The Newtown bee., 1880-06-23


 premises-the servants even begging an evening off-the other Cecil comes with her aching, throbbing heart, and takes revenge for her short-lived expulsion in the most cruel, uncompromising exact ing fashion.
 And Philip--what Is he doing now, she wonders, waiting for the answer to his precious note-the answer that will never come.
 She glances iii the direction of his home. tonight it is agleam with hundred twinkling lights, and there is music, mirth and laughter, while she ah! she is like that foolish peri of old outside the golden gate with never so much as 8 glimpse Of the para disc within.
 But Philip Courtiand would laugh in derision at the idea of paradise; for in ali his life he never remembers feeling himself as remotely removed from bliss tul regions, or prey to such tormenting and suspense; and it required all the self-control at his command to preserve an unruffied exterior as he passes through the spacious rooms play ing the role of the courteous, affable host. .~.r
 He succeeds in his effort, however, and to such an admirable extent that even Alicia Percival, in the ready flow of society small talk and easy, careless manner, can detect no sign of the turbu- lent, angry current 5eething below.
 Miss Percival has always been an aggressive element to Philip Courtland --an element that, had he been con. suited in the planning of the universe, would have been dispensed with alto gether. Her showy, coarse style of beauty escaping the vulgar; her loud, bold manner, together with the open, gossip provoking prefer ence she had always evinced for him, had done their work toward disgusting Philip Courtland But Philip Court land is not everybody; and Miss Per ciyal. possessing that magic sesame, an ample fortune, society's gates fly open at her approach and society itself, daz- zled by the glamour of her gold, fails to detect or forgets to condemn E,er lack of culture, her ill-breediug and innate coarseness. ...
 Tonight she is effusiyely present, and a smile of warmest welcome breaks over her face as she makes room. for Philip Courtland at her side. she can afford to smile, for she IS at peace with ali tEo world-at least, the small radius that constitutes her world. Her toilet, q costly one, prepared for the occasion, though tride bizarre in Philip Court lands artistic eye, meets her views ex- actly. The one rival she fears-for with all her stupidity she has been astute enough for that is absent from inc field; aud, best Of all, she is in posses sion of something detrimental to that rivel-a little something that she has rolled like q sweet morsel under her tongue and means to make good use of at the earliest opportunity. And the op- portunity is not long in presenting it. self. Philip is only to impatient to gain some clew to tue cause of CeCil's non- and so unintentionally falls into tho intentional trap set for him.
 Mo-" alluding to alady at the piano, she cannot sing equal to Miss Adair But then, who can? By the way. what have you done with Miss Adair this evening? She is not present, I believe.'
 "Oh, Cecil, you mean. No, she is not here. It's too funny, I declare; it makes me laugh now only to think of it; and yet it was anything but funny for her.''
 What do you mean? I do not un- derstand,n he asks. with an eager, pug zled air. @ @
 No, poor fellow, l suppose you do not understand, or you would never have committed the egregious blunder you have"
 "I-a blunder! Explain yourself, Miss Percival."
 sOh, it was all about that unfortunate trunk affair. It seems that certain young gentleman sent post haste for Cecil's trunk because-deceitfu little imp! who would have imagined her capable of such thing?-she induced him to believe that she could not attend the reception because she had not brought her evening dresses!" glancing complacently down at her own magni- fcent attire. II don't suppose she ever possessed such a thing. Well, it never occurred to her that he would send for the trunk, and you never saw any one as chagri1ed as she was when it came, for it had nothing in it-noth- ing at all. You can fancy her dismay- or shame, if such 8 creature can feel shame-at being caught in an actual lie. l suppose it is best 10 give things their proper names, if it does sound 8 little harsh; and it was, you know, an out-and-out lie-and Cecil Adair. of all people, with her high-tlown airs and graces! Do you remember that first evening you met her at Mrs. Brans- combe's, you said that you had never seen such eyes in any women-so clear and truthful, as if you could look trough them into her very soul"
 Did I say it to you?" replies Philip in q low tone. Fl don't remember that, but know thought it ,
 And Cecil has determined to be her usual brave self, and crush out Of her heart this agonizing, unbearable pain more unbearable yet since it followed so closely in the train of the tumultuous new joy that had of late taken up it's abode with her.
 But the task sine has set is more diff cult than she feared, and it is the vainest pretense-just a shallow little sham to cheat herself that she holds an open book on her lap. Unread, it slips from her fingers, and she surrenuers herself loa sort of numb despair. needing noth- ing whatever, not even 3 firm. quick step outside, a light leap over the low balcony, and an unceremonious en- trance through the open window; not So much as looking up until Philip Courtland's clear voice rouses her tc consciousness, and even then COT. sciousness too startled and abrupt to ex- press itself in anything but an amazed, wondering stare.
 | It is only this, he says, quietly, in answer to the mute questioning, :" the mountain would not come to Mahorn- med--Mahommed has come to the mountain"
 :. It would have been wiser, per. haps," she replies quickly and ayerting her head, "it Mahommed had not conen
 ssI cannot--I will not believe it." ht answers. eagerly bending. low. yet 1T vain, for glimpse of the face so effect ually shielded, unless, indeed, you art really the atrocious dissembler, tht arrant deceiver Miss Percival would mako out;o and if it is diplomatic stroke to gain his point, it proves won derfully successful. for instantly thu head is raised with motion almos regal, and the angry, indignant eye fash full into his.
 She told you, then, the whole hu nj 1ia4;pr fyr1fhp E,,aU Shp uould