The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1881-02-10

"Perhaps. I shall never be sur

! priscd at anything again"
A servant announced Frank Thorpe.
| Aunt, shall L" and paused. Even
| III her reckless, over-excited mood she
| could not complete her sentence.
"S&all you be kinder to him than
you have been to Mr.. Nicolson?"
Don't ask me-"
So Viola went down to see her visitor.
who was at the full tide of his languid,
tired indifference.
Glow very entertaining you are to-
day. Your conversational powers are
something to be wondered at" Viola
| said ut last, impatiently.
.n,Ente9r,taining?" opening his eyes
your share Of the interview. However,
if you like, I'll begin. You are not
looking as well as usual this morning."
"Thank you: What very promis-
ing beginning"
"But you have infinitely tho advan-
| tage of Mr.. Nicolson, whom L met Just
now. He seemed laboring under the
| impression that there had been an earth
quake"
"And SO there has been. There; talk
about something else. You needn't be
| entertaining any more"
Miss Rawdon," the servant an
| nounced, and that put an end to it all.
Viola reasoned herself into the con-
viction that she was in love with Frank
| Thorpe, and, if not actually in that con-
| dition, she might easily find herself
| there.
The crisis was not far off. Coming in
from an GRAND, that night, she found
all the dimly-lighted house empty, and
| went on from room to room till, in the
| library, she opened the door on Frank
| Thorpe.
Since you were not at home, I came
| to find for myself volume Mrs. Morn
mgton had promised me-" he explained.
| But he closed the door as he gave her O.
| char, as II the tete-a-tete were part of
| his plan.
"We might as we'll begin with a clean
record" he said, with II great deal of
not my first love, Viola. Not quite two
ful spoony condition-there's no denyinr
it-and for few weeks thought it
would be the death Of me. One morn.
ing my letters and trinkets came back
| to me. There was not a word of eX
planation, and I did not choose to asl
any,
" And the young lady's name?"
Emily Prescott"
Emily Prescott? ? Why, that is tht
young lady met this afternoon. Jus
home from abroad-in Paris mourning
Her father and mother both died some
where i'll France in the spring, and she
came home with the Mertons."
"Viola," staring at her with eagcl
eyes, 81 can't believe it," dropping into
chair. "My poor darling"
cit seems to me, Frank, that the lit
tie arrangement we entered into ten
minutes ago might as we'll be quietly
annulled. Your poor darling is at
present with tho Mertons. Hadn't you
better go up there at once and rear
range the programme 2"
81 don't know. Viola, you will think
me scoundrel, but believe lovo hel
yet"
"Of course you do. Who doubts it
There, don't say woman can't be gen
erous."
After that nothing could keep her in
New York, and three days after reaching
home, driving her old-fashioned pony,
chaise over the green country road, she
came upon John Ellsworth walking, and
he accepted her invitation to ride.
cit is good to be hero again. was
thoroughly homcsick."
"When are you to be married?"
"Never |" with burst of vehemence
"unless you-oh, Johnl" with hys
tericai sob.
At home telegram awaited her. Mrs
Mornington was dead.
Mrs. Mornington died poor. She hat
spent all her money. So Viola was no
an heiress after all