too hideous! You are ungenerous, sir, to forget 
lier afflictions, and to speak thus .to me Pardon 
me if I leave you!” 
And she retreated without bestowing another 
glance on the disconcerted Noel. 
CHAPTER V. 
NOEL ArOLOGISES. 
The door was closing on the departing form of 
Hilllan Gray, when the young man, recovering his 
presenceot mlnrl, darted in pursuit and laid Ills 
hand on hers. 
“ A thousand pardons, Miss Gray, he breathlessly 
exclaimed. “ You have misunderstood me, you 
have, Indeed I Pray, return. I spoke thought¬ 
lessly, but no covert Insult, no impertinent jest 
was Implied in my words.” 
“Out you spoke of Miss Caristorde marrying,” 
retorted Hilllan, permitting him, however, to lead 
her back to the room; “ and spoke as lightly as If 
you did not know that even the inau who has been 
offered with her hand the inducement of a splendid 
fortune Instantly iejected the bribe with horror, 
and preferred poverty to such a bride.” 
6522 
Noel colored at this significant reminder, hut his 
answer was prompt and frank. 
“ Here again you have misunderstood me. Had 
Miss Oarlsforde been as beautiful as an angel. 1 
should have’ acted In precisely the same manner. 
My objection was not, to the lady, hut to the mon- 
. strous profanation such a marriage between two 
persons who are total strangers to each other, 
would be. i do not prefer poverty to wealth, Miss 
Gray, but I should loathe my sell' if I gained my 
riches by taking false vows at the altar.” 
Iiilllaa Gray's pale cheek flushed, and she 
nodded approval. 
“ You have decided .lust as I think I should have 
done - just as I fancied you would. Miss Carlsforde 
will he pleased to know that you had higher mo¬ 
tives for avoiding her than a mere repugnance to 
behold one so afflicted. You will believe my as¬ 
surances that she was not In fault concerning the 
will ?" 
“ Most certainly I will—I do. Have you not told 
me that she was kept in ignorance ot Its con¬ 
tents ?” 
“And you will try and think kindly ot her?” 
pleaded Hilllan, tremulously, “ It is not my place 
to plead for her; you may even think me officious 
for attempting it; yet I cannot resist asking you 
to remember that from her birth she has been 
banned with ugliness so terrible, that her nearest 
and dearest relative shrank irom beholding her 
face, and those who felt most compassion for her 
could give her no help. Remember, too, that all 
the broad acres of Carlsforde will not compensate 
for the lonely, friendless lire to which this unhap¬ 
py girl is condemned.” 
“ But how foolishly I am loitering l You sent 
for me—may I ask why ? The housekeeper has 
orders to procure you anything you wish for. Has 
she neglected tills?” 
“Yes—no-I believe not,” Noel answered, at 
random, for l he sudden change In her manner had 
confused him. “ I have not required anything for 
myself.” 
“Have you dined? No? Then she has been 
neglectful, for .Tephson, the butler, says you have 
not touched anything hut one glass of sherry since 
you came. It shall be attended to. I will go and 
speak to her.” 
Again Noel had to explain and apologise. He 
ought not to have detained Miss Gray so uncon¬ 
scionably, but he could not feel easy t ill he had 
asked her advice: and then lie proceeded to set 
before her his dilemma. The medical man, hastily 
summoned to Mrs. Kstco rt's assistance, had pro¬ 
nounced her too ill to be removed, yet thus to 
trespass on Miss Carisforde’s hospitality- 
He paused, and llUUan Gray’s lips parted Into a 
slight smile. 
“1 don’t think you have experienced much of 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
that, have you ? In the first place she did not 
know she was to be mistress here, so she would 
not take upon herself the duties of hostess; and 
now that she finds that they have devolved upon 
her, she feels incapable of fulfilling them, especial¬ 
ly to a lady guest.” 
Noel colored. 
“ Then you advise me to remove my mother, at 
all risks.” 
“Oh, no! What have I said?” cried lllllian 
Gray, looking startled and uneasy. “1 am afraid I 
am a sad bungler. Mias carlsforde would be vexed 
indeed If you did that. She would like you to 
remain as long as you feel Inclined, only she hopes 
you will not think her discourteous If she contin¬ 
ues to seclude herself In her own apartments.” 
“ It Is not a question of Inclination,” Noel grave¬ 
ly' replied. “1 should prefer to quit Carlsforde 
Park at once. I shall most certainly do so to-mor¬ 
row morning If I may leave Mrs. Esteourt here 
until she Is sufficiently recovered to follow me.” 
“Oh! please don'tF’ cried HtlUan Gray, with a 
look of genuine alarm. “ Pray stay till she Is well 
enough to go too! 1 beg your pardon,” she added, 
penitently, when she saw Noel's face fiush. “I 
am afiahl what I have been saying sounded very 
rude; but you know Mrs. Estcoun resented my 
presence this afternoon, ami—and. honestly. I 
shall be afraid to encounter her if you are not by.” 
“ I could not ask you to pay any attentions to a 
person who has treated you so discourteously ; but 
the housekeeper-” 
“Impossible!” was the prompt reply. “Miss 
Carisforde’s guest cannot be left solely to the care 
of her servants. That would be a greater discour¬ 
tesy than any I have encountered. If Mi's. Kst- 
court remains, I must do my best to perform the 
duties delegated to me; but ir you would stay and 
help me, It would be such a relief.” 
Noel could scarcely help laughing, t hough It was 
irritating to find that his step-mother had created 
such a very disagreeable impression. However, he 
could not wonder that timid, sensitive Hilllan 
Gray, thrust by the lufirmitles of her lady Into a 
position for which she was Ul-fiited. sliould dread 
being compelled to play the hostess to a person 
who had treated her with marked lll-breedlng. 
“I am In a very awkward position. Miss Gray. 
If I pleased myself I should return to London this 
evening; but I cannot burthen you with the charge, 
of a sick stranger, t will, therefore, crave Miss 
Carisforde’s hospitality for this one night, and 
hope that to-morrow Mrs. Estcouit will be well 
enough to bear removal.” 
“ Thank you,” said lllllian, simply. “ The house 
will not seem so lonely when I wake In the night 
ami remind myself that you and Mrs. Esteourt 
are here. For the last few days the silence, the 
gloom lias been almost intolerable. Good even Ing, 
sir; 1 ought to say my lord, but I cannot bring 
my Ups yet to giving you the title by which I 
have been accustomed to address another.” 
“ Pray do not apply it to me at all; I shall never 
adopt it. it would be a mockery to call myself 
anything but Noel Esteourt.” 
6543 
Hilllan regarded him sorrowfully, mused awhile 
and then came hack from the door to whisper, 
timidly: 
“ May I tell you what I know to be In Miss Car¬ 
isforde’s thoughts? She Is meditating offering 
you half her fortune. You would accept that, 
wouldn t. you ?” 
Noel shook his head. 
“ Miss Carlsforde is very liberal, but she Is not 
of age; she cannot carry out her generous Inten¬ 
tions, nor could I consent to avail myself of such 
an offer. Pray make her understand that I am 
very proud and obstinate, too much so to take 
from a woman's pity aught for which 1 could 
proffer no equivalent.” 
“Afterall, It la not nice to he rich,” Hilllan 
Gray concluded. “Ada Carlsforde would have 
been happier If her father had left her a respecta¬ 
ble annuity, and let the estates go with the title.” 
“IsIt any use dwelling on tills?” asked Noel, 
impatiently, for the subject was a sore one. 
“I suppose not, only—I am very, very sorry tor 
you.” 
she said this so sweetly, that Noel raised to his 
lips the hand she tendered, an act of gallantry 
that drove her—blushing and embarrassed—from 
the room. 
(To be continued.) 
-M4- 
Gen. Lee asked a straggler one day, whom he 
found eating green persimmons, If he did not know 
they were unfit for food. “I’m not eating them 
lor food, General,” replied the man. “I’m eating 
them to draw my stomach up to fit my rations,” 
VETERAN AND RECRUIT. 
E. W. HAZEWELL. 
He filled the crystal goblet 
With golden-beaded -wine, 
“ Come, comrades, now. I bid ye— 
‘ To the true love of mine!’ 
“ Her forehead's pure and holy. 
Her hair is tangled gold, 
Her heart to me so tender. 
To others' love is cold. 
“ So drain your glasses empty 
And fill me another yet; 
Two glasses at loast for the dearest 
And sweetest girl, Lisette.” 
Up rose a grizzled Sergeant— 
“ My true love I give to thee; 
Three true loves blent in one love, 
A soldier’s trinity. 
“ Here's to the flag we follow. 
Here's to the land we serve. 
And hero's to the holy honor 
That doth the two preserve." 
Then rose they up around him. 
And raised their eyes above. 
And drank jn solemn silence 
Unto the Sargeant’s love. 
-- 
WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. 
(Continued from page 239.) 
CHAPTER XLVII. 
nis face softened Into deepest tenderness as he 
looked at her. The old love so long trampled 
down and repressed seemed to leap Into new and 
vigorous life. 
6543 
“ Never again 1” she repeated. “ I love you—and 
I would be true to you!” 
“ Then give me a proof. I hate this wealth for 
which you forsook me! 1 hate this splendor and 
magnificence for which you bartered your truth and 
fidelity! I will never benefit by them. Theyrobbed 
me of you, they destroyed the best part of rny life 
—I will have none ot them! No man shall say of 
me that I profited by your falsehood and enjoyed 
the price of your sin—for It was a sin, violet. 
Listen to me, my darling. This Is what my honor 
dictates—and my honor Is dearer to me than my 
life. I love you. and ask no higher gift from 
Heaven than to call you my own ; but you must 
come to me unfettered by dead sir Owen's wealth 
—I will have none or it. ! you must give up your 
mansion, your jowels, your servants—all tme mag¬ 
nificence furnished by hltn. I will provide a beau¬ 
tiful house for you—not grand and stately like t his, 
but a home that shall he a heaven of love. You 
married for money, violet—money did not bring 
you happiness. Now marry for love—that will.” 
She looked up to him with a bewildered air. 
“ I do not understand. Do you mean that I am 
to surrender all the fortune my husband has left 
me?” 
“ I mean just that, Violet; I will never share It.” 
“ But Felix,” she said, “ that would he absurd, 
now that It Is all mine to do as I like with. What 
could 1 do with it ?” 
“ Build hospitals, churches—anything you like, 
except keep It.” 
She looked at him thoughtfully. 
“ Do you not think that that Is very hard?” she 
said. 
NO. 4. 
“ No, I do not; to share It, to benefit by It, would 
seem to me Uke sharing a sin. There Is the true 
test of love, violet. 1 forgive with all my heart 
the fault that you say was committed In the 
thoughtlessness of youth —now i give you the 
chance of redeeming It. Give up the wealth that 
tempted you to do me wrong, and I will bless the 
day that brings you to me again.” 
He looked a t the diamond necklace she wore ; 
unclasping it, ho laid It upon the table. 
“ Y our neck is a thousand times more beautiful,’’ 
ho said, “without that circlet, canyon give up 
all such deckings, violet ?” 
“ it Is such a thing to ask me,” she said. 
“ It Is a true test of love. Y'ou had to choose 
once before between me and money—then you 
chose money. I place the two before you again— 
which will you choose ? Y'ou cannot plead youth, 
or Ignorance, or vanity, or even undue influence 
now, Y'ou have learned many things; and I say 
this is a true test oflove. But, violet, it is not fair 
to ask you to decide hurriedly—take time over it. 
It Is much to ask, I know; hull offer something 
better in return—and you shall never repent the 
sacrifice.” 
“ All the world would laugh at me,” she said. 
“ The world would say you had given up all for 
love. But, Violet, mind, I do not wish to persuade 
you. 1 leave the decision to yourself. For the sec¬ 
ond time lu your fife you have to choose between 
love and money. Fonder It, and tell me In a few 
days wliat you have decided upon.” 
She looked up at him wistfully. 
“ Is that your Unal decision, Felix?” she asked. 
“Yes, 1 cannot change It, Violet. Most men 
make an Idol of something; my Idol Is self-re¬ 
spect.,” he replied. 
“ Could you not make an idol of me ?” she whis¬ 
pered. 
** Y’es, If you are not framed in a gold setting,” 
he answered. 
She was silent then for a few minutes, while the 
firelight played over her golden hair, and he drew 
the long shining tresses through his fingers. She 
laid her head on his breast and closed her eyes. 
When she raised her eyes to his, they were wet 
with tears. 
“ Felix,” she said, “ I must go now ; It Is grow¬ 
ing late. Will you kiss me before I go?” 
He bent down and kissed the lovely face—not 
once, but many times. Then she rose to quit the 
room. He remembered long afterwards how she 
kept her eyes fixed on his face until she reached 
the dOOri 
“Good-bye, Felix," she said—and the very tone 
of her voice was like a sigh. 
He had kept himself outwardly very calm dur¬ 
ing the interview, violet did not know what a 
terrible tempest was raging wltliln him. He threw 
aside paper and pen when the door was closed. 
“ J can write no more I” he said. 
His heart beat fast and Ids brain seemed to be on 
fire—every pulse throbbed Mildly, every nerve was 
strained. 
“ 1 must go out Into the air,” he told himself; 
“ these walls are stifling me.” 
He went out through the window ; and he spent 
the nigUtas he had spent many another, In u-alk- 
lng rapidly, so that he might beat down the temp¬ 
tation that was come to him. 
For It was a temptation So loving and so lovely, 
so gracious and fair, was Violet that he could have 
clasped her to hts breast, and have cried out in 
rapture that she was his. But honor stood be¬ 
tween them. He would never accept the dead 
man s gold. 
In the morning he did not see Violet at the early 
breakfast. Miss Hethcote came down asd made 
tea. Lady Cheventx had sent her, she said. She 
did not seem quite well. Miss Hethcote looked In¬ 
quiringly at Felix, as though she would fain ask 
what had passed between them ; blit no word was 
spoken, and Darcy Lonsdale left Garewood quite un¬ 
conscious that. It had been offered to his son. 
The next two days were days ot torture to Felix. 
How he passed them he never knew. On the 
third came a letter in the well-known hand-wri¬ 
ting, with the faint familiar odor ot violets. He 
knew It was Violet's answer; and, though he was 
a strong, brave man. he trembled to open It. 
Within that folded paper lay the words that might 
effect the whole of his future life. Either violet 
had written to say that for hts sake she would give 
up wealth, luxury, and magnificence, or she had 
decldod on giving him up to retain that to which 
perhaps her heart clung. 
“ It was the only test,” he said, as he took the 
letter In his hand. 
CHAPTER XLVTII. 
This was violet’s response to Felix Lonsdale's 
request about dead Sir Owen’s wealth— 
"My dear Felix,—I have thought well over the 
matter receutly discussed by us, and I have de¬ 
cided. 1 know that I am weaker than a woman— 
bull cannot give up my fortune. It seems to me 
such a foolish thing to do. After being accus¬ 
tomed to every luxury, I could not give It up. I 
love you, and shaU always love you; but the test 
was too hard. I have pictured myself hack In the 
old scenes, leading the old life, and I could not un¬ 
dergo It. I would most cheerrully share all I have 
with you, but 1 cannot give It up for you—do you 
think it was quite right to ask me ? 
“ I do not suppose 1 shall ever be happy—but 
you will, lam not noble enough for you; and if 
you had married me, your disappointment M ould 
have been great . You will meet some day a noble 
woman whom you will love and marry, I know 
that, In saying ‘good-bye’ now, I say It for ever; 
but forever I shall be your unhappy “ Violet.” 
He laid the letter down and looked at It. lie had 
almost expected such an answer, yet his disap¬ 
pointment was great ,and his eyes tilled with tears. 
It had been very sweet and very dear to him, this 
precious love-story—and the end was sorrow; still 
ho could not be. surprised. 
“She has chosen that which she loves best,” he 
said; “and 1 cannot blame her now. I must try 
to forget her.” 
ne did It bravely, as he had done It before. He 
threw his whole heart into his work, and fought 
iuch by inch with the great master-passion of his 
life. 
For some time after that, it was rumored In Lll- 
