Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-11-28
4 Sflert gtnry.
THE BRAVEST AND TRUEST.

before the mirror combing out her soft
brown tresses with the utmost delib
Grafton. Your Canadian air is exhila-
rating, Nora Winter in old England
means fog, damp, and general disagree
iableness. Here it is the perfection of
! wea her. Quite too lovely, isn't it'
And Stella, vino had gone to Mon
treal on visit to her uncle-General
Markham, commanding the garrison
there-only a month before, gave a
sigh of pleasure as she gazed out Of
the window at the glorious prospect
before her.
Her cousin Nora sat at the window
looking upon the same view with per-
haps ms much Of admiration, but hard
iy the same amount Of enthusiasm, for
she had been nearly two years in Mon
treal, and the novelty was of course
worn off in her case.
oh, | don't know! she said with a
covert smile of deep significance. If
one had two lovers always in attend
ance | suppose even desert might be
made tolerable.'
A deal silence fell upon the room;
then Stella went on placidly arranging
several rows Of ringlets over her fore.
head, wondering what had started Nora
on the war path, but venturing no re-
mark until her cousin said, with ab
rupt emphasis:
What do you suppose will be the
end OF all this. Stella
OF what pray? Put it in plain Eng
lish.'
You know perfectly well what |
mean, and you ought to be ashamed Of
yourself. You have no right to tritle
with such men as Alan Douglast and
Major Nalcour.'
My dear Nora you are, without ex-
ception, the most absurdly inconsis-
tent person OF my acquaintance,
i do not deny that have had va
rious little affairs in my time, but /
never carried filtration beyond my
bounds as You have done
Indeed J
Il am really in earnest. Stella re-
fuse to be party to any such perform
ance; and if this sort of thing is to
continue | shall leave YOU to end the
affair as you see fit
Dear me what fuss about moth
ing. | don't think they intend to muir
der each other just yet
Perhaps not; but You know they
both love you devotedly. and why do
you keep them lowering around. You
cant marry them both, and | doubt
very much whether You intend to mar
ry either.
Il don't know that do she answer
ed. bu, the color in her cheeks deep
ened somewh hat, and she did not meet
her cousins questioning glance.
Then You are worse than | thought
you were" cried Nora, with righteous
wrath. Il never would have believed
you capable Of such wickedness, Stella.
It's sin and shame for any girl TO
act as you have done! Its what ] call
contemptible.'
is it, though p she answered, with n
little embarrassed laugh. Don't get
IN such rage With me, Morn. 1t isn't
my fault that | can't make up my
mind. | am sure would be perfectly
willing to oblige YOU by marrying one
# the gentlemen, but | can't, for the
life of me, lind out which one TO
prefer
You had better not have either If
you We any doubt about it, Nora said
bluntly.
Now you are going back to what
you said bef"re.'
Il wish you would have done with
this ,rifling.'
Nothing was further from my
thoughts, Stella answer d, so gravely
that Nora said, in quite ditfe, ent tone !;
'You are not in love with either Of
them. then.
IL don't think ON. believe |
like Al-Mr. Douglast best; but the
Valcour fortune and family arms quite
balance my preference. SO you see |
am 10 dilemma. All There they are
now! We had better put on our iurs,
before We go down stairs, hadn't we !?
" hat a very great swell Major Val
cour's coachman is. It's handsome
sleigh, too.
Nora went to the wardrobe and got
out her hat and furs. AS she put them
on, preparatory TO ride with her cous-
in's rival suitors, she vented her feel
ipgs in the brief remark that Stella
was the queerest girl she ever met.
The gentlemen were waiting for them
in the sleigh at the front door, and 1t
was not long before the robes were
wrapped about them, and they were
off at a rattling pace on the road lead
ing out of the quaint old town.
1t was a clear, breezy day, but not
too cold for pleasure, and the ice boats
those swift winged sleighs SO common
on the Canadian rivers in winter
were skimming over the frozen surface
of tbe water like beautiful white gulls.
To see those dainty little vessels
mounted Oh runners, cutting along
over the Ice ut the rate OF sixty miles
an hour, thrilled Stella's venturesOme
soul with envy.
oh, | would give anything in the
world for a ride "n one of those boats,
she cried, with girlish extravagance,
and her sparkling EYES followed the
graceful movements of the trim little
ice feet.
Have you never ridden in one? Eu-
gene Volcour asked, in surprise.
No; but l have always wanted to.
should think it would be perfectly de.
lightful.'
lit is,' Valcour answered. we have
u boat, Miss Markham. If you
Ice boating is very dangerous
SPORT Alan Douglast observed, ,senten
tiously. You may dive into an air
hole, or capsize at any moment.