The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-09-20
RI-WEEKLY EDITION.


loves her. I wish she had not been SO
sure OF him. It Is such temptation to
prove her words false"
This Is what the quiet-looking girl
was thinking, as she again wrapped hel
shaWl about her and walked SLOWLY
down the path.
In few moments, she heard hel
name called, and pausing and looking
pack, she saw the two coming toward
When they were a little nearer, the
man hurried forward, and raising his
hat, said, in tone which was not quite
steady: H''o
II do not know what YOU will thinl,
OF us. 1 Iconfess l was for the moment
capable of thinking only of Miss Stallo,
You will forget that, I know. can.
not tell you how grateful I am to you. ),
"!ndeedl Whyp" asked Miss Branch.
Although her words were abrupt, the
voice III which she spoke then was far
from belrg so. There was a silky soft
ness In it that Julia Stallo had never
heard before, and which made her look
quickly at the girl who had spoken
them, while pain, that was almost like
a knife thrust, suddenly went through
her heart.
Miss Branch had only glanced at Mr..
North as she had replied, and he had
not given any thought to her, so pro-
foundly was he absorbed in the danger
which had so recently threatened the
woman he loved.
When the two walked away again,
Miss Branch turned into another
path, and walked rapidly toward the
house.
There was a flush on her cheek and /,
spark IN her eye, and aspect although
different from that which she had worn
an hour before.
When she reached her own room, she
sat down before the fire without relnov-
ing her own wraps. Looking into the
burning Goals with an insane gaze,
her face gradually changed, until
Julia Stallo would hardly have known
it.
The white hands were held tightly
together until their beauty-and they
| were very beautiful-was marred by the
rude pressure.
what do owe to any man among
them?" she asked, at length, in half
whisper. "And as for Julia, she is a
baby, in her feelings, and will not suffer
much"
She rose and walked with deter
mined air across the room. At this
moment some one knocked. She open
ed the door and Julia stood there.
MAY l come in2" asked the girl.
81 was just coming to discover if
| you were still frightened," responded
Miss Branch taking Julia's hand in
her own, and looked with more than
ordinary keenness into the girls face.
"Don't speak of it," cried the other
with a ahudder. "I can never be able
to see a dog again without shudder.
shall never be able to see a dog again
without a fright. Think of what might
have been, if Luke had not comet He
says he admires you for your presence
OF mind, although you are-but how 1
do chatterl'' catching herself up will,
blush. lie admires you so much"
Even though l am plain" calmly
remarked Miss Branch, no flush stain
ing her cheeks as she spoke words diff
ilcult for woman to accept.
But J. did not mean to tell you
that" caressingly said Julia.
Miss branch laughed, not bitterly to
the ear in the least.
| "Oh, don't mind it at all, ~ she said
lightly. 81 am PLAIN, and know other
people know it.''
In her heart, the women was saying
"lle shall pay for those words"
In the days that followed, it would
have been curious study tor one moi
yitally interested to have watched the
change in Luke North 3 manner toward
| Miss Branch.
her, he came to turn with an apparent
ly irresistible inclination toward that
part Of the room where she happened tC
| be.
He stood near her chair; he looked at
her if he spoke; he listened with pc.
culiar vivid look upon his face when she
made any remark.
| This attention was not marked; on
the contrary, it almost seemed as if he
were desirOus of concealing even from
his own consciousness the attraction
which Miss Branch held for him, and
which every day he felt more and more
powerfully.
Had he ever thought her unprepos-
sessing? When Julia reminded him
one day that he had said Miss Branch
was plain, he uttered an exclamation
Of astonishment, but made no Other
reply. His betrothed, in II troubled
tone, persisted on dwelling upon the
subject.
II suppose she must but be fascna.
ting, is she not?" she asked wistfully.
The mans face wore strange smile
He averted his eyes, as he remarked, in
harsh voice:
"Fascinatingl Yes, l think thai
must be the word by which to describe
your friend--and she is your friend, L
she not?" asking the question sudden
]y.
Julia Stallo trembled a little, anG
turned pale. Sne seemed to struggle {
moment with herself, and then she said
family:
"oh, yes' OF course she is m,
friend"
The winter days ran on. Miss Brancf
had come to stay with her friend unit
spring. - -,
How did it happen that Mr.. Nortl
could now sometimes come to the house
and remain, perhaps, for a couple o.
hours before Julia would come into thu
room? lie always scrupulously called
for her the moment he came, but he ap
peared to forget she had not come.
On one Of those days when Julia hat
not come, North had been strolline
n. l.