Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-10-09

deep eyes lightened with an expression
very foreign to them, and sank as sud
denly and heavily as if their lashes had
been lead a faint shiver ran through
her shoulders, as though a cold wind
had blown on her; she looked almost
like one who struggles to repress a sud
den terror. 1t was a minute. perhaps,
during which neither responded to the
introduction, and then Philip Abinger
stepped forward and took her hand, NUT
tering some commonplace words Nei-
ther of them understood the phrase, nor
cared to. and he turned away with a
strange air of troubled constraint. Poor
oecile's face discovered her disappoint-
ment. 1t was hard to think that these
two should dislike each other, even from
the very first. as 1t was too plainly evi-
dent they did-these two, upon whose
affection for each other she had built so
many cloud castles that must now fall,
like the rest of them.
But before long Philips Sapoir- taire
and Cecile's pretty attempts to entertain
him warmed the frosty air into one of
pleasant freedom. Madeleine joined in
the talk after while, which soon be-
came animated enough, yet with still an
Undesirable shadow in the midst of all
the cause71e
When he had gone away, Cecile curl
ed herself on the floor at her sisters
feet, with her warm, bright hair shining
down her shoulders.
''He is not, is he, quite what you fan
cied he would be. Madeleine dear ?''
half whispering the tender words.
"What l fancied ?" said Madeleine,
with odd impatience. "But what has
that to do with it ? He is not my fairy
prince, Cecile.' But she added with
a quick change of expression that cover
ed the former one. ''Shll he will do very
well for one, considering the days he
lives in. l like him-yes, Cecile."
"But you are disappointed, Made
leine p said Cecile, raising her eyes
doubtfully.
cam l ?" Madeleine held her head
on one side in characteristic fashion,
looking fxedly at the Goals dying in the
crate. mo, Cecile, 1 do not think l
am. You certainly would not have me
value him quite so highly as you do ?''
Two great tears had gathered slowly
in Ceeile's violet eyes aud ruled uunU-
ticed down her cheeks while her sister
was speaking. She made no answer. fol
her voice was untrustworthv.
Madeleine rose and went to the dress.
ing glass, beginning to take down anG
braid her hair. She looked into the MIR
rOr at the pale. handsome face before
her. with uneasy shadowed eyes beneath
the contracted brows. What her tho't,
were it would be hard to guess, but the
surely we're not pleasant. A long-re
pressed sigh stifed painfully on the lips
caught her ear presently, and with ;
sudden horror Of herself she turned from
the glass and walked impulsively to he
sister. She leaned over, with both hand
on her shoulders. hating herself for tn
shIver of repulsion that accompanied th
act, and kissed her tenderly twice o.
her forehead.
, Philip Abinger wondered at himsel
no more as he walked down in front G
: the block of boarding-houses. 1t wa
t the path that his feet were most accus
' toned to tread nowadays. and he seldoI
, came hlther without some rare toke
5 from the upper world. some fruit or flow
!. er which had hitherto been but a nam
s to these dwellers in the barren shadow
5 of poverty.
Yet Cecile was not quite happy. Ther
e was no open enmity between Philip an
f Madeleine. but far less the quiet agre'
; ment and affection she had once hope
i for. There was an avoidance, restless
# ness in their eyes. and often an una
n countable bitterness in their words. u
e Philip, she knew, came sometimes whe
d he was aware that her duties took b,
Ie from home. So she still. vaguely al
y without much reason, promised herse
D. the time would come when they wou
d forget their strange antipathy.
le A less trusting heart than that Of c
ID cile might have suspected there was a
lg other reason than that of dislike toWa
ir Philip to account for Madeleine's unqr
D. ct manner and evident unhappiness VIII
I'd her sisters lover was near but TO c
be cile the explanation came with the for
be of calamity whose approach could ne
Id er have been imagined.
Id One lovely afternoon in Spring. VII
IS. the earth was fragrant with the brea
Id of the budding flowers. the illness Of
IS. pupil gave the little teacher an unexp'
f-ff-- -. -. - II
than usual she turned her steps tows
re the old boarding house. As she turn
he the corner nearest home. she saw Ma
ne leine and Philip walking slowly DO
Ire the other side Of the street Phil
lie head was bent down. perhaps no clo
ee than the need Of talk required in
tty midst Of the roar Of the city stree