The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-24
THE DAILY STAR
BERTlES FORTUNE.


picking currants, and Frank Desmond
lay upon the grass watching her.
"Bertie," he said presently, edo you
know that your lips are great deal pref
tier and redder than those currantsT
The girl colored furiously and COM
pressed her lips forcibly, but made no
answer.
''You might at least thank me for my
complimentary lady would do that"
"But l am not lady," cried BERTHE,
bitterly and passionately, Sand you don't
mean those things when you say them to
me-you know you don't!'
"But do," persisted Frank, admiring
che flush in Berthe tanned cheek and the
angry light in her grey eyes. "But ldo,"
he repeated again, more earnestly, lazily
getting off the grass and seating himself
On the stone beside her. "Bertie," he
continued, when he was where he could
talk to her in whispers, "why do you al
ways laugh or get angry when tell you
that you are pretty, and that / like
your
Because" said BERTHE, fercely, "no
one else tells me that am pretty or that
they like ME, and | know that you are
making fun of me-"
81 am not making fun Of you, BERTHE.
| do think you are pretty, and what
is more l love you, and in token of
it l am going to take kiss-a lover $
first kiss. There, that is the first, but it
shall not be the last, darling"
By and by gay voices commenced to
sound upon the front porch, and some
one came bustling into the darkened
room behind them, and Mr.. Desmond
joined the young ladies, after winning
Bertie's promise to meet him after mid
night by moonlight under the walnut
tree in the field adjoining the farm-yard.
"Berte, have you finished those cur
rants yet~ cried Mrs. Newton.
eyes ma'am," answered the girl gath
cring together her pans of fruit, and tax
ing her way towards the kitchen; and
for the rest of that day BERTHE was SUI
premely happy.
Late that night when all her work
was finished, and nearly every one about
the farm had retired, BERTHE crept up to
her little attic room, over the back
kitchen, and knelt down by her open
yine-scrcened window, her arms folded
upon the sill to wait until she should
hear the clock below strike twelve.
As she kne!t there, along the lane that
ian close by that side of the house,
Frank Desmond and Miss Stoner were
walking, the lady holding her thin drap-
cries from contact with the dew with fair
hands sparkling with jewels, one great,
flashing diamond telling astory that Ber-
tie, had she been less innocent OF the world $
ways, might have read.
II wish YOU to understand, Frank Des-
mond," Miss Stoner was saying, chat
will not tolerate any Irritation on your
part with that Talbot girl"
Grace? As ffI would firt with SER
want girl"
'Well, as it happens, Mr.. Desmond, l
saw you sitting on the doorstep beside
her this afternoon, and | must confess it
looked suspiciously like Irritation"
81 was only amusing myself with the
little ignoramus" laughed Frank. 81
hope you are not getting jealous, Grace,
and imagining that | am about 10 fall in
love with that girl%
jealous of your echoed Miss Stoner,
with contempt that made Franks blood
tingle, but which he dare not resent,
since he had wooed the lady for her
money. "No, indeedW.
"My dear Grace, pray let us drop this
subject. assure you have no designs,
either good OR evil, upon BERTHE"
The next day as Frank idled in the
shady front porch, reading aloud poem
to the ladies, a stranger drove up to the
gate.
"What splendid horses" said Miss
Stoner, as the gentleman fastened his
fiery black team.
"Surely have seen them BEFORE" re
marked Frank meditatively; then, as the
visitor opened the gate, "Well, upon my
soul, it's Charlie Thornr' and he spranl
up to greet the conner.
ooh! Mr.. Desmond, how are you?
did not expect to meet any one here that
l knew. This is the farm, is it not, KEEP
by Mrs. Amelia NewtonW
1T is, and we are ON visit" answered
Frank, introducing Mr. Thorn to tht
ladies.
Perhaps, you can tell me-" remarked
Charlie, when the introductions wert
over, whether girl by the name of Al
berta Talbot lives hereY'
The ladies looked at each other signifi
cantly, and Frank answered:
"There was such girl here-a house
maid; but it was discovered this morning
that she, had run away"
"Rm awayp said Mr.. Thorn, quickly
"Why, and where has she gone~a
"No one knows and, as she was only
child whom Mrs. Newton took from al
orphan asylum to bring up, she says she
shall not take any trouble to find her."
Il am sorry, very sorry" said Mr.
Thorn, thoughtfully, his handsome face
wearing vexed look. "1hat girl i
an heiress, and | am her guardian. 1 hat
just tracked her here, and now to hav'
her lost again is very provoking. As
drove up from town can not possibly
think of starting back to-day. | wonde
&c Mro Nau+o, ooulJ am. ata M