The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-03-10
OUR WEEKLY STORY.
THE FALSE FRIEND;
OR,
The Old Maids's Secret.
(CoNCLUDED.)

"By deathl" asked the young listener,
softly.
"No-no-notby death" was the reply;
"worse r'
"But, dear Miss Mortimer said Helen,
"if not by death, it may not be quite
quite lost forever"
"Listen, and judge" was the reply, and
Miss Mortimer continued.
81 was late for dinner that day, having
arrived late. l entered the room when
the guests were even pairing off, and Ihad
no time to look at the partner brought up
to me by my sister, and on whose arm [
descended; To you, Helen, this gentleman
must be Colonel Gerard. Before dinner
was over | had resolved in my own mind
that this was one of the handsomest men |
had ever seen, and one of the most agree
able; and when, in the evening, my sister
asked me my opinion of him, | did not
deny chat | thought him so.
"'Don't say one of the most exclaimed
Marion, delighted, 'but say the most.
Colonel Gerard is one of thousand, and
the more you know of him, the more you
will see that in calling him distinguished
man, the world only does him justice. [
asked him here on purpose to meet you.
Hester, because he has often heard of you
from some friend of his. He came pre-
pared to like you, and | hope he is not
disappointed
81 hope so, too, though did not choose
to say so; but as the days passed | hoped
it still more, and fancied he was not. A
week, ten days, and at last the whole fort
night expired, and Colonel Gerard, being
in Parliament, went up to town, but not
before he said he hoped to see me soon
again, and asked permission to call on my
mother. This request did not surprise
me; it was regular fashion with all my
new acqnaiutances and partners; yet still |
seemed to feel that there was a difference
in the manner in which he asked it, and fol-
the first time in my life Twas not sorry to
exchange Villars Castle for London.
ell lctuned gladly, and remember that
tae first day at home seemed interminable
many visitor, but not the one expected
, until quite late-too late for rordiuary Wis
itors-a loud ring startled me, and Mis-
Gresham was announced. | was rather
startled aud ashamed of myself to feel how
D my heart sank as she entered. | had no
d. looked for her, nor even thought of her
aud | know she saw it in my reception
The eager anxiety and interest with whicl
she questioned me as to how had enjoyed
myself, and whom | had met, actually ap
peared to ne now rather in the light o
officious inquSitveness, and I did not an
swer with my usual candor, nor pour ou
my whole heart, as was wont to do-anC
she perceived it. al
"' You are hiding something from me
Hester,' said Edith, looking me through
and through, and | was about laughing
to declaim the accusation, when the doc
opened, and Colonel Gerard entered.
"Need | say was annoyed! Was it no
> natural! Had | not been counting thu
hours, and planning how | should behave
. how meet him in my own home-hoV
present him to my mother-and how w
should talk over our pleasant days at Vii
lars Castlel But the presence of Edit
Gresham frustrated all my little schemes
She even provokingly moved her seat. st
that she came and sat close to me, Wills
Colonel Gerard was on the other side o
the room, talking to my mother. Well
he stayed, and stayed, and thought perhaps
, that the young lady visitor would, no doubt
in common etiquette, depart before him
since she had been the first arrival. But
nc; Edith Gresham sat on, and Calonc
Gerard went away first | feltin fever
and | fear my pettish manner told ny
secret.
-"'So!" exclaimed my friend, as my mo
ther left us together, you have actuall,
made Colonel Gerard's acquaintance, anC
spent whole fortnight in his company
and never told men
7. "'What was there to telll' / asked.
d "'Very few girls would treat such Al
! honor so cavalierly,' she replied; and agail
d | felt annoyed, even at an accusation whicl
my heart totally denied, however silen
my lips might be.
"The next day Colonel Gerard was wit
y us again: he brought us a portfolio of hi
sketches in Spain, and he and we're hard
ly seated at the large round table in tn
drawing-room, preparing to enjoy them to
gether, when Edith Gresham entered.
"May carry off Hester to the oper
to-night! said she to my mother; and
admired and inwardly applauded the cain
and pleasant way in which the ready an
swer was given. 4ert
"Not tonight, thank you, Edith.
!. have managed to exist without her for
: fortnight, and cannot resign myself to los
her again so soon.' I .IH9Y
"'Iten [ shall give it up myself sal
my friend; for do not care for goin
: without her,
!, = "She sat down; she examined, with me
those sketches, and the first dinner-be
sounded while Colonel Gerard was still
deep in his explanations. .ssaiaillsg