Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-03-11

silence had followed this outbreak.
Il wish he did love you" And then,
as Mrs. Julia was coming into the room,
she dashed by her and ran out. unable
TO control the tears she could not bear
to weep before this woman.
81 came TO pay my compliments 10
your sister," said Mrs. Grey, coolly, TO
Julia; but she seems to regard her
approaching marriage rs anything but
she is so unhappy in it. | suppose
there Ia another attachment"
"Oh, dear me-" drawled Julia, who
never had more than half sense, rs their
old nurse used to say" we don't consider
her old affair with Pierre Gilland OF any
consequence"
"PierreP" asked Mrs. Grey, gently,
with an air of interest in Julia's conver-
sation. And when the carriage came
round for her she knew all Julia knew.
"A very lovely GIRL" said Mrs. Grey,
rs her cousin, who had not gone in
with her, took the seat beside her again
in the carriage. "But can't congratu-
late you, as could not congratulate
her. She is in love with another man
"a young Pierre Gilland, civil en-
gineer on Peruvian railroad, who had
always expected to marry her, but who
left her incontineDtly on supposing she
was going to accept the ring of that lit
| tie wretch who is now her brother-in-
law. Dear me, what n fool that woman
is!-the sister of your pretty Evelyn.
How fortunate you are not going to
marry the family"
"Humph" said Mr.. Bryce.
But when he returned that evening,
and found Evelyn still excitedly ready
| for tears at a word, and obliged to 90
early to bed with a sad headache, he
went round for little com Fort from his
cousin Kate; and every time that Evelyn
seemed TO shrink from him, and show
him the coldness that she could not
help, he inv unfairly sought with his
cousin the sympathy he had found with
her before.
At Christmas-time lie gave Evelyn
some pearls that made Julia's eyes
fairly run over with drops of ecs.a .asy,
and at New Years some diamonds. over
which Osric hung gloatingly. But
Evelyn gave them back, and begged
him to keep them till by-and-bye. You
mean," he said, "tllat you don't love
me well enough to take them now?"
II think" she said. that l may
care more for you If am not so loaded
with obligations Let your cousin
Kate keep them for me-" And then,
locking up. in n sudden boldness, she
added: "Why did you not marry her
She would have made better wife than
than anybody. And she-she is very
| fond of you"
Marry my cousin Kate! Why, the
| thought never entered my head. A man
doesn't marry the women OF his family"
| he exclaimed. II mean to marry you ;"
But the thought had entered his head
now. And the next time he came into
| the presence Of pretty Mrs. Grey, he
could not avoid looking Mt her and re-
membering Evelyn's words. Yes, yes,
he thought; Kate was very fond of him.
And she would make any man n fine
wife. If only Evelyn were rs fondl
For the rest, that little speech of
Evelyn's was like leaven, and leaven
will work He watched Kate when he
gave her the jewels TO take care of till
he could give them to his wife, and il
slowly began TO dawn upon him that
here was n woman who adored him. and
he was passing her by to- marry n child
who adored somebody else and some
times then IL used TO occur TO Evelyn
that Mr.. Bryce was growing little
tired of her indifference, little vexed
at her aversion. Still. troth was plight ed,
VOWS were pledged, the engagement VIA
public and the marriage had been fixed
for the first OF March.
"Oh. mammal" broke forth Evelyn,
as she threw open the window to air the
room one morning, and looked out upon
the flying squalls. "only fort
night more and am in letters"
"You silly child" said her mother,
pulling up her shawl. "Fetters. in
1,rs les. ss.-..
to-day. dare say. with diamond in IL,
ifyou call that ietters."
''St. Valentines Gayl So it is. Oh,
what dreary, dreary thing! AS If
there were any happy lovers in the
world! oh, / wishri wish this snow
were falling on my graveW
We'll, Evelyn" said her mother
then. severely. Z" II you are going to con.
tinue feeling this way, the sooner YOU
put an end to things the better. will
sec MIR. Bryce myself this very day.
No. My word is given. shall not
break It. He is very kind" she sobbed.
II know ! shall be all right in time.
only II cannot help" And, without
finishing her sentence, she thrust her
head. where the hair was always break
ing into sunny little rings, out into the
falling snow To cool and hide her face.
To cool her face What sudden
flames were those that. swept up over
throat and cheek and forehead What
was 1t, who was it, she saw below
there ? Why did she spring back, and
dart from the room, and take the stairs
at bound, to throw open the front door
and be clasped in n shower of snow and
the embrace OF great dark fellow who
would not let her go?
"Oh, Pierrei Pierrem she was whis-
pering, clinging TO the stranger.
And the ring wasn't for you after
all, my darlingl She wrote and told
me-Mrs. Grey, the trump! What n
wretch | wasl What a. Bless nv
soull what's this ?"
She had sprung from him. and was
wringing her hands at safe distance.
"Oh, mustn't you mustn't | can't
Il mean-oh. mean, Pierrei Pierrer'
she cried, THAT am going to marry
Mr.. Brycel"