The Wahpeton times., 1886-11-18

bula" as we assembled the stairs.
noticed during the next few days
that Gerald found q great many
reasons for going to SPEAK to Mrs.
Robbins in her apartments. Nothing
could exceed his ingenuity in discover
ing small items which needed her at
tention. Then it suddenly had oc-
Cured to him that he had heard
during the last few days that she and
her daughter were fond of going to the
theater, and he was thoughtful enough
to provide tickets for them taking
care to reserve q seat near them for
himself
Gerald tried to laugh off my insinu.
ations as to his being in love with
Miss Maggie, but the fact was quite
apparent, and knew the struggle be-
tween pride and affection which pre.
vented him from declaring his attach.
ment.
An event soon occurred which
brought matters to q crisis. A tall,
fne.looking man called at our studio
one morning and seemed particularly
struck with some of Gerald's pictures.
In the course of conversation he in.
formed him that he was already the
possessor of two of his best pictures,
which three years before had made q
sensation in the exhibition at the acad.
emy. After purchasing a little sketch
my friend had just completed he left
us, and we heard him stop and speak
to Mrs. Robbins on his way down
stairs. But I was greatly surprised
and Gerald horribly dismayed when
we saw him ten minutes afterward
enter his carriage with Maggie and
drive away.
Gerald paced up and down the room
in Il flry OF jealousy. My curiosity
was considerably aroused us to the
nature OF Maggie's acquaintance with
the stranger.
II am determined to ask her why
she went out with the fellow, and who
he is, directly she returns" growled
Gerald.
Have you any right to be so in.
quisitive?' ventured to suggest.
'Perhaps not, except that she
knows I love her better than any one
else, and that intended asking her to
be my wife, he retorted, passionate
ly.
"What! marry a girl in her sta.
tion?" was the question which rose
naturally to my lips.
"Oh, hang family pride in this case!
] am now rich enough to fling it aside
for once and marry a girl who will, ]
know, make me happy. Besides, Mag
gle is a perfect lady. Yet l do not
understand why she drives out with
that stranger" retorted Gerald.
The lover sat anxiously at the win.
dow watching for her return. An hour
passed, and he grew gradually more
wretched. At length the carriage
drove up to the door. It contained
no Maggie, but the coachman handed
note to Mrs. Robbins. Gerald rush.
ed eagerly down stairs and exclaimed,
as he met the housekeeper:
"Where is Maggie gone?"
For answer she placed the note in
his hand. 1t was written in haste, and
was from Maggie. It ran as follows:
DEAR Mr.. DE VOIssY: Allow me to
thank you for your kind attention
during my stay in New York. 1 have
been unexpectedly obliged to return
to Long Branch, and cannot, there
fore, have the pleasure OF bidding you
goodbye, except by letter.
Yours truly, MAGGIE.
This was all the information poor
Gerald could CLEAN concerning the girl
he loved, for Mrs. Robbins would an.
swer no questions, and when at length
he spoke of his affection for her daugh
ter her face expanded into smiles, and
she told him not to lose hope, because
she believed all would be we'll, and that
Maggie returned his affection. She nd.
vised him to write her @ few lines,
which she promised to post. The re.
suit was an effusion of mingled jeai.
ousy and love from Gerald, which Mrs.
Robbins forwarded that night. The
next afternoon the stranger who had
caused my companion such anxiety
again called, and we were barely civil
TO him, until he handed Gerald a note
from Maggie, inviting him and me
warmly to return with the bearer to
Long Branch, where she was staying.
We needed no time for reflection, but
started at once, full OF anxious cur iosi.
ty. Our visitor was strangely silent
on the journey. Only a roguish smile
twinkled in his eye as he evaded our
questions. We both were lost in con.
lectures as to what would happen
next. At last we arrived at a certain
well-known large hotel, and followed
the stranger into a handsomely fur.
nished private sitting-room."
''1f you will be seated gentlemen, ]
will tell Maggie you are here" he said
as he left the room.
In q few moments he returned. They
had seemed hours of torture to Ger
aid. He led Maggie up to him, and
with a mock gravity, said:
"Allow me to introduceyou to a ca
pricious young lady in her real char
acter. This is my daughter, Marga-
ret Livingston, known to you both, l
believe, as Maggie Robbins"
We were speechless with surprise,
and look of intense relief passed over
Gerald's face. Maggie, Laughing and
blushing, was very reticent IN answer
ing our inquiries as to the meaning OF
the delusion rracticed on us. Later
on, when she and Gerald were engaged,
with her fathers consent, the whole
truth became known to us.
Mrs. Robbins was her foster-mother,
and when she wanted to spend a few
days in New York she frequently staid
with her. Mr.. Livingston was wild
over and disliked the city, SO he sell
dom accompanied his daughter there.
Maggie confessed, to our surprise,
that she had known Gerald we'll by
sight and had heard q great deal Of
him from one of her girl friends before
he had met her.
For myself privately conjectured
that Miss Maggie had fallen in love
wit h NV handnnnoa friond l,oforo o,,o.,