The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-08-20

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unlike baby's as possible. Indeed, so
far from resembling a baby, Alice Mar
lay, blonde and petite as she was, had
much the look of graceful, high-bred,
high-spirited boy. The jaunty, boyish
look made her all the more beautiful, all
the more admired. Oh, yes! Just so.
When pretty girl of eighteen looks
boyish, that's all very fine; when a
middle-aged woman looks manish that's
something very different.
But wander from my strangely-twis-
ted story. do not wish to do that.
This beautiful, proud Alice Marlay,
daughter of the bank president, was be-
trothed to the defaulting cashier. On
the morning her betrothed was sent to
punishment, gentleman called to see
Alice Marlay. He was a tall, slender
man, young to be sure, but with sharp,
cold face which wore a family sneering
expression, as though the man doubted
whether there was anything good, or
true, or kindly in this life. 1t was a
painful look for a young man to wear
He was handsome man, too, only for
the mocking, cynical look. The man
was Birney Graham, second assistant at
the Thirty-frst National Bank, the per-
son who had pitilessly pursued the er-
ring cashier till he was convicted and
sentenced. AS Birney Graham sat there
now, leaning his cheek against his
hand, gazing steadily out the window,
he seemed man who would have
hunted his own brother to death, so
cold, SO merciless he looked. Surely
this man had bitter experience of no
common sort. The family sneering ex-
preston deepened in his face,as heheard
light footsteps approaching. Was the
coldness of his face the coldness of q
lava-bed, died out upon the surface, but
smoulderiug with volcanic fires be-
meath There are two kinds of cold
faces, you know. Birney Graham
bowed profoundly as Alice Marlay en-
tered the room. She did not return the
bow. She laid one delicate hand upon
the back of chair, and stood looking at
him with naughty, angry face. Each
faced the other steadily, with glittering
eye, and there was that in the look of
each which said:
" 1 stand here, your enemy till 1
die"
Neither said it in so many words,
though. The girl at length spoke first,
and she said this ...,...
" What have you came here for ?"
" To see you Miss, Alice, what else 2"
" If had known you were here
wouldn't have come in," she said.
Z" I think you would, Miss Marlay,"
he answered, calmly.
She shrugged her shoulders impatient
ly, but did not reply. What he said was
true. Birney Graham seemed to have a
strange, strong power even over people
who didn't like him. The sneer deepened
in his face again, and he bowed mock
ingly. slf s,o pi
came here to receive your express
sion of gratitude, Miss Alice, solely. BY
my own efforts alone, have been en-
abled to send dangerous character to a
just punishment, and at the same time
save your fathers bank no end of loss.
am sure you must be boundlessly CRATE
full to me. To hear you say it with your
hps-this IS why / am here, Miss Alice,
exactly"
He was curiously like flint, cold and
hard as adamant of itself, but with the
power of striking fire into the heart of
other materials. Alice Maylay flushed,
and then paled again with anger.
" did not care much after came to
know him, for him you have hunted
down." she said, in low, husky voice,
Z" although he was angel compared to
you. / knew of what he had done be-
fore you made it public, and never
would have married him. He was but
a poor weak creature, blown about by
every impulse. The man marry must
be strong man. If you thought to
wound me deeply there, you have fail
ed, thank God But late you, Birney
Graham, as L never thought could
hate any human being. All the world
know l was betrothed to that man.
This one pities me, that one laughs at
me, another one says II is good enough
for me, because thought myself above
my betters. My name is on the tongue
of every gossip, and in the newspapers.
Oh could murder WON'T
She covered her face and burst into