Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-05-19
having first-rate time down In the

/ - %esS aOWh lllt
country.
Miss Cora was model hostess and
housekeeper-the very memory Of hei
! dinners, and antlcipations of breakfasts
and lunches made his mouth water. fig.
uratlvely, of course. Then there wa:
Pml-the very best sort of chum, who
poth knew now to entertain him anG
let him alone. And also Madge, whom
he or no one else ever dreamed of call
ing Miss" Pretty, boyish, graceful
independent Madge, with saucy eyes,
that he knew would melt some day and
saucy lips, that would murmur allie.
glance when the master came. He
admired her-as far as she would allow
him, which wasn't very far. Then she
would dash off on her wicked black
pony, at break-neck speed, and he would
say aloud, very carelessly-
What an odd girl your sister is
Miss Castleton," and inwardly invoke
all good spirits of earth and air to bring
her home with her head still on hel
shoulders. 1t had amused him moi
a little when Phil had laughingly told
him the sobriquet Madge had tackled to
him. And yet, away down in his heart
was little Pang of pain that she had
no higher estimation of him. And then
came an equally severe paDg OF
sarcastic bitterness, to think he-he,
the grave, the reticent, the "Particuial
Dignity" should be such a fool as tc
care what Madcap Madge called him.
But her saucy eyes, her roguish
mouth, her matchless grace, her
glorious disregard OF conventional
things, and the whole covered with
such delicious veil of innate delicacy
and modesty, had conquered. all uncon.
sclously, this Richard Arlington. And
It was this very fact, and the stubborn
ness of the case, that he was looking
at, as he sat smoking by the window.
ten minutes after Madge and her pony
had dashed off for their morning scour
of the country. He was recalling how
perfectly beautiful she had looked in
her riding habit-dark blue cloth and
smoked pearl buttons. He remem.
bered every curve of her faultleSs
figure, so giriish, 50 graceful. He
remembered the glimpse of dainty
buttoned boot, and the firm, yet appar-
emily careless grasp Of her gauntleted
hand on the white reins. Then a sum-
mons from below stairs dispelled the
half-delightful, half-piinful reyerie.
1t was Phil's voice loud, CHEEKY.
''DIck-come, you're not extra busy
and lazy, as am.''
He tossed his cigar into the receiver,
and went down the broad, delightfully."-
cool stairs till he reached the library,
where he found Phil ''buSy" in per-
forming the same duty he had just fin
ished, laughingly scolded him for his
letter and went slowly up again. 1t
was business letter that he was read
ing, that he finished just rs he arrived
opposite the door, and opened and
entered. There was g cheque in the
letter and an unsigned receipt to be re-
| turned by post, and without raising his
eyes, he made straight tor his desk
between the front windows to find-not
a desk, but a marble-top bureau, that
| bore unmlstakable signs of Madge s
late presence, in the dainty, perfumed
| handkerchief, the scarlet ribbon she
had worn at breakfast, and broad
| brimmed straw hat he had seen her
wear many time. For a second his
breath fairly stopped, and a flush
came over his handsome face, TO think
of the mistake he had committed
blundering into Madge's room instead
of his own. Then, conscious OF the
blamelessness of his mistake, 1t oc-
CURED to him how neat, how thor
oughly womanly everything was, from
the snow-white counterpane and ruffied
and blnded slips, to the dainty little
kid slippers standing coquettlshly where
Madge had left them. 1t seemed odd
Madge to condescend to wear slippers,
and it gave him a thrill OF actual
delight to discover this trait of temer-
ity in her; and grave, proud, loving
Dick actually stopped down and
caressei them with a strange 1uttering
OF his heart. Somehow, the very quiet,
the very peacefulnesS of the scene
charmed him. He dreaded to go away,
and yet-what business had he there?
He looked around, taking in every
detail with loving eyes, and then,
in the same spirit of alteration, picked
up the jaunty straw hat, that was
looped up on one side with long feather
grasses and ferns. He handled it very
gingerly, turning it over and over;
then smiled. "I tis for all the world like
sOmbrero / wore once-mlnus the
grasses. That was ten years ago, when
| visited Spain. looked frst-rate in
that hat then; 1 wonder if I've grown
older and ug'lier? I've two minds to
-;ust try this on, and put myself to
L test"
He glanced towards the door that led
to the hall, and heard no one com."s.
He glanced towards the back entrance
that led into the back stairs that
entered the library, and it was deserted
in that quarter. Then he put Madge's
hat on his curly hair in very becom-
ing, rakish manner that quite recon-
ciled him to the ten aided years OF his
life. There was nothing vain or
womanish about him, but yet he quite
enioyed the effect he had produced,
and stood looking, half amused, half
ashamed, thinking such odd, strange
thoughts that he was fairly petrihed
when he heard voice on the stairs,
and clear. sweet girlish voice that
came nearer and nearer.
I'm a minute, Cora. III be there In
a minute. Pm only going to my room
a minute"
The cold sweat started to Arlington's
face in a perfect shower of drops.
Madge on the stairs. and he, the incar-
nation all that was dIgnifed, in her
room, with her hat on, and no way OF
escape. TIL pattering boot-heels came
nearer and Dicks heart beat fearfully.
He snatched at the hat, bus the elastic
was fast in his curly harr, and refused
to leave, even at the price of lock
with it. His face was pale with confu-
sion and desperation. Then, not
SECOND before Madge entered the door,
he made frantic dash for the back
stair door, whose situation just occurred
TO him, and found himself in a dark
wardrobe instead of the passageway.
But it was a respite, merciful one,
notwithstanding the fact that he
couldn't stand straight up without
endangering Madge's obstinate hat,
and SO he stood there, as best he could,
with his hand on the dcor-knob,