JACKS' DARLING.

Bush Advocate, Volume IX, Issue 795, 22 June 1893, Page 4

JACKS' DARLING.

Chapter VII (Continued) Lady Blanche.smiled at his sophistry. If not logical, Jack' was rertaJHly impressive. « You forget .that we made friends hist night for the first time,' she - bseryed, with a tinge of coquetry in | iier* uiahhtirtbftt made her absolutely irresistible. i Jack's 1 heart began to beat very J hit,, and he felt his head going. He wandered how long lie should be £ ible to hold himself in, for surely it ( •w&i folly to speak so soon,: when she ' was- [unprepared, and might say no out of pure surprise and maiden ' shyness. - ! -■ ' • But when Lady Blanche looked up, in a startled sort of way, to see what his 1 silence meant, and a flush passed over her face, he saw that he had been : ' understood, and silence would not become him now. | Blanche,' ho ' murmured, taking her haud and pressing his burning lips on the blue-veined wrist under her sleeve, ' I love you — I love you, n»y darling !' Lady Blanche's heart was beating in - time and tune to his, but she could not speak; it was all too wonderful. „. Jack was white to his mouth' at last,,!with the suspense and anxioty ; Ijut : still he wouid not hurry her so much by a gesture. He thought B he merited a'rebuft for his precipitancy,.*, and would .try to bear it bravely. Lifo would never be much jWoijJi jjving if he, lost her ; but how fe\v;'io^ tins .world*. get their heart's desire," and was ; he. better than others -that lie shold be so blessed 1 But, in fact, Lady Blanche's silencedid not .signify denial. She; loved. Jack, dearly, but she did ,'n'pt like.to tell him so, and ■.■wanted him to make her ;a suspicion of the^truth began to dawn upon him ijftt, last, for ihere was something in .her half averted face which looked "likV encouragement, though her lips % were. mute. '. ".He . put his arm round her neck, .and^irgsse'd her chin a little, so that ■"sbVwas obliged to turn, and the in. those wonderful eyes. * lifted only for one moment to his, 'w.puld have .turned the strongest 'lieaii ' in'phristendom. ' He, was, silenl for' a moment from ''excess __ "of rapture, "and then 'he , gathe'r'eil^ne^uptohim, and it seemed as'!if. thejr very souls mingled in the '. long, lqng,'liiss..lhat'followid. Blanche was the first to re.'cover, hevself,' and she broke away ''from him all trembling and abashed, yet s'q full of joy she could have .cried' of it.' That Jack who was so 'fender, and. chivalrous, and true "should love her, and actually want 'Jher for. his wife seemed hardly 'possible, and yet he had just ' told 1 her' that he could not be happy without ' her j and he looked as if he ••AteanC it. ' • Oh! Captain Tregarthen !' she 'cried;"preßently, shrinking, a little, ■'» what;'will they say' in Chester'^s^uare?' J? - •'Th^ colonel will , say, "That's ,Jus£ va.ok|s; ; luck ;' Eyre will -'^bseryei f 'fhat" I am not' good Lady". Blanche,' and **Mabel, will declare she ' predicted 'it ..all. along/ As for Mary,' and sadder tone, 'I am ;.H/rai3 marrying^ and giving in mar'ri.age,"doeß not' interest her much, poor' girl.? : ' " ', ..'I can't bear, to think that, Cap- ? .tain Tregarthen.' * I— but why am I < Captain ; T '*Tr6gai;then 'now, for if you are not „' like jthe rest now, Blanche, it is, '■ hec.ause 'you are twenty times nearer, and .dearer. Besides it is 'rightdarling.' , " , : 'y<QW, m * n 7 "ghta are you going ."to" claim '?' she asked; a little saucily, , Although it was very delightful 1 to - , r Laay f ßlanche;to'feel.thati some one .' lo^ed'her enough Jo. want to take "' the^mauagement of her. '' « I don't know. My rights will " develop and increase as time goes ;.',6n. 'At present I am trying to be " c reasonable in order not to frighten ." you j butl must insist on 'Jack." J \; Well then, Jack,' she jerked with desperate effort, ' you will „ ,s\l Mrs Eyre about our— our— ' ";""'.' Our engagement,' he put in, enjoying her confusion. '„ ,"' r 'And Lord Dawtrey, too.', ,' ? .". '-'I must write and ask his'consent, l^d^r"; didn't you kuow that? 1 v vi •' suppose he refuses, Jack ; v^.wßafthen V ' v ' "t ' Why, then we will dispense 'w|th ,his,.p,ermission,' , );S '. /; .'Wpu!d'that be rjght ?'she asked, .^ra^her anxiously. r^,,,, I ! Quite '.right. He is not your .'..father,.' or- even your legal guardian. '. "If ,I'ie objects' it will be from mere i, "." fp^trad.jcVo"rii|css,; and we shall be V perfectly justified in taking the- law ! " into oi^r own hands.' I know Mrs 1 ' . \ ' li ¥&\ only; I should not like to j'j'put Ife'rin.'a painful position with *-' L6r3 .Dawtrey, when he placed me ' uhder. her charge.' l '[. 'I will take all the blame,' '^answered Jaok, t with decision' of '-■• manner that showed he was not to '■= be trifled with. 'There is no man ■s'<-iti England who ought to have more •"■Sympathy with a grande passion than S . Lord Dawtiey.' .--'.•*: .'.Why ?' enquired Lady Blanche, ...curiously. ~, '■ ' Because he has been a victim of . > a (jranihpassitiii himself for twenty years.' 'Oh ! do tell me all about it,' cried Lady Blanche, with great interest. ' I thought ho was much too old'for anything of that sort.' 'He ■is not too old, even now, ; Bladche—^he can't be more than . h've-and-forty — and he was quite , fJ young once, although you may not '.' believe ic J \smiling). ' I shan't look upon myself as quite, an old fogey . - eighteen years hence, although I am * afraid you will.' "f "."'"We" shall grow old together, • i JacfcV.ahe said, softly'; 'and that is r different; Besides Lord Dawtrey ''" seemed' old to me because he was so if . [grave.'"' : ' And I am naturally of a very ' cheerful disposition,,' returned Jack, t -A especially whenl have nothing to tff make rue : miserable. ' •y' INo one would have callod you . cheerful these last few days.' •'• 'Ah ! then I had something to make mo miserable. You gave me .i.Bu'ch'an awful snub that night I ' get oxer it.'■>i'l Iri.-iJiA?? •,?* continued)- „:,',