The Washington critic., 1888-02-11

bird had settled himself permanently
due south. About the house was q
subdued air of welcome and festivity,
and the opening of the distant kitchen
door sent delicious whiffs through the
old-fashioned hail.
The Misses Macilvaine sat in their
usual places, trying to work, but they
gave 1t up and looked expectantly out
of the windows, where the sunlight
fell on the soft, green lawn. Miss
Penelope spoke.
''I wonder il she ia much changed 2
She has had hard life, and at
! thirty"
81 can't understand" Miss Judith
interrupted, 1rritably, "why she did
not write TO say that she was coming
| by the next steamer, as Sarah sug-
gested. 1t was thoughtlessl She may
not be coming at ALL"
| 81 am sure she will come" Miss
Sarah said, with decision. 81 said so
to Malcolm last night"
| mark my words, Sarah, you're
making q terrible mistake. If ten
| years ago Malcolm made mistake,
and made Jacinth unhappy, don't you
help him to do il again. Do you be-
lieve that Malcolm Dunston, good
looking and rich, with half the girls
Of the country running after him--do
you believe he will fall in love again
with the poor child after all these
years2 Do you believe he will fall
in love with her again, when, ten
years ago, when she was young and
pretty, he could let her 60 without
word or promise? Is it natural,
Sarah2"
"No, it isn't natural, Judith" she
replied, signing. But he loved her
once, and l believe in his faithful
heart, for we know why he did not
speak"
"Nonsensel Believe in his fiddle
stick. What right have your When
he should have spoken he was as
dumb as an oyster.
lord he's only for money-making
he's always calculating. He's been
at it now for ten years without stop.
ping. tell you Sarah ----''
Down the road at that moment
came the rattle of wheels, and Miss
Sarah sprang to her feet. "God bless
her, it's Jacinth," she said, and the
next instant she was down the garden
path, her spectacles bobbing up and
down on her nose.
The ancient cab which served Roth
mere drew up at the gate, and the
first sounds that greeted Miss Sarah's
Mortified ears was choice selection Of
''swear words" as the cabby wrestled
with a gigantic trunk atop Then, to
cap Miss Sarah's surprise, there step
ped out of the vehicle super-elegant
youth with an eye-glass, who in turn
helped out a young, person in an
astonishing toilet. SIZE threw her
arms about the struggling Miss Sarah,
and imprinted kiss upon the end of
that good woman's nose.
Heaven preserve us who are
you?" she gasped, freeing herself.
"Good gracious me If / didn't
forget" Miss Macilvaine, jr.,. said
airily, "I'm Eve, aunt, and I'll tell
you all about it. You see, pa forgot
to post Jacinth's letter, and so 1
brought ii myself"
"And who is that ?" and Miss Sa-
rah turned severely on the young
man.
"Oh, that is Mr.. Merivale," Eve
interposed, quickly. believe have
the name right" she asked, with a
turn Of her head to the supercilious
starer. He's been very good to
me-"
"where did you meet my niece,
sir?"
"In the cars, coming from Glas-
gov, aunty," Eve again interposed,
"and so | just asked him to drive up
here"
For moment Aunt Sarah was stag
gered, then she collected all her
strength, and in moment the young
man with the eye-glass, the rickety
cab and the swearing cabby had dis
appeared as chaff before the wind,
and Eve, calmly seated on her trunk,
listened with faint smile to the
angry old lady.
"A heart Of gold, loving and gen
erous-only a little spoiled, which
will be all the better for your kind
and gentle words" So Jacinth wrote,
and the three discussed with many q
sigh, as they sat about the fire.
Eve was upstairs emptying the
amazing trunk, keeping up her
sinking spirits by whistling-
very well done, too--that sent
a shudder through the involuntary
listeners below.
The sitting-room was deserted when
Eve, coming down, opened the door
with propitiatory smile on her pretty
face The smile died away, and for
the first time, perhaps, in her life, the
quick tears rushed to her eyes.
With q stamp of her foot, she
dragged Aunt SaTah's sacred chair to
the fire and threw herself with much
spite into its wicker embrace.
"Why did come p she cried. "Of
course they hate me, for they've
hardly been civil. AS for Aunt Sally,
l knew right away that she hates to
be called Aunt Sally"-with hollow
satisfaction--"the idea of her flying
like an old cat at that nice young
man, who was so very polite" This
sent off her light thoughts AT a tan
gent. and she only looked pat the
sound Of firm tread and the opening
Of the doog
Inan instant she sat bolt upright,
gave her pet shake to her
skirts, and felt of the puffs and curls
,, on her careless head. AT the same
time life in Rothmere exhibited one
point of interest at least; for grave,
handsome man, holding in one hand
q hat and riding whip, stood in the
doorway.
81 came to see Miss Maeilvaine," /" he
,, said, coming forward, but the eager
look in his eyes had vanished at sight
Of Ewes pretty face. "She was ex-
pected to arrive to-day from Amer
lea.
, He had low, steady vaice. and he
seemed to take the girls measure,
|, body and soul, at one quiet glance.
/, That young person bowed gra-