Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-09-23

4
TOO an animated conversation thai
SHOWS no sign of tagging, and so fal
Affects her that she grows as eloquent
as ne does, and chatters to him gaily
Oh ner early years, before her spend
tnrift father was ruined and departed
TINS lie In anything but the odoul Of
sanctity, leaving his one little girl tC
DuiIet the waves of torture peupiless
and without protection. She tells him
TOO about her pictures, her success with
them, the prices received for them
She pours out the tea, and asks him
pleasantly il he takes sugar. during
all these condolences. and IS openly GLAD
when he says, "Yes, lots!" and alto.
gether they grow decidedly cosey and
sympathetic. There is pretty bunch
OF white sweet scented pinks In an in.
expensive bowl in the middle of theil
table, giving quite a festive air to the
entertainment. Marking her tender
appreciation of these homely flowers,
Sir Gerald makes another mental note
that will ensure his attendance at his
florists on the morrow.
And do you mean to tell me" he
says presently, with earnest concern,
that your father LETT you with-with
nothing but
But what my fingers can earn?"
"Well, yes"
mot altogether quite, - she says with
bright smile. 81 have a little-nOt
anything to signify, you know. but still
little"
II have always so wanted to know
what "a little MEANS" says Sir Gerald
liking his elbow on the table, and his
chin on his palm, and his eyes on her.
The knowledge that there is indelIcacy
IN his question does not deter hIm from
making it. To know how it Is with
her in all matters, great and small is
now the sworn object of his life.
"In my case," replies she simply, sit
means twenty pounds a year"
"Ahl" He stoops suddenly and brush.
es some imaginary dust from his boots;
then, with an effort-''I dare say it,
"Oh, it is the greatest help to meln
interrupts she brightly, leaning across
the table to him, herlips smiling. 81
can never feel quite poor as long as
have that, you see"
"No-of course not"
II have really-well, not everything
l want, to be sure," she goes on, with
heavenly content, "but still many things
that-that others perhaps have not.
There is poor girl, for instance, that
l know-the friend 1 was expecting
this evening But 1 mustn't tease
Won. must I?,,
"It doesn't tease me. Tell me of
your friend"
SIT is her spine, poor thing! She lives
next door, and some time she creeps in
to me; but it is all she can do. The
only thing she has now to comfort her
are her books; but she has so few Of
them. She had a cousin who used to
lend her volumes from library but she
died this year; and now there Is no one,
and she is too poor to subscribe herself.
All she can do now is to lie on her sofa
the livelong day and think over again
the stories she has read. And she is so
patientl Isn't it sad2"
Sir Gerald makes another mental
note that will take him to Nudes on
the morrow. But his silence dist urbs
her.
81 have worried you," she says con-
tritely. with my one acquaintance and
my many troubles; let us think now Of
something more interesting to you"
81 don't think we can," returns Sir
Gerald.
'How quickly the days die, even
nowi" she says presently, without pre-
meditsted thought. But, when she
has said it-as If some sudden displea-
sing certainty comes to her-a shadow
crosses her beautiful face.
He is quick to see it.
81 have little message 1 must de-
liver to my sister before the daylight
fades" he says pleasantly. rising slow
ly. LET me say, then, au reuOir-not
goodbye, as 1 trust we shall meet again
and soon."
1t is very sOon-and very often too.
There is something haunting about her
face which draws him to 1t day after
day. Flowers rare and fragrant make
sweet her tiny room, and her sick friend
is made happy by all the latest, best
books the library can provide.
1t is one of those rare, glad, coveted
evenings when he feels he may go to
see her in her own home.
81 have been SO fortunate about my
last picture" says Esther HOrrOcks.
coming up to him with eager childish
excitement in her tone as he enters her
room. ~ thought you would never
come; wanted 50 to tell you. Yet l
knew you would, because you promised
What do you think? Mr.. Isaacs has
given me seven guineas for IT, though
for the last, as told you, he gave me
only five."
Generous Isaacsl"
Something in his tone strikes her 80
forclbly as to change the expression on
her face. Her smile fades; she looks
at him with embarrassed scrutiny.
Losing a little of his self-control be-
meath her reproachful glance, he says
81 cannot bear to see you wasting
your whole life for SO paltry return
for a mere nothingl'
The eager gladness has quite died out
or her eyes now.
sit is not for nothing" she says
gravely. 81 know many who ="
"Yes, 1 know''-irritably-'get less
than you do. You bate me, don't you,
because l cannot be glad of your druid
geryP And so you think you will make
your fortune, aud it will be-"
Sufficient for me-" interrupts she,
with cold dignity.
''It will not" He goes step nearer
to her, and there is strange passion in
his tone. "How should girl like you
know what is sufficient for herp / tell
you-"
Tell me nothing" says Esther, in
slightly frozen tone. She is strangely
hurt. Until tonight he has always been
20 kind, 50 sympathetic, so glad OF her
small success.
A silence falls between them.
Esther" says Sir Gerald at last-it
s the first time he has called her by
her Christian name, and she starts as
aer heart gives heavy tbrob, and turns
aside lest he should see the pallor of her
ips-''as you are bent on making this
enormous fortune you speak Of off your
,wn bat''-this with an attempt at
ightness-'1et me tell you something.
met to-day IA friend of mine, and
If amateurs too In the painting line
he has seen something Of yours some
where, and he is most anxious you
,hould paint him head, landscape
fact, everything. L never
,aw a fellow so In earnest. or so anxious |