The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-11-14
ty fair-haired little Lucy M'Kelway, who
listens to him inientlY. but Qiyes no

ty fair-haired little Lucy M'Kelway,whc
listens to him intently, but gives no
sign. s0 5IEle
up, q, r." goes on Tom, while Stella
stands by, listening too. tNot hit it
YETI Here goes for another try, then
s, t, w. v What?" says Tom, sudden
ly, as Lucy gives little nod, with her
laughing eyes fixed upon Stella's face.
w is the first letter, is itp Do you make
any thing of that Stella?'
No, Stella can make nothing of it,
though look of amazement has flashed
into her beautiful eyes, and slight flush
creeps up over her fair face.
"V-v," muses. Tom. +" Can't think
of any V except-but that's absurd, OF
course. Must have q try for the other
name, then; on the same terms, OF
course, Now for it.; listen sharp, Luz
cy: a, b, c"-the catalogue goes on UNI,
til at Lucy gives sharp and decisive
nod.
"V. r." quotes Tom, in some sur
prise. I" Victoria Regsa, is it?-or, by
George! Reginald Vane. Well, of all
people on earth! Who'd thunk it?
And here I've been suspecting- but ney-
q mind that now' 34i.t
That Reginald Vane is the name, Lu-
cy's brisk and emphatic series of mods
leaves no doubt. Much bullying and Ca
joling have been necessary before she
would consent to impart even this clew
to the authorship of the letter, but the
mystery once solved, she is not slow to
reveal all that she knows. : GsttsB g.
81 was sitting here yesterday" she
says. There was nothing in the box
then, know that. Presently comes in
Mr.. Vane, buys some stamps, and, after
he had gone out, I find two letters in
the box-one to Mr.. Lenox, the other
this. No, nobody else was in here while
he was, and he must have mailed them
both. noticed them because the writ
ings didn't look bit alike, and won
dered if he directed them both. That's
all know about it. MIR. Vane mailed
that letter, but hope you won't let on
l told you," says Lucy, anxiously.
Stella and Tom quickly re-assure her,
and hasten from the office.
Wen?" CALCULATES Tom, as they
reach the ROAD long-drawn, wonder
ing "well?" which calls for an answer
as plainly as the longest question that
ever was asked.
"Do be quiet, Tom, and let me think, -
says Stella.
Her voice is curiously shaken, and
Tom steals aside glance at her, noting
the pallor Of her cheek, the pucker Of
pain and bewilderment on her fair brow,
the misty, dazed look of her eyes, and
chokes down his feelings out Of regard
for her. -
cit must be so," she thinks, as one
by one she goes over the circumstances.
ga firt of the worst kind would
swallow any amount of flattery, no mat
ter how coarse or how palpably false. |,
Yes, he said it all there is no doubt
about it. And now he has set trap
for me to walk into, disgrace myself,
and prove his words true. It is only
too plain-but oh, Reginald Vane! Reg
inald Vane! who would have believed it
of you?''
No time to stop and explain to Aggie.
She leaves that to Tom, who marveIs at
Aggie's look of anxiety changing sud-
denly to intense relief as she hears the
tale. k#
AS for Stella, she flies. up stairs,
seizes the obnoxious letter, and thrusts
it into an envelope, which, with a trem-
bling hand, she directs to Mr.. Reginald
Vanc. u
And you have nothing to say to me,
Stella?n
"'Would swallow any amount of fiat
terry, no matter how coarse Or how
false''' The sentence has
been sounding over and over in the girls
brain as she has listened to Reginald
Vane's tender, earnest words.
"'No matter how palpably false,'''
she says, half aloud, and Reginald Vane
starts and looks at her, striving in vain
to construe the whispered words into the
tender ;ivowal he longs to hear.
Stella sees the motion, and braces
herself up to reply. /" No, Mr.. Vane, |
have nothing to say to you,'' she says,
coldly. You have quite mistaken me
when you thought that l should fall in
to so silly trap. vain and 'a flirt'
may be-must needs be, since you say
so-but, not being quite an idiot, l must
decline to listen to you further.''
Good heavens, Stella! what do YOU
mean, childP" cries Reginald Vane, in a
surprise and perplexity so well feigned
that they have nearly imposed upon
Stella herself. II call you vain and a
hlrt? 4? Who could have told you
such absurdities?n
" There is no usein bandying words"
says Stella, calmly. Neither is it
worth while to protract this converse
lion. l will bid you good-afternoon,
Mr. Reginald Vane. TO.morroxu MORN