The Red Cloud chief., 1884-02-15

Nct youi uuucir PuisuCu IL PioS'
teal Grace. You look almost starv.
ing. and as for me. I'm ravenous."
With a cheering nod she parted from
Mabelle, ard went TO her own quarters.
The table was spread. and Grace,
throwing off her hat and mantle, was
about to ring the bell for dinner (for in
Lawrence street that meal was usually
taken in the middle of the day.. when q
letter on the mantelpiece, addressed in
her mothers hand, causedh her to pause.
She opened Is, and was reading it.
DEAR GRAcxY-Thanks for your nice long
letter, and tell Miss Berghaus that
A ring-a strange, trembling, yet
loud, impOrtunate ring at the front
door, beginning. as it were, timidly.
and then repeated loudly. So strange
a sound was it that Grace forgot the
..ravenous'' hunger she had spoken of,
forgot her letter, and stood still, her
head raised, listening.
Presently the front door was opened.
and Grace could hear nothing that
passed. only that the door closed again.
and some one came in. Then-it all
| seemed like 4 weird dream-the parlor
door was pushed open, and Mabelle
stood there looking like some unhappy
little ghost: she seemed to have shrunk
away and become shorter. smaller,
thinner. during the five or six minutes
which had elapsed since Grace parted
from her. Her face was white,
her lips open, her eyes distended, her
whole aspect n of horror unmiti-
gated.
''Child, child. what is the matter?"
cried Grace, going to her and grasping
her arm. chilled by the.look of despair
in the young face.
Don't touch me!' said Mabelle. in a
hoarse whisper, shrinking away from
her. Il am not fit for you to touch,
but you must know. Oh, she ought not
to have left it all to me; indeed, she
ought not"
In her guivering hands she held a pa
per, which Grace. with an uncontrOlla-
BILE impulse to know the worst, took
from her hand and read, to a broken
accompaniment of scattered words and
ordinations from Mabelle:
DEAREST MAuELLr.-I am sure you will be
surprised to find q letter instead of ne when
you return from school. Dearest child. you
must try not to feel hurt at what | have done,
but you must see that l hal really TO alterna.
tive. You mus know how unhappy l have
been in my engagement to Philip Massey. As
the time approaches for his return | feel that
it is Impossible | should ever be united to
hint would he misery; and the love which
| have learned to feel for another shows me
plainly that - marry Mr.. Massey would be the
greatest wrong l could do. The gentleman
whom | am now gong to meet, and TO whom
l shall he married this morning. is Mr.. For
dyce. We have looked at the matter in every
light, and come to the CONCLUSION that 1t was
best To he married privately. | have written
to Mr.. Massey at the hotel in London ut which
he said he should stay. | have left you plenty
OF money. dearest. To last while we are away,
and i will write TO you As soon as possible,
an tell yOu our plans. of course. when we
return. your home will he with us. and if you
are happy there | shall feel that ali the sacri-
fices | have made for you have not been in
Paris, and buy you something lovely there.
Your loving sister.
THE hypocrite'"' burst from the
lips of Grace. as she finished; "oh, the
heartless, lying jilt. Bah!'
Further energetic words were or her
energetic lips. but the dead silence
which met her ears caused her to look
up, chilled her in the midst of her fury
of indignation Mabelle was support
Ing herself with both hands against q
chair back; pale, trembling. shiverin9
from head TO foot. and silent always
silent. 1t seemed rs if the iron of EeI
sisters sin. and the shame of it, had en-
tered into her soul forever. All she
could do was 10 stand like some Great
ure which has sinned. and seesthe mas
ter's hand about to fall in chaStisement
stand and Subm (. The inter misery.
the sick, trembling ~wretchedness of the
girl smo;e Grace's heart. 1t vas all in
such contrast with her sisters base.
ness.
fro BE CONTINUED.