Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-04-08

kDelt beside me, his anxious eyes fixed
upon my face. put my arm about his
neck. and drew him towards me, ex.
claiming
''Oh, thank Heaven, you are safe,
deari We were so frightened
He bent his head to kiss me-, and thei,
saw that there had been more specta
tors of the scene than l had imagined.
! The tall figure of man was retreatinc
from the door, and I turned quickly to
Flo and whispered
/ "Who is that?''
/ "Only Mr.. Vaughan, dear" sbe an
swered. HE was very kind, and would
not return TO the drawing room until
he heard you were better"
Only Mr.. VaughanI l was SO pro-
voked that | straightway jumped up,
and, exclaiming, "COme We have been
idling here long enough" made few
/ steps towards the door
Frank, looking not little astonished
at my sudden change of manner, hast
ened to offer me his arm, and so we
reached the drawing room. As we en-
tered, became conscious of tall stall
wart figure standing beside my fathers
/ chair. OF course it was only Mr..
/ Vaughan, AMI, for the life OF me, |
could not raise my eyes when my brother
introduced him, but was glad to take
I refuge behind the tea-urn and concen-
trate my attention upon the tea-cups
and sugar-basin. l tried if could catch
a glimpse of his face and draw my con-
/ clusions accordingly. Certainly my
evil star was in the ascendant tonight!
I He was looking at me-looking me full
I in the face! | felt myself crimson 10
/ the very roots of my hair as my ewes
I fell before the keen searching glance of
his bright dark-gray orbs.
This little incident put the finishing
stroke to my discontinue. During the
rest of the night distinguished myself
by profound silence.
Oh. how grateful l felt when Frank,
pity ing my weary looks, proposed that
Flo and | should be permitted to retirel
| could have Rugged him for very thank
fulness. When l was away from the
scrutinilng glances of those bright
gray eyes, my self-possesSion returned,
and "Richard was himself again"
Come into nv room, Flo, ~ pleaded
-''the fire is quite good still; and tell
me how they escaped. Recollect, I've
not heard one word about 1t, and I'm
dying to know"
''From fear of such catastrophe as
your death, "said Flo, laughing, 81 sup
pose I'm bound TO satisfy your curios-
ity."
She took low chair beside the fire
and shook out the rich folds of royal
purple which became her so well.
ITO begin, then," she said, ''the &C.
cident, it appears, was of the most
trivial description. believe it was oc-
casioned by a small stone which lay con-
cealed under the snow upon the line-at
all events, two OF the carriages ran of
the rails, and were overturned into a
great drift. Only two persons were in
jured, and they not dangerously.
''And how was it that you all came
into the school-room?" | asked, turn
ing towards the fire that Flo might not
see my face.
''Oh, that was an accidentl'' she an
swered. ''You might have lain there
for an hour, you poor little Marion, only
for Mr.. Vaughan.
"Mr. Vaughan againl begin to
hate that man."
Frank volunteered to show him to
hrs room, and they left the drawing
room together, The candle was blown
out by a draught just as they reached
the schOOl-rOom door, and Frank came
back to re light 1t, leaving Mr.. Vaughan
il the corridor. He got tired of walt
ing, l suppose, and tried to make his
way farther by laying his hand on what
he supposed to be the wall. 1t was the
school-room door he touched, and 1t
gave way before his hand, making him
stumble forward into the room. Before
he had recovered his balance, his foot
struck against something on the floor;
and by the light of the candle, which
Frank brought just then, he saw that
you had tainted. He raised you p,and
help you whilst Frank ran in for me-
1t was we'll | had the prudence to |
conceal my face from Flo. She would
Lave made more than one arch Jest upon !
the changes which | felt pass over it
whilst she spoke.
Mr.. Vaughan is very fine-looking |
man," said Flo muslngly, after a short |
pause mot exactly handsome, but |
very distinguished-lookin and he has |
such honest, handsome eyes. don't |
think l have ever seen face that l
liked better. 1t is so frank and truth |
full. and gives you the impression that |
its owner is sound to the core. Do you |
know, Marion, l should like Herbert |
Vaughan immensely-for a brother-in- |
lawl"
| turned upon her with scarlet cheeks
and flashing eyes
FLO. how dare you say such a thing? |
| hate that manl'
sand why, my dear2" asked Flo,
quite amused by my indignant outbIrst. |
F'Why should you hate him? I'm sure
he admires you very much; he scarcely |
took his eyes off you the whole night.
~ wish you wouldn't talk so absurdly, |
Flo," burst out hotly. "I'm not the |
only person who is stared at; It's well
known that young Mordaunt of the
Grange pays little heed to his prayers
when you are in church."
1t was Flo's turn to blush now; but |
she did not resent my hasty speech, and
only said gently
I'm AFRAID l must have vexed you
with my nonsense, Marion; but l did
not intend it, dear Forgive me-"
She bent forward to kiss me. The
kind action melted me, and / hid my
face IN her lap and burst into passionate
weeping.
Flo waited for while till my wild
sobs had partially ceased; and then she
said softly
.What is it, Marion? Tell me, little
sister,
And told her all-my terrible agony
of suspense, the manner in which it had
weakened my nerves, my bitter mortiti-
cation about the fainting-fit which had
TO lowed, augmented by the fact of Mr..
Vaughan's having witnessed it, and the
keen searching glance of his dark eyes
which completed my discontinue.
~ do SO hate doing anything conspic-
uous." l complained. II can't bear
the idea of facing that Mr.. Vaughan in
the morning."
Flo comforted me sweetly and kindly.
"You could not help falnting," she