Connecticut western news., 1882-09-13

tlng nm to the teSt.
 You see he is all thought him, Auntie," she said to Mrs. Margaret, when he was gone.
 "I shall tell him all tomorrow"
 "No, said Mrs. Margaret, "wait a week. Promise me you'll wait week, Sybella ?"
 So Sybella waited, and Aunt Margaret watching, saw the signs she watched for, though this loving woman had as yet no suspicion of the truth.
 
 Four days had passed. .-
 It was bright day and there was to be pleasant picnic party that after noon. Sybella and her betrothed were among them. They were all old friends, and Mrs. Ruthvan was in her gayest mood and chatted merrily with all per haps little more with shy young fell low of eighteen, who was in the com pany, than with any other, because of his youth and shyness. Arthur Austin had begun the day in his usual good spirits but as it went on he grew gloomier and g]oomier, and at last relapsed into perfect silence. In vain did his betrothed endeavor to cheer him. He scarcely spoke or looked at her, and at last his manner began to have effect on the whole party. One after the other grew dismal, and the return home was as solemn as funeral procession.
 At Sybella's door Austin lifted his hat coldly and bade her good evening with out even pressure of the hand.
 "You are coming in, Arthur ?'' she said, softly.
 "No," he answered.
 "Are you ill?
 At that he turned sharply upon her, and said, aloud No, am not ill. l am not blind, that is all. Nor deaf, either. have watched and listened to- day to my cost. Good evening 1"
 "What did he mean, aunt ?" erred Sybella, when the door had closed. "What has been done? saw noth. ing" .-..s
 "He is pretending to be jealous of young Mordaunt," said Aunt Margaret, quietly. Sybells, havo courage. He means to quarrel and break 1t of with you, now that he thinks you penniless. Tell him the truth, and he will soon re- cover from his jealousy. Keep it to yourself. and you will never be able to mollify him.
 And this time Sybella only sighed. But she went to her room and wrote pretty letter to her lover, begging him to come to her, and when he came she met him with an offer of her lips, which he shocked her by rejecting.
 "You know how have been offended, Ssbella," he said. 'You know you iirted with that boy Mordaunt all day i''
 "I did nothing of the kind. I never Airted in my life; why should I begin to do so now No woman was ever truer than have been to you?"
 CT doubt it p said he. "I have seen much and suspect more and since your conduct has aienated my heart from you, we had better part. There is only one way of managing these things"
 Sybella looked earnestly at him. She saw no jealous madness there; only 8 cool determination to set aside hls en- gagement with woman whom he had never loved, and whose fortune had been his only object from the first. And she knew that Aunt Margaret had been right; but she loved him so we'll, and trusted him so entirely, that it seemed to her as if the knowledge would rend soul from body. She tried to hide her tears, but in vain.
 Slowly she drew her engagement ring from her, finger and put it into his hand and turned away. At the door a stronger hand grasped hers. It was Aunt Margaret's. She led her niece to her room, and returned to the parlor before Arthur Austin had left it.
 Standing before him, looking straight at him, she said: ''So, sir, you have been tried in the furnace and found wantingl You know that my niece's loss of fortune is at the bottom of this. Don't prevaricate; you know it is true. have seen through you from the first. D
 "It is not your affair, believe, " Arthur answered, sulkly. "Of course, when man expects to marry money, he isn't pleased to find himself saddled with a poor wife and her beggarly rela- tions. But of course I was jealous. I've broken it all of with Sybella on that account, and it is her own fault"
 ''She has had lucky escape, MT. Austin" said Aunt Margaret; ''but be- fore you go, let me tell you @ little secret. Sybella has not lost her money. The bank that failed had not a penny of hers in it. Aud as for the beggarly re- laticn-you mean me, you know-poor Aunt Margaret is worth her $50, 900. and every shilling of it is to be left to her dear niece, SJ bella Ruthven. warned her that you did not love her. l forced her against her will to put you to the test. And now I see that I was right, aud you may go, Mir. Arthur 1 Austin.
 Mr. Austin departed. A month after ward he wrote a penitent letter to Sybeila telling her that he believed him self to have been causelessly jealous, and quoting good deal from Byron and Shakespeare on the subject.
 But the woman who IS fooled twice less idiot, and Mrs. Ruthven will re main Mrs. Ruthven until some better