The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-12-29

| rooms to wait and rest, as she supposed
an hour. You know how the rooms ar,
sltuated-the front warehouse, ant
the next for the trial of specimen
pianos. Alice went in and seated her
self by the register at the further end o
the first room, close by the half opel
door communicating with the second
Sitting there, she heard Aler's voice II
conversation with another voice-t
young lady's. The conversation, inter
spersed with music, goes on perhaps
half an hour, and then Alec comes ou
with her, and Alice sees that 1t is the
youngest Miss Howard"
"By Jove!'
"Yes, you perceive at once how II
looked to Alice with her misunderstood
ing of the hour, and the little previous
feeling she had had about these How
ards. You know it was reported once
that Alec wanted to marry this very
Miss Howard"
"Yes, l see-I see; il looked as Il
Warde had been playing a side game
playing fast and loose, indeed. Well
and Ally is jealous, of course, and
there's row."
mo, not exactly jea lous. She was
deeply offended. From her point of
view she had been deceived and insult
ed by this kind of thing. And then
she took the notion that he had all along
loved this Miss Howard, and that If for
no other reason, upon such discovery
she could not and would not hold him."
"And Warde ?"
II think Alec, perhaps, was little
impatient with her. You see, 1t Wds
gultless. He told me that at the time
he felt as if she believed him capable Of
any villainy in the world. To be SO
distrusted, he said, was horrible"
"But he loves her YETI
eyes, oh! yes, and 1 think he would
forgive her foolish suspicion now, If she
could only be made see what a terrible
mistake she has made, and ould send
for him. But ALA is very willful. She
has such persistent nature.'
"But Alec won't do that. lie will
never seek her again, while he feels that
his truth or his honor is doubted"
81 don't believe she does doubt him
now. How can she and Carry Howard
going on as usual, you know-disengag.
ed-and Warde as grim as gh ost, and
shut up from morning till night in that
counting-room, or in that old woo'en
ware house, and never looking at 6
woman, he's 50 sulky about Miss Ally's
throwing him over"
"Well, / wish" but what she wish
ed, this kind, anxious Eleanor, Frank
Godfrey never heard, for just then tho
do9i pushed open, and in came pretty
Ally Roberts herself. She deserves the
adjective; for certainly there was nevel
anything prctier than that straight
slight figure, that proud, spirited face
brunette in colorlng, and lit up by (
pair of splendid hazel eyes. there was
brilliant blaze of crimson in her ceeeks
just now, from her rapid walk in tn,
frosty air, 20 that she was rather love
lier than usual, Frank thought.
"What were you two talking about
/ wonder, when | came in? You look
ed caught bust as Jimmy does wher
he's been at the jam" And with thi,
puick, mischicvou5 question, Alice
glanced from one to other, like little
inquisitive bird.
For answer, Eleanor handed her Aun'
Polly's letter.
The splened hazel eyes diatcd it
surprise as they mastered the contents
"Well never !" And then Miss Alice
stopped in utter amaze, as ii 10 word,
were adequate TO express her astoniah
mont.
"Wcll, Alice, what clsN can you
say ?"
SAY know what youW say, Elen
nor. | know what you feel"
"But you, Ally"
The crimson had died out of the girl
cheek, as she had become accustomed
to the in door temperature, but it blaz
ed up row in a great wave Of color a
she ead-"Yes; | say, yes. Let us g
there and be friends. Estrangement
and buarrels are dreadful things,
Think And then, quite suddenly, shC
rose up, and with some trivial excuse
left the rOmn.
Frank Godfrey looked at at Eleano
signitierntly, with AN "l.told.you-so'
expression; and Il few minutes after
when be took his leave, he said, in
low and confidential toue-"I cal
manage it,