Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-18

fresh flowers, fruits, novels, candies; but james
down again all was rs before except that Mr.
| Popison's visits had almost ceased Somehow
there was dreariness without that kindly smile
OF his; she found herself missing him; an6
when she met him she began to say 60 and Their
| to blush like damask rose, and paused
you miss me? You really miss me?" he
cried, delightfully."-
"Oh. unspeakablyl" said Mary Dunlap and
| there was no coquetry In the confession.
| And shall you miss me if go away forever
FOR must 1t is impossible for me to stay
where you are"
''GO away fOrever!" It came over her all al
once that then the world would be a desert. She
| turned ashen. But if he could go she should
| not let him know. Every WELL" she said, cooly
~ want to ask you something before Won 90
Did you really, as Tom says. lend James Near
thur ten thousand dollars when he came near
failing last spring."
''Is that all 2" he said "That was a trifle and
1t makes no difference now that l have lost
nearly all the rest
"You have lost your money?"-with rush OF
pity.
"A great deal of It. But that was nothing
he would have done as much for me-"
"Humph!" said Mary.
"Mary, thought you"
"Cared for James Macarthur? PERHAPS I did
once, just as you cared for Aunt SOphy. Ii did,
the fire burned to ashes"
"And you will not marry him?"
why, he never asked me-"
1.-THE fool"
'There is only one person in the world would
marry, and he declined one day to marry me- :"
said Mary, archly, and with a sudden courage
and then she trembled like poplar leaf, and the
tear welled up.
tho May said t Mr. PopisGn, grayey changing
father that you have proposed to me, and that
have accepted you"
So gay, so bright, so happy, SO beautiful. was
Mary Dunlap that evening, singing, dancing.
tripping here aid there. that every one felt she
had returned from an absence, and James Nc
Arthur left Besse Travers' side to follow her.
But there was something about her that put
her just beyond him-a fine separating atmos-
phere, diamond glaze. "Why did YOU never
tell me" said he, that Bessie Travers was en-
gaged?"
WAS 1t any affair Of yours?"
II suppose" he said bitterly, sit would be
no affair OF mine If you married old PopisOn to-
morrow"
Have you made 1t so?" she cried. And
looking at him she wondered why she had ever
quivered before those bold black eyes that high
color, that mighty manner of his. great glad
ness filling her heart to think Of the noble
breast she had to lean on, the rest and comfort
OF her protector. And as she went to sing for
some one the new air, Ozark was the day and
dreary the night" James Macarthur felt as if
the earth bad moved a little under his feet and
the song were written for him.
Perhaps 1t was because she had defed him 80
that he pursued her now awhile to see what it
meant; that he stopped an hour next morning
on ms way down town; that he came in at
night-fall with q headache for her to brew him
the cup OF tea she used to make; that for weeks
he hung about her, with his old ardor kindled
by that still remote manner of hers. and his old
silence enforced by doubt il the fruit were as
ready to fall into his hand as he had thought,
4 n or nhnro
value SO that it began to seem to him there
was not another woman in the world, aud he
forgot money and ambition. feeling at last that
she outweighed everything he had ever valued,
and he was made only the more earnest by her
Mary he said one noon, coming in on some
pretext. bending over her tenderly his eyes
glowing, his voice sOftening II am going away
Tonight When / come back, will you hear
something have to cay to your"
NO, indeed" she said, laughing. ''You have
nothing to say to me either then or at any
other time, and shall not be here myself per-
haps."
II should think" he said, "you were going to
promise yourself to some one else, if did not
beleve-if did not know-that you loved me.
Is that so? Is that so? Marry some one else"
ne cried g! should rise from my grave to for
bid the bans!"
But she answered by catching Tom as he
went by, and Waiting down the room in her
1t was few hours later, while her sister was
making hve-o'clock tea, that Mary, passing the
telephone as it rang. paused to take it's message
and turned hurrledly to send Tom on an errand.
in answer to which Mr.. POpisOn and Dr. Dean
left phaeton at the gate within half-hOur and
ca me up the yeranda, where the family were
sitting.
II was going 30 treat you all to little sur
prise. said Mary then, demurely, "by being
married to Mr.. Popison by-and-by, and going
on In the phaetOn for our bride tour across the
river But as the telephone Just announced the
arrival OF some one who will forbid the bans,
thought We would not watt
And with the red sunset pouring over the
amazed and bewildered family. DR.. Dean pro-
nonnced Mr.. POpison and Mary Dunlap man and
wife. and they had gone in their phaeton for
their tour across the river to the noble old Popi-
son mansion under it's elms before the arrival of
the man who had telephOned:
Am speaking to Mary Dunlap? Yes? /
have lost the train, and shall be with you in an
hour, when expect circumstan tial answer
which circumstances gave him!