Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-09-06

without some difficulty that 81
could be coaxed away.
"The little darling" said Eff,
half aloud, as she strained her eye
through the darkness of the winte
night, to see the last of her tin
fellow pilgrim. 81 should like
keep her always in my arms"
"The more goose you," said Ma
bel, impatiently. "I'm so glad thos
people have all got out !; we shaI
have room enough to breathe il
now"
The clear, radiant brightness O
the December morning was glitter
ing over the snow-pearled land
scape as the stage whirled up t.
the door of Green Court, a substan
tial old brick mansion, where
merry party of visitors were as
sembled to make the holiday pas:
as blithely as might be.
Alice Green,a pretty youg blonde.
ran out to welcome them.
81 thought you never were CON-
ing," she cried, smothering them
with hospitable kisses. "The fire
is blazing royalty in your bedroom
You'll just have time to get of
yonr things and get rested by lunch
time. I'm so sorry we have break
fast, but you shall have coffee and
omelets in your own room,'
Mabel was not sorry at all, for
she rather preferred to rest and re-
cruit a little before meeting the
other guests.
"ls Mr.. st. Adams here ?" she
asked, as Alice helped to remove
her wrappings in the cheerful apart
ment which was to be that of the
sisters.
"Oh, yes, but he only arrived this
morning. He, as well as yourselves,
was detained on the journey"
Mable and Effie both looked very
pretty when they came down to
luncheon, some four or five hours
afterwards-the former in pale
blue cashmere, with blue ribbons
at her throat, which gave her hair
and skin even more than their
natural brightness, and Effie, in a
Iniet like little black silk, with the
'ld-fashioned garnet ornaments
which had belonged to their dead
mother.
The room was quite full when
hey entered it, but foremost in the
'roup around the Fireplace Mabel's
triumphant eyes recognized Mr.. st.
llbans, tall, stately, and 1ore,,c che
alier-looking as ever. tEo
But before she could speak, a lit
e child, with outstretched arms, ,
Effie as she answered / |
,me remark of Miss Green's in
le doorway.
"Efie, Effie," it cried.
And to her surprise, Effie found :
,rself confronted with her little n
'quaintance of the night before. Fl
"My little Minnie has an excel o
mt memory for her friends" said i
r. st. Albans, approaching with $
smile. "May / venture to thank {,
u, Miss Arran, for the kindness fl
u showed her last night?" q
Efie blushed scarlet with embar- =. y
=,
"Was she your child, Mr.. st. Al d
nsw in
He nodded smilingly. al
sour carriage broke down at :. -
owes Glen, and we were obliged d,
take the night stage to T, A
ere / had telegraphed for anoth- W
equippage to meet us. l had II
idea that / was to be favored =.
th your company, until your sis b,
with a cold bow to Mabel w
2jected so decidedly to my poor m
le Minnie's lamentations. For su
e me, if, after that, l kept silent p 2
to my identity" q,
Mabel bit her lips, but she was ID,
self-possessed to betray any dis Sc
nfiture. VI
i was very tired" she said, "and ~; mi
are say | was very cross. OF of
rise il / had known who she GI
-" tn
md with smile she took Hu- be
{ Green's arm to go to the lunch ~; ~;
le. sb
! smile--when she could almost VIC
g wept, to think how utterly an
had defeated her own purpose. TIC