The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-04-11
the two women as they sat talking to-

the two women as they sat talking to- gether.
 Sydonie managed the whole business, as she did everything which fell to her lot, with perfect self-possession and grace, and without any betrayal of conscious ness that she was observed-a fact of which she was, however, fully aware.
 "l do not know if your husband has mentioned my name to you as that of an old friend, Mrs. Dalzell ?" she said, hold ing out her hand to the bride. have known him for great many years, but it is quite possible that he has never had time to tell you of all his former ac- quaintances, so must introduce myself Il am Sydonie Marvel"
 Her name created less effect than she expected. The young bride rose and took her hand shyly, and rather awk- wardly.
 "I don't think have ever heard it," she made answer evidently divided be- tween truth and courtesy. "But am very glad to know you"
 " There is foolish belief" said Syd- onie, gathering courage from the others evident ignorance and embarrassment, that wives invariably dislike and distrust their husbands old friends. l always deny the truth of those general state ments, and l am sure they do not apply in your case
 Beatrice D ,lzell said that she hoped not, and then relapsed into silence. She had been brought up in happy but con- ventional home, where society talk was limited to certain saf. subj jects, and where a discussion of general principles would have been considered as being in very bad taste-almost as much so as dis cussion on religion or politics.
 Miss Marvel at once understood her companions state of mind, and altered her tone as she sat down by her side on the low sofa.
 "I think you met MT. Dllzell abroad last year; was it in Switz erland 2"
 "No; we were both in the Black Forest at little village where there was some very good fishing, which both my uncle and MT. Dalzell enjoyed"
 Oh, he was always devoted fisher man and you-did you fsh?"
 Beatrice smiled, showing a row of teeth as white and regular as her companions. s. She was as much amused as child who is startled at the notion that you do not know his nurses name, or some other fact ofsupreme importance to himself.
 "No, don't fish, but Alison and l used to work and read together. Alison is my sister,"
 You are lucky to have a sister," sighed Miss Marvel; she felt sure that now she had found tue note to which this quiet commonplace nature would vibrate, and she was little startled when B Beatrice bluntly asked:
 Have not you one 7"
 "Oh, yes; but we are separated by many, many miles of sea and land" !. .atrice's face sofened into sympathy she had never dreamt that there could be a division between sisters, wider than the widest continent, deeper than the deepest sea, and Sydonie was not inclined to ex- plain. She went on with her interroga- tive conversation, which she had her own reason for pursuing.
 hope you enjoyed the Black Forest did you stay there long?"
 We left on September I7th-j ust after we were engaged" Mrs. D4lzell re- piled, with a certain pride in her engage. ment.
 "Ah, the country must have been lock- ing beautiful then," and Sydonie made a rapid calculation. Her letter Of Septem- Der I3th must have reached Leonard two ! days later. and it must have been while !. he was still smarting from the effects oi it-or rather when he was crushed by . the suddenness and bitterness of the blow . that he had rushed into this engage . ment. Sydonie felt that her heart grew , warmer to her rival.
 . When the men came up from the
 dining-room, Leonard paused near the door to look at the two women in conver. ; sation with one another. They formed a
 pretty picture as the light fell upon theii /; graceful figures. No one would have = denied the beauty of the younger lady
 Beatrice could count at least ten years r fewer than Sydonie her features were
 more regular, her cheeks more rounded I her color brighter but the elder woman ! had grace of expression always chang. 9 ing, look of fragile delicacy, and an ex s quisitely formed hand and arm, which
 gave her considerable advantage ove 3 her companion. She was not dressed iv s white, as she generally loved to be- n Leonard noticed this with sur prise--bu
 in some soft, clinging, black material, re }, lieved here and there with punches of ex ) quisite halfblown, pale-pink roses, on, s or two of which had dropped their petal. a upon her dark drapery. He had neve n seen her look so strangely charming be !. fore. What contrast she was to tn. c stiff figure beside her, in it's fashionably t trimmed skirts and it's unrelieved white r Sydonie had carefully studied hel a dress for that evening, having avoided 3 the usual whiteness of her attire from s 0 desire to escape comparison with q
 younger and fairer rival, who would have 9 eclipsed her less brilliant charms. Blu, r whatever her motive, she had succeeded
 to perfection-in one mans eyes at least "l have been talking to your wife," she ? said in low tone, when he came up tc her side "I must tell you how much f like her. We shall see a great deal o
 one another, l hope"
 . "I hope so too. It will be great grati 6cation te me to feel that you are friends And in return will won do ometh;nc