Fenton's Quest

age on the green. It was easy enough to find some fresh excuse for each visit-a book or a piece of music which he had recommended to Miss Nowell,

g down to the water's edge, a lawn on which he and his wife and some chosen friend might sit after dinner in the long summer evenings, sipping their claret or their tea, as the case might be, and watching the last rosy glow of the sunset fade and die upon the river. He fancied himself with this girl for his wife, and the delight of going back from the dull dryasdust labours of his city life to a home in which she would bid him welcome. He behaved with

the greater part, absorbed by the debts of the year and the expenses of his funeral. Altogether, the outlook was a dreary one, and the Captain had suffered many a sharp pang in brooding over it. Lovely and attractive as Marian was, the chances of an advantageous marriage were not many for her in such a place as Lidford. It was natural, therefore, that Captain Sedgewick should welcome the advent of such a man as Gilbert Fenton-a man of good position and ample means; a thoroughly unaffected and agreeable fellow into the bargain, and quite handsome enough to win any woman's heart, the Captain thought.

nd week of Gilbert's acquaintance with these new friends,

n she discussed the invitation with her husband and brother; "so I suppose

gh to call it, is not dependent

a serious case, I s

I ever admired any one before, if that

think," the other a

iss Nowell. Gilbert had to take one of the portly matrons in to dinner, and found himself placed at some distance from Miss Nowell during the repast; but he was able to make up for this afterwards, when he slipped out of th

s for him to stand there watching her as she played. Later, when a couple of whist-tables had been established, and the brilliantly-lighted room had grown hot, these two sat together at one of the open windows, looking

and by. "I shall have to go back to London and the old commercial life

nswered lightly. "I daresay, if you would only confess the truth, you are hear

ver be tired

s generally considere

s be a shining spot in my memory, differ

nd surprised. It was not then that the words he had to speak could be spoken, and he let the conversation drift into a g

find Marian sitting under one of the walnut-trees at the end of the garden reading a novel, with her faithful Skye

said. "I have not many days more to spend in Lidford,

ed, laughing. "I'll go and tell my uncle you are here. He is t

aps, though I have been willing enough to put off the hour of saying it, as a man may well be when all his future life depends upon the issue of a few wor

inquiring look in her eyes. "Bu

tell me that it has not been a fool's paradise! My darling, I love you with all my hear

ed it in both his own. She withdrew it gently, and sat

ow. Captain Sedgewick is not my uncle. He does not even know wh

of that, Marian; only the dearer. Tell m

-" she faltered;

est, trust me, and it shall go hard if I do not make your future life a happy one. Granted that I am ten years-more than ten years-your senior, that is a difference on the r

asked wonderingly. "It seems so

at first evening in

-I have reason to be proud-of your preference. But I have kno

, or of yours

myse

what

g me your love like this. I scarcely know if I have a heart to give to any one. I know t

too soon, after all. It seems to me that I have known you for a lifetime; b

d, looking at him wit

y dear. But I can wait. You do

e had been too precipitate. What was there in a fortnight's intimacy to justify such a step, except to himself, with whom time had been measur

ed any involuntary sign of aversion to him. Surprise had appeared the chief sentiment caused by his revelation. Surprise was natural to s

rnest as I am," Gilbert Fenton said to himself, as he sat under the walnut-trees trying to t

hat had happened. George Sedgewick listened to hi

" he said, when Gilbert

think otherwise would be utter misery to me. I cannot tell you how dearly I love her, and how weak I am about this business. It seems

. She will not be so foolish as to reject such a disinterested affection. Besides," he added, hesitating a little, "I have

hat!" cried Gi

d tokens of the tender passion. But I will sound my little girl by and by. She will be more ready to confess the truth to her old

Gilbert answered gloomily. "But I daresay you are right,

hat nothing would make me happier than to see my dear child married to a good man. I have had m

tined to inherit all the wealth of the Rothsch

ou know that she is not really my niece-only a

nothing, except some unworthiness in herself, th

this business goes any farther. Will you come and smoke your cigar with me to-night? She is go

e real state of her feelings without distressing her in any way; and you will tell

a melancholy result. I think Marian is sensible e

which he had gone to the cottage that day. It was only reasonabl

itative mood, with his hands thrust deep into his tr

er head and ears in love with her. Such a marriage is the very thing I have been praying for. And without such a marriage, what would be her

while he was still pacing to and

m and laying a caressing hand upon his shoulder. "I know you n

the caressing little hand, and planting himself face to face with his niece, in the full su

, uncle

old uncle-something that a girl generally likes telling?

Fen

ith me just now; and I know tha

, uncle

n't refuse h

u see; and I really don't know how to refuse any one; but I think

hy, my

ought to care. I like him very well, you know, and thin

er feeling, Marian; at least I t

dear u

your future-the days that must come when I am dead and gone; and you can never know how many anxious hours I hav

life when he should be lost to her. That grief must needs be the crowning sorrow

seriously, Marian. A good man's affection is not to be thrown away rashly. You have known Mr. Fenton a

y that I do not love him as he seems to love me. It would

, Marian; I am sure

her head

uncle it is!" she said, and

always have him for her friend. When she went out to drink tea in the evening his image went with her; and she found herself making involuntary compariso

Sedgewick and Gilbert Fenton sat under the walnut-trees smoking thei

ngs were in a dull street at the extreme east, leading away from the sea, but within sight and sound of it. The solitude and quiet of the place suited me; and I used to walk up and down the cliff in the dusk of evening enjoying the perfect loneliness of the scene. The ho

ear the child's feet pattering about the room; but she was not a noisy child by any means; and when I did happen to hear her voice, it had a very pleasant so

talk between me and the mother. She was a fragile delicate-looking woman, who had once been very pretty, but whose beauty had for the most part been worn away, either by ill-health or trouble.

pleasantest part of my day. There was a winning grace about this Mrs. Nowell's manner that I had never seen in any other woman; and I grew

fading light in her eyes, and listened to the weakening tones of her voice, with a sense of trouble that seemed utterly disproportionate to the occasion. I will not say that I loved her; neither the fact that she was another man's wife, nor the fac

enough for a considerable time, and then all at once broke down, and confessed to the landlady that she had not a shilling more in the world. The woman was a hard creature, and told her that if that was the case, she must find some other lodgings, and immediately. I hea

e answerable for Mrs. Nowell's rent, and for the daily expenses incurred on her behalf. Mr. Nowell would in all probability appear in good time to relieve me fro

aid to send out with the child, so I sent the servant up to ask her if she would trust the little one for a daily walk with me. This she was very pleased to do, and Marian became my dear little companion

r propped up by pillows, and very much changed for the worse since I had seen her last. She told me that she had disco

creature in this world. I suppose my husband will come here before I die, and will relie

could not help saying, that I thought her husband had beha

you are ill, I s

. I think the knowledge of what he had lost came between us very soon. I know that his love for me has grown weaker as the years went by, and that I have been little better than a burden to him. I could never tell you how lonely my life has been in those great foreign cities, where there seems such perpetual gaiety and pleasure. I think I

I live,' I said. 'Little Marian is very dear to me, and I shal

sh lips to it in a transport of gratitude. What a brut

en. The end came very suddenly at last. I had intended to question her about her husband's family; but the subject was a difficult one to appro

her with her feeble arms and lay my hand upon the little one's head, looking up at me with sorrow

,' I said, 'I shall love and che

n the quiet room all night, the little one wrapped in a shawl and nestled upon my breast. In the early summer morning Lucy Nowell died, very peacefully; and I carried Marian do

ursemaid for her, and had taken an upper room for her nursery; but she spent the greater part of her life with me, and I began to fancy that Providence intended I should keep her with me for the rest of her days. She told me, in her innocent childish way, that papa had never love

s future might depend upon her father's acknowledgment of her in the present; but no reply came to these advertiseme

, and the small sum realised for them barely paid the expense of the funeral and grave. The arrears of rent and all other arrears fell upon me. I paid them, and then left Brighton with the child and nurse. I was born not twenty miles from this place, and I had a fancy for ending my days in my native county; so I came down to this part

r; and I honour you for your g

t. The child made herself necessary to me from the very first. I was a solitary man, a confirmed bachelor,

farther discoverie

s future. From the little Mrs. Nowell told me about her marriage, I had reason to believe her husband's father must have been a rich man. He might have softened towards his grandchild, in spite of his disappr

s face against the child. Marian Nowell will have no need to supplicate for protecti

as you deserve to be loved by her!"

ed girl could scarcely help responding to the hopes of such a lover. To his mind Gilbert Fenton seemed eminently adapted to win a woman's heart. He fo