The National tribune., 1882-08-05


he was the same man. There! l have said
too much; but l couldn't helpit. You must
keep my secret, mamma, and tell Colonel
Gordon that Pauline is q spoilt child, and
won't marry"
Madame Lestrange caught her daughter
impulsively in her arms.
My poor, darling child, never did dream
of such romance as this! Tell me, tell thy
good mother, thou wouldst not say No to
Hughes would he but ask thee of us now"
Pauline burst into q shower of passionate
tears
"Malheureuse enfant" cried Madame
Lestrange, what can we do for thee? 1t is
too late!"
Precisely at this critical moment the door
of the room was opened, and brother Jacques
walked in.
"Why," cried he, standing aghast, Mother
Pauline? Qu'y a-t-il done"
Pauline is a little goose" answered Mad
anne, with fearful effort at playfuiness.
Colonel Gordon has written the most
charming letter, asking my permission to
make her an offer OF marriage, and she will
have nothing to say to him"
We'll, that's unlucky tor him, certainly"
reioined Jacques; . but what has my little
sister got to cry about? Has she, perchance,
been scolded for wanting to say unkind
things to the Coonel?n
"Of course not" replied his mother un-
easily q told you she was q little goose,
that's all. Now run upstairs, Pauline, and
change your dress, dear; and you, Jacques,
ring for the luncheon tray"
Girls are certainly odd creatures" said
Jacques to himself, as he lighted cigar on
the doorstep that afternoon. Fancy crying
like Niobe because somebody whom one
doesn't care about wants to marry one!
What an excess of heart!"
lie strolled into the park, and presently
at an accustomed rendezvous met his friend
Hugh, and forthwith related the episode.
$50 you think she has refused him def
nitiyely?" asked the elder cousin when the
story was finished.
II understand so, certainly. And it is
easy to see that by doing so she has greatly
vexed my mother. 1t was an excellent pro-
posal, you see"
II see nothing of the kind" replied Hugh,
with some heat. "Coufound Colonel Cor
don! l never liked the fellow from the
beginning"
"Sapristi!" calculated Jacques; "what
can he have done to you? He's capital
and never had bad word for any
threw away the cigar he was smok-
ing
mt mean to say he ever offended or
n.a,a5 me personally" said he; but l
a- hat never liked his being so much
Hlas our sister. She ought to marry
younger man, Jacques"
II, I daresay she WILL" returned
ae4ul. carelessly. Pauline is a great
.1yorl4. But then, you know, the Colonels
poaitio is really tirst-rate."
s, 4pQb turned OH his cousin almost wrath
5Gll 81 i
e .t4s,. you leave the Colonel alone?" he
F1d.7 i5Phe said No. and / suppose there's
~. l.e.eFs 1Iashe thing"
~ good Hugues, don't be in such
deuce 8a rage about it. Upon my word, if
sllaa know how matters stood between
y.1 ag1 Pauline, would swear you were
tPua'
a., lis ious! what-of Pauline! Confound
II a,lfe dropped my cigar somewhere!
re me light, old man."
k epeated jacques steadily, looking
l leaa in the face, as they paused mo-
ie Hugh kindled fresh cigar, "to
o. he truth, l should certainly have
Hga )u were jealous. Come; is it so?
sr- vag betrayed yourself"
Look here, Jacques, old fellow" said
Hugh after pause of brief duration occu-
pied by several violent putfS at the cigar, II
don't exactly know what it is l feel on this
subject; and, upon my honor, if 1 am jeal-
Gus, you have found it out first The fact is,
Jacques can you keep q secret!"
| can when it's necessary" returned his
cousin laconically.
WELL when they all wanted me to marry
Pauline, you know, she took considerable
pains to make it evident to me that didn't
please her, and, rs you know also, she ex-
pressed that opinion to her mother. In fact,
she was so extremely distant and cold and
and unatiectionate, and put on such IN air OF
Roii me tGRgerc toward me, that thought her
q very unpleasant young person, and was
much relieved to find my antipathy recipro-
Gated. But the first time [ met her in town
at Lady Leigh's, you remember-she was
totally changed-charming viyaciOus full
Of smiles, and so she has been ever since.
have seen her during the last six weeks I'M
der perfectly new aspect, and perhaps, old
man, if she hadn't been Pauline, might
have been jealous of the Colonel"
What drama in two actsn cried Jac-
ques. Butts the fact of this delightful young
women's identity really an insuperable OBJ
stacle? Why not speak to her, or to my
mother, now? 2"
Speak about what?" retorted Hugh |
why should [ 90 and make fool of my
self? Don't you know that Pauline made
up her mind long ago to look on me as a
cousin only?"
Il know she did-long ago. cried JAG
ques, as sudden light broke in on him;
but why may not she also have come to |
look on you in a new light? Do you know, |
it seems possible to me that just such |
change on her part NAV be the exclamation