The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1882-10-07
chatting gaily with their hostess, fell harsh

ly on her ear.
Indeed, those rather handsome young fel-
lows would have been much startled if they
could have known what was passing in the
little governess's brown head concerning
them and with what cheerful contempt she
was taking their measures as she poured ont
cups of tea-a modest, self possessed figure
in her plum-colored gown-and played
accompaniments when Mrs Dering grew
tired.
1t was long evening. The little widows
guests were never in a hurry to leave Gable
End, even with the long, cold drive back to
Nettleby before them and Mariory crept
up to bed after her pupil, telling very list
less and exhausted.
Sine waited to see Floss fairly tucked up
was it not needful at times to remind the
child to say her prayers?-and then she
went back to the school-room, where the
fire was black and dead in the CRATE, and
opened the desk in which she had laid the
letter.
The letter was gone.
Marjory distinctly remembered putting it
there, and knew at once what had happened.
She walked quietly back, candle in hand, to
Flosss bedside, and said, as firmly as though
horrible chill were not creeping through
| her veins
''Floss, what have you done with my let
| ter"
The child sat up in bed and burst into q
! laugh.
Il have sent it to New York, of course"
| she answered at once, her dark eyes brim-
full of mischief. Wasn't that what YOU
wrote it for?"
''Is it posted?" continued Mariory, trying
| to control the tremor in her voice
''Of course it is! l gave it to Ball
before dinner. He was going into the vii
lase about BJou's collar, and he posted it
for me-"
Marjory was speechless.
Humphrey viii be awfully fattered when
he gets it !" the child went on, bubbling
over with laughter. "Of course, he will
think it comes from me-"
| He will see at once by the hand that it
does not, cried Marjory, despairingly
''He won't do any such thing. I never
wrote to him in my life. So that, unless he
knows your hand"
''He does not!" gasped Marjory, half to
herself. ''He may have seen it in the den,
but am certain he would not recognize it.
| am glad" The girls breast swelled with
. great sigh OF relief. II am glad he need
| le ter know how ridiculous l have been. and
/
! ~ hat fuss about nothing! !" cried Floss,
| saly. ''Of course he need not. That is
until lie gets my next letter!"
tiarjory sat down by the bed, trembling
heiplessly from head to foot. The remem-
brs.nce of what she had written-innocent
as it was-was sending the hot blood in
great waves all over her body; and now it
seemed clear that Humphrey must indeed
ind out that the letter had come from her,
anl that she would be compelled to live out
the rest of her life under the intolerable
weight of his contempt.
! II had forgotten that" she painted, her
brown eyes IliinS with tears. ''Oh, Floss,
you don't L low what you have done!"
Yes, l No." cried the little thing, tri-
urphantly, as she lay down and nestled
snusly into her hce-edsed pillows. II have
got rid Of the letter-wr2ting business as long
as ever poor, old Hump:y-Dumpty is away.
For, if you make up your mind to do it tor
lie, he need never know that the letters do
not come from me; but, if you don't-well,
good night, Miss Sebright!"
Not another word was to be got from the
d-owsy, golden-headed child; and Marory
S.nrlgnt went away to shed the bitterest
te,-rs her brown eys had ever known in all
her two-and-twenty years.
| Eetectlon brought her no comfort when
She iwoke the next morning. Her first res
o.ution was the bravest and the best. II
was 70 bear in silence the penalty of hel
fault, and to let MIR. Lamont think what he
would when the second letter should arrive
| in New York.
But, when the day came, the girl shranA
from the ordeal, and it followed that the
next letter which left Gable End, addressed
to Humphrey, was written by Marjory and
not by Floss, and was, in spite of herself, al
long, as sweet. and as womanly as the
| first
1t is to be feared, indeed, that, during the
few weeks that elapsed before Mr. Lamout'l
first letter from the Brevoort House reached
Floss's hands, this correspondence hai
} grown to be great and secret delight tt
J poor Marjory, tor which no after penalty
would have seemed too heavy in her eyes
In it she talked with the man she had lovel
SO long, soul to SOUL as she would never
talk TO nim again; the world was forgotten
and all the terrible smart of separation ant
loneliness that awaited her.
= And then came the day-how anxiousl,
waited for!-wheu the Sclduonia was re
ported i'll the Times as being at Queenstown
| | with the homeward mail, and MarjOr,
| knew that few hours must bring news O
! him.
The letter came by late post on Satur
day afternoon, and the drawing room a
Gable End was Tiled as usual with chatter
, ing men, bright colors and faces when it wa
brought III.
q Marjory detected the blue American
= stamps in an instant, as she sat in her COZ
p ner, ousy over Mrs. Dering's embroidery
and she could hardly restrain the impuls
!, that bade her claim it boldly as hers i'll tn
face OF all these people, ana snatch it out q
- Flosss careless hands.
Floss was teaching her pug Bijou to be
!, for Il piece of biscuit. ana had her own lii
| lie court 10 entertain besides So the lette