The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-04-30

cousin. Perhaps she was rather glad of
their close friendship, for the handsome
Cleve made much more delightful
attendant. Thus the party fell quite
naturally into couples, and the two
weeks that the gentlemen had first fixed
as the limit of their stay heightened into
two months.
1t was noticeable that as the ladies be-
came more confidential with their lovers,
they had less to say to each other; and
it began at last to be quite evident to the
real widow that the play must end for
the present, or the denouement would
come prematurely. Circumstancesfa favor
ed her determination. One night Glenn
entine, with a radiant face, came into
her friends room, and said, Fan, L
have something to tell you. Cleve has
asked me to marry him"
Now, Clement, you have told him
all +; / know you have"
"Not word, Fan. He still believes
me the widow Clare"
Did you accept him pn
"Conditionally. / am to give him
final answer when we go to the city in
October. You are going to New York
this winter, are you notp"
Yes. Our little play progresses fine
ly. John Seden asked me to be his
wife tonight"
Ct told you men think and act in
pairs"
"John is noble fellow / pretended
to think his cousin had ill-used him,
and he defended him until was asham-
ed of myself; he absolutely said Clement,
that you were sufficient excuse for Mr..
Clare's WILL Then he blamed his own
past idleness so much, and promised if 1
would only try and endure the slings
and arrows of your outrageous temper,
Clement, for two years longer, he would
have made home for me in which 1
could be happy. Yes, Clement, should
marry John Selden If we had not five
dollar bill between u.s."
" wish Cleve had been little more
explicit about his money affairs. How
ever, there is time enough yet. When
they leave tomorrow, what shall we
do ?"
eve will remain here another month !;
Levine will have the house ready for me
by that time. have written to him
about refurnishing the parlors.''
So next day the lovers parted, with
many promises of constant letters and
future happy days together. The inter-
val was long and dull enough but it
passed, and one morning both gentle
men received notes of invitation to a
small dinner party at the widow Clare's
mansion in --- Street. There was q
good deal of dressing for this party.
Cleve wished to make his entrance into
his future home as became the prospec-
| tive master of million and half of
money, and John was desirous of not
suffering in Clements eyes by any COM
parison with the other gentlemen who
would probably be there.
Scarcely had they entered the draw
ing-room when the ladies appeared, the
true widow Glare no longer in the un-
assuming toilet she had hitherto worn,
but magnificent in white crepe lisse and
satin, her arms and throat and pretty
head flashing with sapphires and dia-
monds. Her companion had assumed
now the role of simplicity, and Cleve
was disappointed with the first glance
at her plain white Chambry gauze
dress.
John had seen nothing but the bright
face of the girl he loved and the love-
light in her eyes. Before she could speak
he had taken both her hands and whis-
pered, dearest and best and loveliest
Clement"
Her smile answered him first. Then
she said: Pardon me, Mr.. Selden, but
we have been in masquerade all summer,
and now we must unmask before real
life begins. My name is not Clementine
Marat, but Fanny Glare. Cousin John,
hope you are not disappointed. Then
she put her hand into Johns and they
wandered off into the conservatory to
finish their explanation.
Mr.. Cleve Sullivan found himself at
that moment in the most trying circum-
stance of his life. The real CIementine
Marat stood looking down at flower on
the carpet, and evidently expecting him
to resume the tender attitude he had
been accustomed to bear toward her.
He was man of quick decisions where
his own interests were concerned and