The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-03-06
Select gtorg.
WITNESSED BY TWO.

| WI IINGSSGD - W.
English Illustrated Magazine.
"But o-morrow-to-morrow you will
keep for me. L may expect you at the
usual time p said young Mrs. Medway to
her old friend, Major Graham, as she shook
hands with him.
Tomorrow Certainly, have kept it
for you, Anne. / always said | should, u
he answered. There was a slight touch
of reproach in his tone.
She lifted her eyes for half a second to
his face, as if she would have said more
But after all it was only the words ''Good-
bye, then, till tomorrow" that were utter
ed, quietly and almost coldly, as Major
Graham left the room.
81 can't quite make Anne out some
times" he said to himself ''She is surely
very cold. And yet l know she has real
affection for me-sisterly affection, sup
pose All, well so much the better But
still, just when fellows off for Heaven
knows how long-and- altogether it
does seem little overstrained. She can't
but know what might have come to pass
had we not been separated for so long-or
had been richer, and [ don't think she
could have been exactly in love with Med
way, though by all accounts he was very
decent fellow. She is so inconsistent, too
she seemed really disappointed when l
said couldn't stay to-day. But I'm a
fool to think so much about her. l am as
Door as ever, and she is rich. A fatal bar
rier It's good thing that she is cold,
and that have plenty of other matters
to think about"
And thus congratulating himself he dis
missed, or believed that he dismissed, for
the time being, all thought of Anne Med
way from his mind. 1t was true that he
had plenty of other things to occupy it
with, for the day after tomorrow was to
see his departure from England for an in
definite period.
Mrs Medway meantime sat sadly and
silently in the library where Major Graham
had left her. Her sweet gray eyes were
fixed on the fire burning brightly and
cheerfully in the waning afternoon light,
but she saw nothing about her. Her
thoughts were busily travelling along road
which had grown very familiar to them of
late; she was recalling all her past inter-
course with Kenneth Graham since the
time when, as boy and girl, they had
scarcely remembered that they were not
''real'' brother and sister; all through the
pleasant years of frequent meeting and un-
constrained companionship to the melan-
choly day when Kenneth was ordered to
India, and they bade each other long
farewell That was ten years ago now,
and they had not met again till last spring,
when Major Graham returned to find his
old playfellow a widow, young, rich and
lovely, but lonely in sense-save that she
had two children-for she was without near
relations and was not the type of woman to
make quick or numerous friendships. The
renewal of the old relations had been very
pleasant only too pleasant Anne had of
late begun to think. For the news of
Kenneth's having decided to go abroad
again had made her realize all he had be-
come to her, and the discovery brought
with it sharp misgivings and even humilia-
ton.
"He does not care for me-not as 1 do
for him." she was saying to herself as she
sat by the fire. "There would have been
no necessity for his leaving England again
had he done so. 1t cannot be that | am
rich and he poor, surely? He is not the
sort of man to let such mere accident
as that stand in the way if he really cared
for me. No, it is that he does not care for
me except as a sort of sister. But still
he said he had kept his last evening for
me-at least he cares for no one else more,
and that is something. Who knows
Perhaps tomorrow, when it comes to really
saying goodbye and faint flush Of
renewed hope rose to her cheeks and a
brighter CLEAN to her eyes.
The door opened, and gray-haired man
servant came in gently.
II beg your pardon, ma'am," he said,
apologetically; 81 was not sure if Major
Graham had gone. Will he be here to
dinner, if you please?"
"Not tonight, Ambrose I shall be
quite alone. But Major Graham will dine
here tomorrow does not leave until
Thursday morning"
"Very well, maam," said Ambrose, as
he discreetly retired.
He had been many years in the Medway
household. He had respected his late
master, but for his young mistress he had
actual affection, and being of somewhat
sentimental turn, he had constructed for
her benefit very pretty little romance,
of which Major Graham was the hero 1t
had been real blow to poor Ambrose to
learn that the gentleman in question was
on the eve of his departure without any
sign of satisfactory third volume, and he
was rather surprised to see that Mrs. Med
way seemed this evening in better spirits
than for some time past.
'It's maybe understood between them
selves" he reflected, as he made his way
back to his own quarters. II am sure
hope so, for he's real gentleman, and
she's as sweet lady as ever stepped, which
/ should know if any one should-having
seen her patience with poor master, as was
really called for through his long Illness
She deserves happy ending, and I'm sure
l hope she may have it, poor lady"
Tomorrow at the usual time" meaning
5 o'clock or thereabout, brought Kenneth
for his last visit. Anne had been expecting
him with an anxiety she was almost ashamed