Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-15

tonight, dear; you won't mind2 I'll
send you my mald:' and without waiting
for an answer she was gone.
did mind" bat there was no help
for it. Constance was always fond of
society. L dressed myself az well as my
limited wardrobe would allow, and she
presently returned and escorted me to the
drawMg-room where about fourteen per
sons were assembled; bat among them
all not one face was familiar to me save
that of my host.
| quietly ensconced myself in a win
dow recess, where | was partially hidden
by curtain. My eye wandered for
moment rather anixously over the group
IA faint hope that l might discover
Mr.. Bargili, out in vain.
Dinner was announced The party
paired off. AS sat wondering who nv
partner was to be, Constance touched
the arm Of II portly looking man Who sat
with his back to me, engaged in earnest
| conversation. He rose at once, and she
led him up to me.
San Old friend, Ethel. Mr.. Bargill.
you remember Miss Vane
Was it possible? Was the tine-lookinn
man before sne the "sly curate" of form
| er days! No Aced to ask If he remembered
me. lie gave Il start and colored visibly
when she uttered my name, and | then
saw plainly the resemblance which had
failed to detect at first. He recognized
me at once too | saw thai, and it was
no small pleasure to think that times
ravages had not altered me in ms eyes,
at least beyond recognition.
l went into the dining room on his
arm, and after the first few sentences ouc
conversation never tagged. 1 then
discovered how IN mind as well as in
body he had developed and improved;
or rather, having gained in assurance and
manliness, those ualities whice mag
ined he had always possessed were SUIT
tered to come to the surface, while that
stiffness of manner which he had called
conceit, and which l now felt sure had
proceeded from shyness, had vanished
altogether.
When returned to the drawing room
Ino longer felt myself alone in the COM
pany. | talked lndifierently to my next
neighbor, hardly conscious OF who or
what she might be, my eye meanwhile
| Watching the door with anxiety, until
at last the hum OF voices outside told
that the gentlemen were coming.
! There was a vacant scat beside me.
Would he take it? Yes, he was evident
ly coming towards me. Ny heart throb-
bed loudly when down upon the char |
had guarded sat a fat old country squire
who had began to make himself agreea-
| bic to my next neighbor. l felt mort
fed and disappointed, and soon after
wards took an opportunity of retiring to
my old seat in the window
had not sat there many minutes when
the curtain was drawn aside, and Cir.
Bargill, placing a char for himself in my
recess, sat down beside me-
MIR. Barglll," cried out Constance's
little girl, running up to US, ''iust look at
my valentine. Isn't it a beauty l have
such a LOT, but this is the prettiest of them
all, and | can not find out who seEt it.
Do you knowa believe it was you. Now
wasn't 1t? Tell the truth
"No, Carrie. 1t was not me-
II believe it was, though, she persist
ed. I'm sure it was!'
"No, Carrie, indeed" he answered.
while /. grave smile lowered round his
mouth. | never sent but one valentine
in all my life, and that"
''Weli, and that.'
| THAT one was never answered.
He looked at me, though he was speak
ing to her, and instantly remembere
my two valentines Of long ago, that one
in particular which was never accounted
for and which had troubled myself SO
little about. In my own mind l haG
never doubted that it had been sent me
by my mischievous young friends.
l remember now how strongly they
had denied it; and, as l thought Of its
contents, reelected, what if it really had
come from him?-had lain all these years
unheeded and unnotlced? and now!
My cheeks burned crimson as | turned
my head away, and my confusion must
have been evident to him.
Katie had flown away to exhibit her
treasures in another part of the room.
heard low voice close beside me:
"Miss Vane-Ethel, will you answer
it MOVE?
did snswer it and in way that I
have never since regretted.
When my friend Constance came to
visit me in my bedroom that night, l had
secret to confide to her, and was kissed
and congratulated to my hearts content.
"But oh, Constance" ! exclaimed,
when she allowed me to pause 'how
could you not tell me that that second
valentine came from you9 How could
you let me believe otherwise?
"My precious child, did not tell you!"
she answered, laughing, "a hundred
times overland why were you so OBJ
stinately persuaded to the contrary2 Why
the signature should have been enough.
But never mind, "all's well that ends
well, and this is just the very thing
should have wished"
eyes," l said softly. 81 believe it IS
well; and though shall be only a poor
curate's wife l shall be the happiest-"
"a poor curate's wife" broke in Con-
stance. ''Why, don't you know that
Charley has given Mr.. Bargi!l the rich
living of Braintree, two miles from here.
and shall have you near me always?
Oh! it is delightful. So you thought