The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-02-04
NELLIE THE DANGEROUS

Is not cOquelte-aJ leaSl, Ill Ile
ordinary acception of the term. She
has an exceeding desire to be liked,
to be petted ; to be something more
than Il mere acquaintance of those
whom she adrnires. She is a gener-
al iavoritc among women, unless
they change TO be jealous of her
though how she manages that, doubt
less you will soon be able to tell
better than ! but with men she
has the art of finding out the thing
in which you specially desire to
shine, and to appreciate you in that
thing. For instance, keen little
thing that she is, she discovered
what my wife don't know yet, that
| ar not very proud Of my scllb-
bling, think it, in fact, very poor
stuff; indeed but like to be con-
sidered as a man of fine taste and
keen perceptions and sympathies.
1t didn't take Nellie more than three
times to find that, and she is always
appealing to those supposed quail
ties. know perfectly all the time
she was playing with me; that is
only her way of making herself
agreeable; that she isn't overwhelm-
ingly anxious for my approval that
she isn't occupied when away from
me in picturing to herself all my
good and winning qualities, and yet
like it. When she is looking at
me in her soft, appealing way, she
can twist me around her finger"
Viva gave little sigh.
"And you say she is coming this
afternoon ?"
eyes she will be here to supper"
Nellie came, dressed simply
enough in black-a very pretty girl,
fair, but not blonde, with brown
hair, brushed away from the calm,
wide forehead ; gray, cheerful eyes,
and a face in general outline Of feat
ure not altogether unlike that OF
Marie Stuart,
She was quiet, almost silent. The
girls looked at one another as who
should say: "Is this the paragon
whom we were to dread?' and arch
ed brows and pursed-up mouths in
pretty contempt at me, not seeing as
l did, that Nellie was simply taking
their gauge and survey of her po-
sition.
She felt instinctly certain stand
oflishness assumed toward her by
the feminine element, and set her
self to combat it ; found in less than
a week Il hundred ways of being use
full and entertaining. She was skill
ful in devising ways in which to af-
ford the girls tete-d-tetes with their
respective particulars" )" behaved, in
short, more like a grandmother than
belle of 20; won them all over,
including Bell, who seemed to like
her grudgingly and under protest,
and then was ready for action.
During her week Of quiescence
there had been, though she had APP
peared unconscious of the fact, mas
culine observers. They had seen
that she was not only lovely, but af-
ter that piquant fashion which de
pends much on expression, and
keeps you busy studying it.
She sang sweetly, played well
conversed delightfully."-, had a keen
eye and soft touch grew on you, in
short strengthened her hold upon
you day by day.
One thing, however, puzzled me-
an unusual languor, almost timidity
in Nellie, and Otto Winstanley's al
most incomprehensible conduct.
He had joined in none of the con-
versation anticipatory of her arrival,
and when she was presented there
was a start and a sudden dark up
leaping of color and feeling to his
face as he muttered something about
previous acquaintance.
think no one else observed OBJ
served this or the fact that his indol-
ent Irritation with Bell glowed with
sudden and unaccountable ardol
since Nellie's arrival. Perhaps, also
no one else remarked that he GER
tainly treated Miss Middleton with
downright rudeness and neglect
or thought to ask themselves if q
man was apt to be rude and neglect.
ed towards a sweet and winning Cir
to whom he was perfectly indiffer
ent.
But be that as it might, two slow
weeks went, and | saw no more
clearly into the mystery than ! hac
done at first But one evening Mel
lie came and sat down beside me il
the twilight.
She sat very still, looked ever