The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-10-27

MY DEAR NORMA, CRIED HASTINGS.
II credit you with something infinitely
higher and stronger than mere young
lady like propriety, Norma. Your heart
would be no mere echo; you are quite
capable Of loving of your own free will.
though you are not so weak as to show
it, Norma, would give anything in the
world to make you happy. Do confide
In mel give me the key to the profound
sorrow which is eating your heart--even
the loss of a father. of fortune, off, He
stopped.
'And the loss Of name, OF position, the
shadow cast upon the mother of whom
always dream as something infinitely
dear, though unknown"
Eyes, / know. 1t is all cruelty hard
upon you, but, you know. no one is real
ly to blame, except that wretched scoun-
drel who had had no business to reap
pear. Come, dear cousin--for my dear
cousin you will always be--try to turn
your back on the inevitable. Nothing can
prevent your having an Independent for
tune, for will not touch the property
bequeathed you by your father. Let us
find lady to fill your place with these
worthy colonists. Come back to your
old home, which is entirely at your SER
vice, and make your plans for the future
at your leisurei
You are very good, VAL" she said
with quivering lips, and resting one
hand on the piano near which she stood.
as if to steady herself I'll cannot re-
iect your generosity, but shall feel my
r
even to rlamel p
"Take mine" cried Hastings with a
sudden impulse. stretching out his arms
to her, ''then none need know the family
secretl ! am restored to my right mind
| feel that it was misfortune to be di-
verified from my dawning love for you.
No man could wish for sweeter wife
than you. Norma. Let me be lover.
brother, father--everythin to your
"You are indeed too generous, too
self forgetful. VAL" she said with "a
quick blush and grave sraile. "Do
you think l should accept such a sac
rificeY'
sit is not a sacrifice. Norma"
1T is perhaps a passionate recoil after
the disappointment just inflicted" she
interrupted.
"You are utterly mistaken. But no
doubt your love for the same rival in
whose favor you were once so anxious to
dismiss me still steeis your heart against
my earnest prayer!"
'sOhl Val, Vail" covering her face
with her hands,
well. dear, ought not, perhaps, to
foroo M vcnlf 11por, uo,1 or c,,ob ts,v,o.
forgive me for yielding to the impulse of
my hearth You must pardon good
deal to a fellow SO shaken and shattered
by fever as am. l will make Orpen
call upon you tomorrow and settle
everything, and later you will perhaps
either listen to me, or tell me the name
of the man who
t'Donot speak of himl"
f'Good-by, then, for the present. Nori-
ma Do you remember when we met
after your return from SCHOOL, We had
not met for two years, and when ] was
going to give you my usual cousinly kiss
you blushed-what a beautiful blush it
wasl-and shrank away. Well, you sent
an extraordinary thrill through my
heart. By heaveni was more than
half in love with you on the instant,
only you were such child compared
to me then What delicious autumn
we spent in Scotland, when your father
took Glen Tarlach Moor that yeari Then
| went away to the Mediterranean, and
all my deeper, softer tenderness was I
overwhelmed by wild torrent that :
swept everything before it. Now, be-
fore we part, in token of acceptance. at
least as kinsman, give me kiss
He caught her hands and drew her
gently to him, till her head rested
against him. Norma grew SO deadly
white that Hastings thought she would
fantastic bent his head and pressed his
lips long and tenderly to hers He felt
herheart beat as though 1t would burst.
but she let him hold her unresistingiy.
Al length she made an effort to free her.
self, to which he instantly yielded
though still retaining her hand. and J
Norma, raising her eyes, which glittered
with an expression of rapturous surprise
through the tears which hung on her
long lashes, nlurmHred, 81 begin to
think you do really care for me-
"My darling, one little word, truf ma
enough to tell me the name of thc.xll5w
who almost. If not altogether, cut mo
out?"
"lt is very great secret, said Norma
drawing little away from him and Iook,
ing demurely on the carpet. sHis mama
is Val Hastingsi"
A ScraD of Pa,,ar Save. rro..ir.e