The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-09

nc uas ueen away. mat woman tnat MatGe
saw was one of the band, no doubt. Pll
stake my reputation as a professional man
on That statement. know a rogue when /
see him, STRIP
"Oh. Horace, / don't believe it," said
Aunt Zilpha, but still a little doubtfully
~ think you'll fiud that Horace knows"
said Mary.
"Cornelyw called Aunt Zilpha going to
the foot of the chamber stairs. ''Cornely,"
she SAID TREMENDOUSLY, when the youag lady
nad made her appearance, "your fathers
town bond is losI."
"That Nelson has stolen it," broke in
Horace.
Cornelia's face had been much flushed
when she entered the room, but now all the
color on either cheek sought one little spot.
DON'T you dare To say that again, Horace
S'arKsl I'D sooner believe you stole 1t your
SELF"
Another man would have been somewhat
abashed. Not so Horace, He had his theo-
ry, and he believed III himself; and he could
bear abuse Till time-nOt very long time
either, he thought-should vindlcate him.
'I'il run right down to the village and
send the deputy sheriff over to POwbataU.
Nelson's probably left there-had started
when Matte saw him but we'll be on his
track"
Don't less be too basty," said Uncle Al
Hadn't you better go up to his room, and
see If he took everything of value. OF course
he didn't take his trunk" ventured Mary.
MARY Starks! ! shouldn't expect any
thing better of Horace, ba. am ashamed of
you! No one shall go into Mr.. Nelson's
room 70 search it, ill he gets back" Thus
spoke Corneia, and poor Mary meekly ac-
cepted the rebuke.
The door opened and Moses Howe came
;,, lrttla
neighbors "op the hill" He was soon in
possession of the facts and of Horace's the
ory. The latter h. refused to accept. No
genuine Yankee is satisfied by another's
search, and Moses, without asking permits
sion TO do so, began to examine the books
where he was told the bond had been. Sud-
denly he pulled out from one of the volumes
an envelope, took from it paper, opened
this, and then gave mighty laugh. Horace
and Mary started to look at it.
son, that's nothing but a drawin'." said
Aunt Zilpha, taking from Moses's hand the
representation of The trial scene. Horace
saw it, aud his face was very red.
But Mary was amazed. ibid that man
draw two of those?" she asked.
why, no; and he hadn't ought 10 of
drawed that one, don't suppose" said
Aunt Zilpha, "bnt why do you ask?'
"Why." said Mary, blusbing little, but
with defiance in her voice, 81 got Matte to
bring that drawing over to me, and she did
last night. didn't look at it, and wouldn't,
bu' was going to destroy it But believe
/ didn't"
'.The mischiefw cried Uncle All. 81 bate
she carried you the bond. It was in an en-
veope like that. Scud over and see, Mary"
Mary returned shortly with much-crum-
pied town Of Wicliffe bond
'sLucky that didn't burn it," she said
"Here's the picture. You may have that,
DEAR said Aunt Zilpha. II ion't blame
you for not liking it,"
Il guess father can let you have the in-
te-est tomorrow well enough" remarked
Horace. calmly bringing the conversation
about the bond back to its original basis.
Late that night Cornelia sat by her cham
Der window, looking down upon the lake.
She was very unhappy girl. She had de-
Tended Frank Nelson with great spirit
against the foolish accusation of Horace
Starks, but she was not prepared to defend
Mr.. Nelson's conduct in another matter. She
had no doubt that Mattie's guess in regard
to the blonde young lady was correct one
She confessed to herself that she had
thought that Frank Nelson cared little for
her, and she felt that she had had reason so
to think. And Frank, wise man of the
world that he was, must have had some
him. All That was hard to bear, but that he
should worse than scorn her, should turn
away from her to his real love with that idle
heariless joke about his grandmother-that
was bitter indeed!
A cloud overspread the sky, and she could
no longer see the lake. Sue left the win
dow and lay down to rest; and in spite of
her troubles, country air and perfect health
brought her refreshing sleep.
nTa ~ -
Bates's yard young gentleman, with an air
of smiling complacency, such as might
properly belong to one who would no. steal
a town bond nor knowingly wound a young
lady feelings. 1t was Frank Nelson in one
of POwhatan's most dashing ".urnouts,"
and accompanied by very pretty young
lady. They were met by the whole family,
including Cornelia, who seeing them com
ing had told herself, as perhaps other young
ladies under similar circumstances have
told themselves, that IF they thought &C.,
&C.. she would show them &c. &c
my sister, Mrs. Ballard" said Frank in
his introduc ions, and Cornelia's cheeks dis
played little more pink than usual
All went into the parlor. By aud by IN
Gle All ventured to say with little twinkle
ia his eye, "We had some little discussion
yesterday about what relative of yours you
said you was going to see. Cornely here
got it into her head that it was your grand
mo'her."
"Never mind, Father" said his daughter
quickly.
'tWhy so it was" said Frank; "this is my
grandmother, Mr.. Bates; excuse me for not
presen ing her as such oefore'
"There, how foolish you are, Frank"
said Mrs. Ballard, blushing. Ppm not your
grandmother.
why Auntie, how can you say so9" re-
turned Frank.
There. may as well tell the whole story,
and then Frank will have leisure to prepare
another of his remarkable jokes" said Mrs.
Ballard. "My mother died when Frank and
| were very young. So did mammals sister.
who had married dear friend of papa's,
and she left daughter. 1t came about in
time that papa married his friends daugh-
ter and married papa's friend. 1t may be
a little odd, but don't think it so very fun
ny; although, as you see, Frank does, AID
never loses an opportunity to parade the
fact"
s.Well," said Mrs, Bates, after a moments
thought, II don't see how that makes YOU
your broner's grandmother"
Easiest thing in the world, Aunt Zil-
pha," declared Frank. "My fathers wife
is my mother; her fathers wife is her moth
err, and my grandmother, and that is my
sister here. Furthermore my aunt's hus-
band was my uncle, and his wife must be
my aunt, and that is my sister again. ]
have some more relationships worked out,
but won't trouble you with them now"
"You had better not" said his 'rela-
tive"
Uncle Ai's "folks" all liked Mrs. Ballard
from the first, and she seemed to find things
very pleasant at the old farmhouse. At any
rate she was willing to stay for a few days.
And it came 10 pass that her husband, a
handsome man of middle age, joined her
there. And afterwards Franks father and
smother''-the latter young lady not
much older than Cornelia, and the former
gentleman who might well be taken for an
older brother of Frank-were induced to
come. And good times they all seemed to
have for the few days that they spent at
Uncle Ars. FraLk was inclined TO take
upon himself The airs of host. though he
occasionally planned to divide the party.
Ard when tue division was made the "other
company" invariably consisted of all but
himself and Cornelia.
And one day. when it was nearly dark,
and the two had been together for long
time somewhere in the orchard, they came
up hand in hand to the house. Her eyelids
were dropping, but her eyes beneath. them
shone like stars. He, standing in the pres
ence of his host and hostess an of his
friends, told very straightforward story,
and boldly asked of Uncle All certain valu-
,bIa 1if for ErapL NaIe0n NM. not n d;Gs