, added to the disappointment, the overthrow of aly her plans, made it almost. unbearable.

IWVORKIED OUY. 277

She frankly expressed a wish that Mr. Rawdon or Dawson might never be heard of again---might put an end to himsclf—“it is the only thing left for the hittle wretch to do with any decencey,” she explained.

[t was casy to mduce the American to hold his tongue. He had done mischief cnough already m satisfying o feeling of personal animosity. He had no wish to see the doors of a society he was cager to enter closed agamst him, as Sir Arthur assured him would infallibly be the case did he bring down further scandal upen his present hosts.

It was clear that the breaking off of the cngagement must come from Ellimor— there was no knowimg what Guy's chivalrous notions might lead him into doing - and Lady Peyton drove over to FFirholt in the morning, while her son thought her still in her room.

Her visit was a short onc.

She entreated Elhnor for her own sake not to seek to know the reasons of her father's conduct she told her that his last express wishes, left with Sir Arthur, had been that the marriage should be put off until his return, and mmplored hery for Guy's sake, o be guided by then,

“And his return o when will that be?” asked the girly with hlanched face.

“I--no ong, I think, exectly knows.”

“Andatis for Guy's sake you ask me this ?”

“Indeed 1t 1s - to save him from the con- scquences of a fatal mistake—from an irre- parable wrong.”

“And this mistake —it was my father’s 2”7

4 \TCS-.’)

LEllinor walked to the window. Was she to lose everything at once biow- - father, lover

all that life held for her? “You are sure ? This 1s best for Guy —is it to save him ? 7 she asked again at last.

1 am quite sure.”

The girl walked over to the writing-table without another word.,

“You will know that my Zather has left me suddenly,” she wrote. “ [ Delieve Sir Arthur and Tady Pceyton know more of the causc than I--I learn that it is his wish that our marriage should be delayed until his return. . No one knows when that will be. Iror your own sake I write to give you your frcedom. I was mad to ask of you what I did last nmight —forget it, Guy. 1o vou think I am cold-hearted that { write :0?2 T think 1 am dead T can feel nothing.”

When she had finished Lady Peyton wvas prepared to leave.

1 owiliosend this,” Bllinor said; * john shall ride over at once. -

Vol. iv.—36.