The Morning herald., 1878-06-12

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greet her SO warmty2 These question: re-
peated themselves in the maiden's mind
until he sighed with weariness and
wonder; but she dared not ask him to ex-
plairG >
The drive home was dull, neither speak
ing a half-dozen words.
"Give US your hand, my boy," said John
Stacey, ere Arthur had time to alight.
'Im glad to see you; it seems like going
back twenty-five years to look at you, for
father sticks out at every point!"
$50 Ruth came home with him, " thought
Ella, as she peeped out at the parlor win
dow. 'Tm glad of it, though, for he'll
notice the contrast all the more. am
handsome, and it isn't vanity if I do know
it."
| A few minutes later Arthur was intro
duced to the pet, and she greeted him
] with a charming shyness and veiled her
eyes and blushed in the most captivating
manner. If artfulness, it was NATURAL she
had never had any drawing from practice.
The young man gazed upon her with ad-
miratiou; she felt his glance, and the color
deepened in her cheeks until she was ten
times more beautiful than ever.
Perhaps at that moment poor Ruth did
regret her plainness, if never before, but
she drove the thought from her mind, and,
excusing herself, went to help her mother
get supper While she worked she could
hear Elias joyous laugh mingling with the
deep bass tones of their guest, and she
wondered if he had fallen in love with her
beautiful sister already.
"Why, Ruth, what on earth ails you ?"
said Mrs. Stacey, in astonishment. "Here,
you've put two napkins on Arthur's
plate2" a.
Ruth reddened to her temples, but made
no answer. A pair of brown eyes was
haunting her, and she was sure that she
had seen them before this day, but when
or where she could not tell.
AT length tea was ready, and Mr.. Harris
sat beside Ella, who was In her happiest
mood, and used her silvely voice and shin
ing eyes with apparently good effect, for
the young man laughed often at her witt
cisms and praised her delicately. Ruth
said but little, but took good care that the
guest was supplied with all the tempting
viands. 'r-,
''This preserve is delicious" said Mr..
Harris, bowling toward the hostess. "Father
has often spoken of your skill in prepar
ing these delicacies, Mrs. Stacey"
"Ruth made these; had nothing to do
with them," replied the mother, with par
donable fondness.
Arthur glanced quickly toward Ruth,
and something in those liquid eyes of his
sent the blood to her cheeks, and the fact
mortified her so that she came near crying
then and there.
''How silly you are to redden up every
time Arthur looks at you !" said Ella, when
they retired to their chamber. "You don't
fancy that he is already in love with you,
do you ?"
Ruth did cry then; she could not help it
| for worlds.-the covert allusion to her plain
ness cut her to the heart. For moment
Ella stood looking at her in mingled Won
der and vexation; then her better nature
came to the surface, and throwing her arms
around her neck, she kissed Ruth's
tear-stained face, and begged forgive
| ness.
'It's all right, Ella, only you must re-
member that have feeling, and that 1 am
not to blame for being so ugly" and then
the salt drops flowed again in streams. II
won't stay moment where he is, dear;
you shall have him all to yourself, for I
know you want him." said Ruth, as she
kissed her sister goodnight.
Days passed, and Ruth kept her word
religiously, and Ella, with enthusiastic
selfishness, called her "the best and dearest
girl in the world"
AT times it seemed to John Stacey that
| Arthur was restless and i'll at ease; but OF
course he could not ask him if such was the
case and the young man, for reasons of the
same order, could not divulge the cause.
Every day they went somewhere--he and
Ella-and he was obliged to play the cava-
lier, whether he liked it or not, and Ella
fancied that his attentions of mere courtesy
were infallible signs of love. At last Ar
thur invaded the precincts of the kitchen,
and determined to see Ruth and hear her