The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-06-04
Friend and Lover.
CONSTANCE RosLYgs CHOICE.


Here isa beautiful. charming girl. with
/ plenty of this worlds goods. ready to
/ iall INTO your arms for the asking. You
are not man to dcspise this worlds
| goods, Allan. | don't know any one
| who would use them 10 more advantage.
| And-it would I've weight of my mind
| 10 see Constance provided for"
No fear that fifty men will not he
only too glad To relieve you of your re-
| sponsibility."
won't argue with you. II is not a
question Of fifty other men. You know
| perfectly well what IL NIL amounts To. "
Yes this; that you are willing to do
| your hest to help your husbands broth
er lwho has made rather fist of life SO
far to a rich wife"
IL am willing to admit that YOU have
not succeeded In the world as well as
You should have done. II has been this
disappointment. How do dctcst that
woman
Mrs. Cameron was no lukcwarm friend
when her synpathies were once aroused.
She had AN enduring regard for Allan
Cameron. Had he not stood Ivy her
through sore matrimonial trialsY Had
he not been more than many a brother
might have been 10 hpry She had cnttse
to like him. II was not unreasonable To-
conclude that sh' could not better pro.
mote her little cousins happiness than
10y marrying her to Allan.
Few more words We're spoken between
them until they crossed the threshold
of the Cameron home.
81 fancy that was a case of love ut
first sight, Cameron said. then-"Con-
stance and that handsome young Me-
'phcrson.n
"No doubt-on his part. Constance
u not so susceptible. Well, goOd-by.
You will bring her to me Tomorrow"
The next DAY Cameron accomplished
his erIaud with hearty goodwill. He
had an aiiectionate interest in Con-
stance altogether apart from other con-
siderations. During the four years that
he had known her she had been in the
habit of coming to him with her theo-
ries, sprculations. literary loves aud
hates. They had talked about hooks to-
gcther, read poetry together. lie had
read hers, Had even criticised it
very tayOrably, of course, or perhaps
they might not have remained such
good friends or her opinion of his judg-
ment continued to be SO favorable. She
had been all the more ilattered by his
praise because she knew he had other
moods, and because she had had expert
ence of his cynicism and sarcasm when
other topics came up: more personal
topics involving men and women around
him with whom he was on chemically
bad terms.
But he wasi in particularly bland hui
NOR when he arrived ut the convent and
found her waiting for him in her soft
gray travelling costume, Her eyes were
red, to hc sure, and she cried still more
before she had accomplished her adicuX
to her convent friends. But il was AS
tonishing how rapidly her grief was dis
PEELED rs soon MS she and Mr.. Cameron
were on their way. She felt very crate
ful to him for the cheerful tact with
which he diverted the current of her
thoughts and diSCOuIsod upon indiller-
ent topics until she had rcgaincd her
compOsure. He told her about the ac-
tress then most popular In New York,
and promised To take her to see this per-
sonagc the following evening. He told
her of Il new novel which he had bought
for her, and which awaited her arrival
in her own room at her cousins II
want your opinion of it, he said. Il
shall not give you mine until | hear
whether we agree Long before they
reached their destination Constance was
all smiles and sunshine again.
Mrs. ClmerOn'S coupe was waiting
for Them and drove them rapidly
home; for this was actually COnstance's
going home. Mr.. Cameron saw her in
side the house, then said gOOd-by. II
have an engagement for this evening"
he said. But | will see you tomorrow
Mrs Cameron is Out?' to the servant.
That is too bad, Miss Cunstauce; but,
after all, 1t Will he Just as well to wait,
and so on. And of course you feel quite
at home here Good-by, again.'
Constance was not 50 sure about feel
ing at home as she followed a maid up
stairs. But she was accustomed to taxi
ing care of herself; in fact, she had had
not only to do this, but To take care also
Of an invalid mother all through her
childhood, until she had been left an
orphan four years and Il half ago. She
sighed little as she took off her hat
and gloves and began to set her travel
ing toilet 10 rights. She knew pretty
well how her cousin regarded her-an
encumbrance, upon the whole, whom
she would do as well by as she could,
but who would always be little In her
way. by way of amusing herself she
changed her gown, arraying herself in
pink organdie which was somehow
straightway converted by her great
beauty into sumptuOuS array. She had
scarcely effected this transformation
when she heard Mrs. Cameron's. voice
in the lower hall. She ran down impul-
Mrs. Cameron did not relax, however,
from her customary even dignity.
"Ah-so you have come. Did Allan
go? An engagemcntY am sorry-fOr
you will find us old people very dun COM
| pany, fear. What pretty gown that
is.-very girlish and gay. But you will
| have to tone down your culOrs now that
| you are young lady grown. We are
all wearing very subdued tints in the
world now.n
This in composed tones which never
theless seemed rasping to Constance.
II have decided preference for de-
cided colors. MOL don't think | shall
tone down. | like individuality in dress
as in everything else"
At which Mrs Cameron simply arched
her eyebrows very proyokingly. For
| tunately, Mr.. Cameron arrived oppor-
timely. He and Constance were very
| good friends, and he greeted her warm
| ly. lie was tall, iine-looking man
with iron-gray hair and mustache and u
| courtly manner. In her secret soul one
cause of discomfort against her little
| cousin with Mrs. Cameron was the cor
| dial understanding between herself and
| her host. Colonel Cameron had always
found an irresistible attraction in a
| pretty face, and would to his dying day.
| lie smiled upon Constance, and devot-
| ed himself To her entertainment as, alasl
he never did to that of his wife. And
| the sitter and more uncOmprOmising
did Cousin Margaret become, the more
genial and charming waXed her hus-
band. All of which Constance perfect
| ly well understood and noted, and ! am
sOrry to say derived fresh incentive to
be ooquettish and engaging herself from