The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-12-01

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We men are wretohed creatures" He
had funny, staccato way of speaking
which in the morning Molly bad dec ded
TO b. particularly d -sagreeable. Strange,
il d esn't seem 30 nowi
Molly's spirits return. "It's cert ly
very nice in him." he thinks, "not to be
sulky." Rely" says she, laughing,
and LOOKING little bit in earnest
throug it all, I'D you KIN W 1 think
it's very nice Of you. should mind,
immensely, IL you called me names,"
giving h m a shy glance from under her
log lashes.
"Perish the thou hti You suggest an
impossibility," he retorts.
How del ghtfu, exclaim' Mol y,
cheerfully. -PerhapsI may like yyu,
then
"Will you two people eat yo1r
dim rT' 'terrupts Mrs. r ndolpl,
who has been watchi thi proceeding
W tn the utmost satisfaction. And she
to herself: "Perhaps
if-after all. 1t wyuld be q capital
thing"
But every paradise has its serpent.
The serpent at Bar Harbor turns mp in
the person of Mrs. Crosby, widow,
irrepro lchable in family, but envious,
malicious, gossiping, and W tn a pale,
detected daughter 30 years old Mrs.
Randolph hears Of this arrival with con-
sternatIon. She rushes up to Molly,
who is sitting on the pi zza by dining
room window, chatting with Peabody.
"Our good times over" she cries. MRS.
Crosby is here. and Maria's with her,
and by tomorrow none of us will have
any character left. +" Peabody looks con-
sternation itself. Molly cries: Tho
slanderous old tabby." She has hardly
spoken when voice from behind the
dinng-room blinds cries: maria, my
dear, will you close that window? The
cl. tter outside is so tiresome" And
! they know they have been overheard.
Gracious II -aven!" cries Mrs Ran
dolph shes there and listening"
Nothing followed this tastrophe,
however for m ny days and Mrs. Ran
| dolph began TO think they had not been
overheard. Peabody even went so far
"a to begin to pay court to Mrs. Crosby,
hoping to cut her fangs, if not to propi-
tiate her. He had been talking to her
one day, when he saw Molly in front of
the piazza, without hat or parasol By
this time he and she had grown quite
intim to, Mrs. Randolph, like wise
woman, looking on and saying nothing.
| They had ridden, walked and boated
together, and had sat for hours side by
side on the rocks, Watching the sea, of
to vac south. He now rushed forth
wis almost an air of proprietorship.
"How can you," he said to Molly,
stand out here, in that way, in the
heatl A nut-hrown ma d is one thing;
but Sioux or Chero kee-"
Are two interrupts Molly. gayly.
"It's n hopeless case, Mr.. Peabody"
and she hold out two little brown hands
for his inspection and then looks up in
to his face with laughing eyes. Are
you ashamed of me?'
81 wish you would let me tell you
how L do feel toward you," he whis-
pers impetuously, and in an accent he
has never dared to use before Molly
bushes furiou-ly. She is utterly taken
aback. She had never thought of this.
What does he mean? Oh, perhaps he
means moth ng She is saved reply
by the approach of Mrs Ra dolph.
Peabody is his usuaI cool-mannered,
wei ,-bred self in moment. "Ah, Mrs.
Randol n" he says, II am the bearer
of flag of truce from her Majesty Mrs.
Crosby. She wants TO know il you have
forgotten her. and il you won't bring up
Miss Randolph to talk t. her.
Must we b ick ont of tie royal pres
ence when we retire?" says Molly, mis-
chievously.
"Hush," answers Peabody; "here we
are. :"
"a very nice old lady" is Mollv's
Judgment, rs she listens TO the bland,
quiet voice purring away to Irm, p es-
ently she hears: as this your first visit
TO Bar Harbor, Mrs. Rand lph? 1t
how then-do tell me-did you know
what happy hunting-ground it WASP"
Mrs Randolph was a courageous lit
tie woman, with very quick temper.
In On instant she scented battle and in
another was fully armed and equi. ped
"But [ dn't,' she said, with n naive
little lauqh. "How do you mean? For
what kind of Pame?"
"Game?" reioined the o'her, with
sneering laugh. Good parts. of course.
hear hat so far you've been moder-
ately success 'ful.'
All the little group around vera
silent. Molly alone did not take in the
meaning of her words. Peabody God
10 king, as some one said afterward, as
if he were going TO m lrder her. But
what could he do? A man interfere be-
tween two women? 1t was impos Sible.
Mrs. Randolph was absolute white
with anger. The co .rsenesst of the at
tack stunned her for a moment but
only tin s.
"Yes?" she sid, with lazy. indifer-
ent laugh. you a tier me, I'm AFRAID
But you forget at Nc. Ra ldolph still
exists; and Molly, You know. is sill
child-yelrs and years, hope, before
she will think of anything of that kind.
You woudu't lose your lit Mari,
would you, yet awhiIe?'
With which she arose. "Ah, Mr.. Pea
body, we we're going sailing she said
IL wonder il our boats ready? You are
coming with u, as usual, l suppose?