The Mineral argus., 1884-10-23

I she was engaged into a bundle, escaped
with it into her own apartment.
When this scene took place the after
noon was already pretty far advanced,
and the month being Nav, 1t was not
very late when the sun finally departed
behind the western hills. Trevor could
nc longer see Ia paint, but he fingered
on in the studio, gazing dreamily at his
picture till If was nearly dark.
At last ne shook himself back into
reality, and raising some portleres which
divided the studio from the dwelling
room in which he and Barbara usually
sat, ne went in, sturck a match and
lighted a lamp which stood on his own
particular writing table.
Il wonder if she will GOMEZ almost
hope she Will not. Till this prejudice
of cousin Bab's is overruled l must try
andkeep her from the house. / would
not for worlds that she should know
that Bah has ta,1en fancies into her head
about her"
And, half murmuIing his thoughts
aloud, he proceeded to answer two or
thres business letters which had ar
rived during the day. One of them
necessitated reference to some old pa
pers, and, taking a key from his pocket,
lie unlocked the side drawer ofhis table
and began to look for the documents he
required.
So absorbed was he in his search, or
the subject that caused it, that for the
time Madge Craigie and the trouble
with Cousin Barbara was forgotten.
1t was not till a light hand was laid
on his shoulder and a ripping laugh
fell on his ear that ne looked up from
the open drawer into the sweet face OF
the lady who had bewitched him.
ais this what you call meeting me by
the garden gate and bringing me in to tea
with Cousin Bah? Look you, sir, L
have a mind to be very angry"
mot with me tonight, sweet lady. L
have had much to trouble and vex me
"a letter here which gives me endless
worry. Beside, Cousin Bah has gone
to bed-she is not we'll"
"Gone to bedi Oh, then, L ought
not to have come, 1 suppose"
"Since you are here, however, you
will not go. Let us chat together for a
little; later on / Will see you home"
And he rolled an easy chair to where
she stood and invited her to sink down
into its softness, for Trevor Lane was
a sybarise in his home. Madge Craigie
obeyed him, and, tossing her straw hat
from her head to the ground, lay back
among soft cushions-her golden, wavy
hair and white skin forming a striking
contrast to their crimson hue.
For a moment or two he sat and gazed
at her In mute admiration, till her mer-
nv laugh recalled him to himself.
Zone would think that / Inn a picture
"a lovely picture" she said, instead
Of"
$50 you are a picture-a lovely pic
ture-the embodiment of my perfect
ideal. Say, Madge, beautiful Madge,
will you be my own, my wife, my very
true, devoted, loving wlfe?"
She looked into his eyes, still laugh
ing:
and devotion and tenderness you seem
to require. And pray may 1 ask how
much you intend to give in return J"
my thoughts by day, my dreams by
night-everything 1 have shall be yours
if only You will consent. My dearest
Madge, do not keep me in suspense, but
tell ne"
"Stop your raphsodies, foolish, man
Believe me, / am not worth them. I'll
acknowledge, however, that / am rather
fond of you, perhaps on account of the
spontaneity there is about you. Hope
it will last, though-there, don't gush
again. I believe you'll try and be true
to me, and7-with more seriousness Of
mannerA-'I will never be false to you.
He tried to take her in his arms but
she repulsed him gently, bidding him
be rational and discuss their future
prospects calmly, and so, for awhile
they did, no illusion being made tC
Cousin Barbara, or the part she wa
likely to play in their lives.
On a sudden Madge's eye fell on The
open drawer.
"Wilfrid Lanel' she exclaimed point
! ing to some papers on which that nam'
was written. "Wilfrid Lane? is he
relation of yours? How odd / should
never have thought of that before"
"Why? DO you know him?
81 know Wilfrid Lanel As well a
though ne were my own brother"
= "How strangel He is my half
brother"
eyes, he is much older than you are
When did you see him last?"
az have not seen him for sever
years"
" "Ahl of course; he is always abroad
But you go abroad sometimes; why no
/ to see your brother ?"
t "There have been family differences
Mad0a