Kate Danton | Page 4

Lord Reeves."
"Then mine is indeed a forlorn hope! What chance has an aspiring
young doctor against the son of a lord."
"You would have no chance in any case," said Grace, with sudden
seriousness. "I once asked her father which his eldest daughter most
resembled, Rose or Eeny. 'Like neither,' was his reply. 'My daughter
Kate is beautiful, and stately, and proud as a queen.' I shall never forget
his own proud smile as he said it."
"You infer that Miss Danton, if free, would be too proud to mate with a
mere plebeian professional man."
"Yes."
"Then resignation is all that remains. Is it improper to smoke in this
sacred chamber, Grace? I must have something to console me. Quite a
grand alliance for Danton's daughter, is it not?"
"They do not seem to think so. I heard her father say he would not
consider a prince of the blood-royal too good for his peerless Kate."
"The duse he wouldn't! What an uplifted old fellow he must be!"
"Captain Danton is not old. His age is about forty-five, and he does not
look forty."
"Then I'll tell you what to do, Grace--marry him!"
"Frank, don't be absurd! Do you know you will have everything in this
room smelling of tobacco for a week. I can't permit it, sir."

"Well, I'll be off," said her brother, looking at his watch, "I promised to
return in half an hour for supper."
"Promised whom?"
"M. le Curé. Oh, you don't know I am stopping at the presbytery. I
happened to meet the curate, Father Francis, in Montreal--we were
school-boys together--and he was about the wildest, most mischievous
fellow I ever met. We were immense friends--a fellow-feeling, you
know, makes us wondrous kind. Judge of my amazement on meeting
him on Notre Dame street, in soutane and broad-brimmed hat, and
finding he had taken to Mother Church. You might have knocked me
down with a feather, I assure you. Mutual confidences followed; and
when he learned I was coming to St. Croix, he told me that I must pitch
my tent with him. Capital quarters it is, too; and M. le Curé is the soul
of hospitality. Will you give me a glass of wine after that long speech,
and to fortify me for my homeward route?"
Grace rang and ordered wine. Doctor Danton drank his glass standing,
and then drew on his gloves.
"Have you to walk?" asked his sister. "I will order the buggy for you."
"By no means. I rode up here on the Curé's nag, and came at the rate of
a funeral. The old beast seemed to enjoy himself, and to rather like
getting soaked through, and I have no doubt will return as he came.
And now I must go; it would never do to be found here by these grand
people--Captain and Miss Danton."
His wet overcoat hung on a chair; he put it on while walking to the
door, with Grace by his side.
"When shall I see you again, Frank?"
"To-morrow. I want to have a look at our English beauty. By Jove! it
knows how to rain in Canada."
The cold November blast swept in as Grace opened the front door, and

the rain fell in a downpour. In the black darkness Grace could just
discern a white horse fastened to a tree.
"That is ominous, Grace," said her brother. "Captain Danton and his
daughter come heralded by wind and tempest. Take care it is not
prophetic of domestic squalls."
He ran down the steps, but was back again directly.
"Who was that pale, blue-eyed fairy I met when I entered?"
"Eveleen Danton."
"Give her my best regards--Doctor Frank's. She will be rather pretty, I
think; and if Miss Kate snubs me, perhaps I shall fall back on Miss
Eveleen. It seems to me I should like to get into so great a family. Once
more, bon soir, sister mine, and pleasant dreams."
He was gone this time for good. His sister stood in the doorway, and
watched the white horse and its tall, dark rider vanish under the tossing
trees.
CHAPTER II.
KATE DANTON.
Grace went slowly back to the parlour and stood looking thoughtfully
into the fire. It was pleasant in that pleasant parlour, bright with the
illumination of lamp and fire--doubly pleasant in contrast with the
tumult of wind and rain without. Very pleasant to Grace, and she
sighed wearily as she looked up from the ruby coals to the radiant face
smiling down from over the mantel.
"You will be mistress to-morrow," she thought; "the place I have held
for the last four years is yours from to-night. Beautiful as a queen.
What will your reign be like, I wonder?"
She drew up the arm-chair her brother had vacated and