The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-09-28

3OOIY H1G5dI, lccS
mAue no reply. ! simply released her,
and she went directly to her room, with the
letter clasped tightly in her nervous fin
gers. cold memories, !" / said, by way OF
excusing this, to me, unexplainable freak OF
Miriam's. Doubtless his name was inter-
woven with some painful memory, which
the mere mention of was like the thrust OF
dagger"
She did not come down to dinner and
did not see her until the breakfast hour the
next morning. She was cheerful as usual
and seemingly anxious that should forget
the little episode of the previous afternoon.
Launching off into cow ersation, in which 1
was sure that her heart had not the least
interest, in order to detract my attention
from the pallor of her countenance, she
managed to become unusually talkative dur
ing the breakfast hour.
''Perhaps,'' said to myself, 'she is not
paler than usual, and I am yoking up yes
terday's circumstance with morbid fancy
of my own imaginative BRAIN"
But when Maggie, my little maid, said
solicitously behind my chair after Miriam
had excused herself for walk in the gar
den: SIT seems to me that the lady is ill;
she is uncommon white faced and talks
sort O. wild like, don't you thiuk?' /
thought, all well, then my conjecture is
not ali an imaginative affair, after all. But
said to the maid that ''the warm weather
might have something to do with it,
sOh! well, she pears so anxious like"
persisted Maggie 81 shouldn't think the
weather would give that worry to her look
and manner, ma'am."
no 3rpo hot
shadow had fallen athwart the path Of our
guest, and with natural inquisitiveness was
doing her best to wiring confession from
me. ..-
"Well, well, Maggie" I said, finally; "letit
pass. and il she is really i'll or worrying about
any thing she will tell us by and by, if it is
proper for us to know" Thus admonished,
the maid gave me a look Of suspicion and
began clearing away the breakfast things
in silence, while sought Miriam, deep In
the garden of roses and lilies IN front OF
the cottage.
'sDissem bling,' said, as she greeted me
with wintry smile from behind rose
hedge, but the beautiful eyes told no tales,
and the lips touched not on the friends
coming, as half expected them to do, DUR
ing the morning.
During the afternoon, while | was en-.
gagged in the arranging of a cluster ot
stately lilies which the wind had tossed
ruthlessly from their fastening, cab
drew up at my humble gate and two
gentlemen alighted. Instinctively I knew
it must be they whom we were expecting,
and dropped my Irvine and went down the
gravelea walk to meet them.
Sure enough, as one of them came for
ward, recognized my aquain lance of the
Heathcrlej0h park
As soon as he looked up lie smiled and
extended his hand II remember your
face he said, gladly. Then he introduced
an old gentleman, in dark gray suit and
gold-bOWe glasses, as ''Mr. Earle Fairfax,
of suburban Hastings, Eng"
s'She is in there,'' I said, indicating the
direction of the library door with a wave of
my hand, as Allan looked inquiringly about
the little front parlor into which / had con-
Quoted them.
knew she would rather meet him alone,
with no eye to criticise or intrude on the
sacredness of their greeting, and I knew
also that she was in there waiting for
Allan, because I caught the swish, swish Of
her dress, and the soft closing of the library
door as we came in.
Allan Percval gave me look of such
Joyous gratitude that / thought had he
asked me to carry thousand letters to the
ends of the earth for him, instead of one
little request that he did, that look re-
warded nue. in t1ll for every thing.
Then he stepped into the library and
closed the door behind him, while did my
best to entertain this friend of Miriam's,
although could see plainly that he was
very anxious to get a glimpse of her, as his
eyes sought the library door frequently. I
was fvl1v apyio1,c that no should
him, for had curiosity to see them to-
gether; if there was any secret between
them, perhaps might be able to guess it
should see their meeting
After awhile Allan came out of the
library, followed by Miriam, whose face
was study. She seemed quite glad to see
the old uncle OF her deceased husband, but
there was frightened, inquiring look or
her face that dared not put itself into
words, at least not before US.
noticed Allan watching her with grave,
uneasy expression when she conyersed
with the uncle. Evidently he read the
riddle no better than did, and the worried
look on her face set him i'll at ease.
Icould see that Allan loved her madly,
and I said to myself that now, after he had
crossedthe ocean at her bidding, if any
thing Would happen to separate them again,
it would wreck his life completely.
The next day Allan had some letters to
mail, and he drove the phaeton down to
the city. had expected Miriam would
ride out with him, but for some reason she
did not, SO he went alone. After his de-
parture Miriam took her uncle into the
library to show him the portraits of her.
self and family ''as they were once" she
said-to him with an appealing look.
Iwent out to see after some dessert had
ordered for dinner and to offer a few sug-
gestions to Maggie knowing that / was not
needed in the library. Instinctively felt
that the portrait business was only ruse
Of Mirianl's to get Uncle Fairfax all to
herself for a confidential talk. Doubtless
it was her privilege, thought. and some
way felt glad that Allan was out of ear
shot, and that it, whatever it might be,
would be over before his return.
Having an occasion to go into the parlor
an hour Or so after, whom should see
standing just outside the library door but
Allan Percival, and his attitude was that of
an attentive listener. could not see his
face, but knew he heard the conversation
gong on in the library. -
CHAPTER xxx.