The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-28
Ter wide hat b1.iT0

The ride to Brockport and back was
much pleasanter than Neila had antjci-
pated. Miss Mortimer was in her best
spirits; and ANONYMOUSLY Neila found
herself ENJOYING the bright speeches and
| merry repartee.
She could not but admire the dark,
animated face, with its brilliant ewes
and pleasant smile, and wondered lit
tie when, in the course of conversation,
Miss Mortimer spoke of her twentv-sev-
enth birthday, already passed. The
lady caught her look of curious sur
prise.
did you think was younger?' she
| asked. No, l am nine years your
senior. dear; twenty-seven last April,
Mr.. Farley knows, with an arch smile
at Lynn; ''he gave me little present
then that is my constant companion.
And she displayed gold pencil set
with pearl, and bearing the inscription
IL. F. to A. NJ y
Nella grew very quiet after that, and
spent her time in thought. Twenty
seveni two years older than Lynn, but
then she looked much younger, and the
face under the wide, dropping hat was
as fair and youthful as a GIRLS.
She wondered why Miss Mortimer
had shown her Lynn's gift; it must be
either through thoughtlessness or a de-
sire to wound her, and Lynn did not
seem displeased; he was growing re-
CARELESS of her feelings, perhaps.
1t was noon when they arrived at the
hotel. After dinner Nella went to her
room and did not come down again I'M
til evening; but Lynn and Miss Nor
timer spent the afternoon together on
the beach and he did not even question
| her absence.
Nella was very unhappy during the
days that followed Lynn would have
been as attentive as ever, but she re-
| pulsed him, and Miss Mortimer was al
ways ready to entertain him.
He wondered at the girls strange
manner, which he could not, and she
would not explain. Gradually cold
ness, imperceptible to others yet felt by
both, grew between them, and they
/, drifted slowly apart.
! Ii Miss Mortimer noticed it and made
comment, it was not to Nella. 1t seemed
to the girl that she was taking the place
that Nella was leaving, and Lynn was
| almost unconscious of the change.
| Judge Farley came down to Beverly
once in awhile, and if she had not been
SO wrapt in her new grief, Nella would
have seen things that were quite appar-
ent to the rest of the party
One August day Nella received an
/ itat To
distant. Glad to leave the place that
was fast growing uncomfortable to her,
she made hasty preparations and went
away without word to Lynn; but kz
found little note lying on his room.->
He read it and went at once to Mrs.
| Verne
Has NeIla really gomez" he ask
| ed.
She looked at him with astonished
gaze.
Yes; but is it possible that you
knew nothing about it? | thought
she had talked the matter over with
you. "
Il knew nothing he said, and gave
her the note.
| Lynn" she read; II shall not stand between
| you ana your happiness any longer. Nhen we
| meet again, it Will be as strangers Miss Nor
| timer will be glad 10 hear that | have left Bev-
| erly, and hope that you will be lAppy with
| her. | shall not return. EELLA.''
Mrs. Verne looked perplexed and then
laughed.
Foolish girl, she said, with a glance
at Lynn's mystified countenance ''She
is jealous of Miss Mortimer Don't you
see, Lynn; she has set you free, and
| you are at liberty now to pay that lady
as much attention as you like. Is it
possible she didn't understand?'
| Gradually Lynn's face cleared, as
the truth dawned upon his mind.
'What shall do?'' he asked, when
they had talked awhile together
s"1sites 70 NeIla and ey plain" she re-
piled. ''She is visiting Miss drayson,
at Campton."
So it happened that three days after
her arrival at Campton, Nella was on
her way back to Beverly. This is what
urged her speedy return:
Dear, foolish little Nella;-Return at once
to Beverly. Father is going to marry Miss
Mortimer and you must offer your congratu.
lations. You did not seem to regard her with
favor as a FRIEND hut how will you like her
for a mother-in-iaw? Ever your own
They are married now, Lynn and Mel
la, and her dearest friend is the Judge 5
beautiful, young wife.
But then she is Mrs. Farley, now
I'm quite certain thT would still have
been enemies, had she remained as she
was when Nella first met her at Beverly,
Miss Adelaide Mortimer