The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-11-14

and quite their own mistresses.
All through the evening that followed,
my perceptive faculties were upon the
strain, without arriving at any conclusion.
Just as was taking leave, Isla came in
She was full of vivacity, giving one the i'm
preston of never being serious long enough
to have sober thought. She took me to
task saucily for my reduced bodily state,
and rallied me soundly upon being so bad
horseman after hearing the mishap that
had befalen me.
"But who are are those heroes, who
cared for you, and what are their names ?"
asked she.
"What's in q name? But theirs are
Hartz and Delamerc. Hartz came to Dale
port with me. By your leave l shall bring
him to Hawthorn Villa tomorrow.
Edith had grown deathly pale, but Isla
answered eagerly:
Yes, bring him by all means. For to
Mr.. Hartz, as one of the preservers of my
uncle, must always feel grateful.
So the merry girl ratified on, and when l
was leaving warned me not to forget to
bring Hartz on the morrow.
/ had never mentioned my nieces by
name to him, but tried the sound of Edith
Cathard on my friend that night, and was
surprised by the sudden grip given to my
hand
edith Cathard, your niece And here
in Daleport Have the goodness to get
sick again, and III keep you in bed three
months instead of weeks, to prove my graf
itude by dilligent nursing"
"Perhaps you'll begin by bathing my
hand in arnica." / said, taking bottle
from my valise. 1 believe your grip has
dislocated some of its joints"
Hartz laughed, but looked rather red in
the face, as he left for his room.
saw no more of Hartz that night, but
the next day he accompanied me to Haw-
thorne Villa. My nieces were walking to-
gether under the naples that shaded the
avenue. Just as we came in sight, Isla
espied bright-winged butterfly a strag-
gler left from the summer hordes, and ran
off in pursuit. She had not seen us, nor
had Edith, but the latter discovered us a
moment afterward, and stopped like one
paralyzed. Hartz, on the instant, left me
without ceremony and bounded toward the
spot where she stood.
"Found at last, my Edith" heard him
say triumphant ring i'll his voice but his
next words were spoken with less assu-
rance. {" Miss Cathard, fear this meeting
affords you less pleasure than it does me-"
"My uncle's friends are always welcom-
ed here with pleasure, 4" returned Edith, in
the quiet tones that had impressed me the
previous night tones SO subdued and sub
DUNG, that believe they would have re-
strained wild Ojibwah, with the war
whoop at his tongues end.
Hartz Immediately fell into the utterance
of commonplace, remarks at which, on com
ing up with them, assisted But Isla soon
ruflled the surface of our conventionalsms.
She had caught her butterfly, and return
! presented her to Hartz, who walked on
beside her, while followed with Edith,
whom an utter WEAKNESS seemed to have
overcome. Her motion was SO languid, in
fered the support Of my arm.
1t is not needed, thank you. | am
quite well, she answered. exerting herself
to walk more briskly. "Are you and your
friend going to stay long in Daleport?"
"Some weeks, perhaps"
A gasping sigh escaped her showing
that my answer had added to her secret un-
easiness. began to feel heartily concern
ed. RecoIlections Of my bright, gay sister
Miriam, the mother Of these early-orphan-
ed girls, came crowding into my mind, and
impressed me strongly with sense of du-
ty unperformed toward her children. /
determined now to gain their confidence, if
possible, and so retrieve, as well as ! could,
my previous neglect. Busy with such
thoughts, / walked on in silence, Edith
probably had ongrossing reflections Of her
owl and was as little inclined to converse
ton as myself But from ahead, the sound of
Isla's mellow mirthful voice came back to
us, with frequent intervals Of merry laugh
ter.
"she, at least, is happy" broke at length
from Edith's lips, spoken not to me, but in
utter forgetfulness of me.
"And you are not ?" / said.
~? o, yes" with quick accession of
color, which, however, faded rapidly.
~ feared that you were not"
Gha xvolfx0d on vat n vard or txvo than