The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-07-04


and Mrs. Wharton came hurriedly in to-
ward him.
Her eyes sought the floor irst, then were
lifted to his hand. With low cry she
snatched the portmonnaie from him, and
was hurrying away again, but he caught
her hand and held it with grasp there was
no escaping.
With her face from him, she murmured
some confused apology for her abruptness,
but he, still holding her hand in that firm
unyielding pressure, led her across the
room to the tall pier-glass, and, without
speaking, pointed to the vision its depths
revealed.
| A vision, indeed?
After leaving him the housekeeper had
gone to her chamber and removed the
neckerchief she usually wore, and united
the strings of her cap before she missed
the portmonnaie, and came running back
frantic with haste.
The cap had fallen back in her hurry,
the absence of the mufling neckerchief
exposed round and snow-white neck, over
which flowed long, dark ringlets escaping
from the united cap.
The housekeeper looked and began to
tremble. The very earth seemed to shake
under her, and tears swelling under her
white eyelids rolled slowly down her
cheeks.
Chester Vale seemed as agitated as she.
His breath came short and quick, and his
eyes shone luminously.
He dropped her hand when he saw she
was trembling, but she did not go at once.
Turning.partly toward him, without lift
ing her eyes, she said:
81 have nothing to say in self.justiflca.
tion. was going away before Mr.. Mas
terton should arrive. do not ask you to
pardon the seeming unwomanliness of what
I have done, but am not entirely SO cul-
pable as you may perhaps think. Don't
blame me too severely"
"How do you know that blame you at
all?" he asked.
"You cannot help it. saw what rash
and unmaidenly step had taken very soon
after my arrival here but trusted to the
impenetrability ofmy disguise, and wish
ed to stay. The excitement and novelty of
my position fascinated me, and so I kept
putting off going away. Butt should have
gone in the morning, sir, and you would
never have known"
"That had been entertaining an angel
unawares," he said, abruptly. "Well, as
you say, you have taken very rash and
unmaidenly step. You have wronged
yourself in coming here as you have but
you will have wronged me more if you go
away now."
"You, sir?" lifting her lustrious eyes
an instant and dropping them before the
glance of his.
"Me, because you deprive me of house,
keeper whose equal shall never find again.
How do you expect to compensate me for
such loss?''
She looked puzzled, his manner was SO
serious and earnest.
"Is there any way, sir?" she asked,
smiling.
"One."
He extended his arms, saying, "Make it
unnecessary for me to procure another
housekeeper by remaining as my wife,"
She understood him suddsR% and eluded
his clasp, while the rich color mantled her
beautiful face. 1t was Syra herself who
stood poised an instant on the threshold
with bashful, backward glances, and then
fled away to her room.
Wban lionel Masterton came the next
day, and asked almost as soon as he was in
the house to see Mrs. Wharton, Chester
Vale went out of the room and came back
with Syra.
"You p Lionel said, receding step,
and growing pale with sudden anger.
"Speak to him." pleaded Syra OF Mr..
Chester. "Don't let him be so angry with
me-"
"Don't blame her too much Masterton,"
Mr.. Chester said approaching him. "She
would never have consented to be your
wife, and she will not now consent to be
mine without your approval. You won't
refuse us that, old friend ?"
He certainly would have refused if he
had seen any prospect of winning her him
self. But he did not. 1t was sufficiently
evident that she loved Mr.. Chester, and she
had given such evidence of flrmness already
that he clearly saw that he must consent,
and did SO with as good grace as he could.
He never quite forgave Syra, however,
for disappointing his pet scheme with re-
card to har fill he had haan marriad him.