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Article MURIEL HALSIF. ← Page 3 of 4 Article MURIEL HALSIF. Page 3 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Muriel Halsif.
" I am sure you are cold , Muriel ; let me get you a shawl . That is the second time I have seen you shiver . " '' Indeed I am not cold . Please sit still . " Miss Morton leant back in her chair again . " Yes , Eric has sailed ; gone to America , for nobody ICIIOAVS IIOAV long , and left his poor old father nearly broken-hearted
about him . "What has it to do Avith me ? " said Muriel , angrily . "Everything , " answered her friend ; " and you knoAv it , Muriel I" she added ,
with some indignation . Muriel made no answer , and Miss Morton spoke again , earnestly . "Why did you not accept his offer ?" " You knoAv quite well , Avithout asking
me , " Muriel replied , impatiently . " Ah , true j so I do I You prefer to be dependent on your sister ' s husband rather than on a husband of your OAVU . Muriel ; for so sensible a girl , your decision is most
foolish !" Miss Morton Avas sarcastic , but she put the matter in a IIOAV and certainly not very pleasant light . Muriel had not thought of Captain Ferroll at all in the matter , only
of her sister . After a brief silence" I can still be a governess , " she said ; "then I shall be independent of everybody . " "That Avill not be pleasant for Mrs .
Ferroll , of Welhvood , even if she agrees to it—which I doubt , " rejoined Miss Morton . " Why should I be forced to marry ?" asked Muriel , pettishly . But her friend did not think that
remark worth ansAvering . " I suppose I ought to marry him , " said Muriel , presently , - " but it Avould not add to my happiness or to his either , to hear such remarks as ' Oh , she Avas only a
governess ! ' ' He married very much beneath him ! ' and so on . Still , he saved my life , so I suppose I ought to devote it to him , and leave after consequences lo take care of themselves . " " If you look at him in that light , the
fisherman ' s son is the person you should marry ; he discovered and took you off the ledge . " " It was Mr . Forbes Avho insisted on the search ; so it must be to him my life is due . " "As you like , " said Miss Morton , smil-
Muriel Halsif.
ing at the absurdity of the conversation . "If he asks me again , I Avill say 'Yes ;' but then he can't if he is in America . " " He can return , I suppose . " " Oh , of course ; but ah , Christie Avill be home before that , and I shall be with her at Welhvood . There nobody will knoAv that I was a governess . " "Nobody and everybody are the
bugbears of your existence , Muriel . Do you knoAv that I am not inclined to think very highly of your love for your father or Christie , " " Dear Miss Morton , Avhy not ?" " If I Avere Colonel Halsie ' s daughter , or
Christie's sister , I should think myself the equal of any man that might ask me to marry him . " Another ray of light for Muriel ! For a long time she sat gazing thoughtfully out of the AvindoAV ; then she turned to Miss
Morton" You have opened my eyes at last , " she said , Avith a bright flush . " I begin to see the difference between false pride and true . What a foolish girl you must think me !"
"You are not foolish , but the line ot conduct you have chosen to folloAv is a false one . And now , Muriel , I want to ask you one question before Ave close our chat—Do you love Eric Eorbes ?"
" If I did not , I should not have acted as I have , " she ansAvered , Avith a rosy flush . " My pride was as much on his account as my OAvn—perhaps more . "
" Then , if he asked you again , you would give him a different ansAver ? " " He Avill not , dear Miss Morton . You forget that men have more pride than Avomen . "
" There is not a gram of false pride about him . He is true as steel . " " Do you think that he can forgive me ?" asked Muriel , shyly , the crimson of hope , which the darkness hid , mounting to cheek and brow .
" He Avill neA * er acknoAvledge your need of forgiveness , " answered her friend , closing the Avindow as she spoke . "NOAV , child , we will ring for lights and have supper . "
It was summer-time again . Captain Ferroll and his Avife had been six months in England , and Avere comfortabl y established at Welhvood , Avhere Muriel , too , found a happy home . From Miss Morton
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Muriel Halsif.
" I am sure you are cold , Muriel ; let me get you a shawl . That is the second time I have seen you shiver . " '' Indeed I am not cold . Please sit still . " Miss Morton leant back in her chair again . " Yes , Eric has sailed ; gone to America , for nobody ICIIOAVS IIOAV long , and left his poor old father nearly broken-hearted
about him . "What has it to do Avith me ? " said Muriel , angrily . "Everything , " answered her friend ; " and you knoAv it , Muriel I" she added ,
with some indignation . Muriel made no answer , and Miss Morton spoke again , earnestly . "Why did you not accept his offer ?" " You knoAv quite well , Avithout asking
me , " Muriel replied , impatiently . " Ah , true j so I do I You prefer to be dependent on your sister ' s husband rather than on a husband of your OAVU . Muriel ; for so sensible a girl , your decision is most
foolish !" Miss Morton Avas sarcastic , but she put the matter in a IIOAV and certainly not very pleasant light . Muriel had not thought of Captain Ferroll at all in the matter , only
of her sister . After a brief silence" I can still be a governess , " she said ; "then I shall be independent of everybody . " "That Avill not be pleasant for Mrs .
Ferroll , of Welhvood , even if she agrees to it—which I doubt , " rejoined Miss Morton . " Why should I be forced to marry ?" asked Muriel , pettishly . But her friend did not think that
remark worth ansAvering . " I suppose I ought to marry him , " said Muriel , presently , - " but it Avould not add to my happiness or to his either , to hear such remarks as ' Oh , she Avas only a
governess ! ' ' He married very much beneath him ! ' and so on . Still , he saved my life , so I suppose I ought to devote it to him , and leave after consequences lo take care of themselves . " " If you look at him in that light , the
fisherman ' s son is the person you should marry ; he discovered and took you off the ledge . " " It was Mr . Forbes Avho insisted on the search ; so it must be to him my life is due . " "As you like , " said Miss Morton , smil-
Muriel Halsif.
ing at the absurdity of the conversation . "If he asks me again , I Avill say 'Yes ;' but then he can't if he is in America . " " He can return , I suppose . " " Oh , of course ; but ah , Christie Avill be home before that , and I shall be with her at Welhvood . There nobody will knoAv that I was a governess . " "Nobody and everybody are the
bugbears of your existence , Muriel . Do you knoAv that I am not inclined to think very highly of your love for your father or Christie , " " Dear Miss Morton , Avhy not ?" " If I Avere Colonel Halsie ' s daughter , or
Christie's sister , I should think myself the equal of any man that might ask me to marry him . " Another ray of light for Muriel ! For a long time she sat gazing thoughtfully out of the AvindoAV ; then she turned to Miss
Morton" You have opened my eyes at last , " she said , Avith a bright flush . " I begin to see the difference between false pride and true . What a foolish girl you must think me !"
"You are not foolish , but the line ot conduct you have chosen to folloAv is a false one . And now , Muriel , I want to ask you one question before Ave close our chat—Do you love Eric Eorbes ?"
" If I did not , I should not have acted as I have , " she ansAvered , Avith a rosy flush . " My pride was as much on his account as my OAvn—perhaps more . "
" Then , if he asked you again , you would give him a different ansAver ? " " He Avill not , dear Miss Morton . You forget that men have more pride than Avomen . "
" There is not a gram of false pride about him . He is true as steel . " " Do you think that he can forgive me ?" asked Muriel , shyly , the crimson of hope , which the darkness hid , mounting to cheek and brow .
" He Avill neA * er acknoAvledge your need of forgiveness , " answered her friend , closing the Avindow as she spoke . "NOAV , child , we will ring for lights and have supper . "
It was summer-time again . Captain Ferroll and his Avife had been six months in England , and Avere comfortabl y established at Welhvood , Avhere Muriel , too , found a happy home . From Miss Morton