The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-10-20

evening. IF this explanation were made to
q lady, as was usually the case, knowing
smile, or at least significant look, was al
most sure to follow. 1t began To seem to
Phil that the faces of the young women of
Kew York said IA great deal more than their
tongues, and said it in way that could not
he answered, which was quite annoying
If he was 10 seem engaged, he would prefer
that appearances might not be deceitful
Again and again he was on the point of ask
ing the question which he little doubted
would be favorably answered, but he always
restrained himself by the reminder that he
was only clerk on salary that could not
support wife, bred like Lucia, in New York,
ami that villa plots at Haynton Bay were not
selling as rapidly as they should if he were
to become well to do; indeed, they scarcely
were selling at all Who could be expected
tn become interested in building sites on the
sea shore when even in the sheltered streets
of the city tho wind was piercing the thickest
overcoatss And who could propose to girl
while another man, even were he that stick
Marge, was Offering her numerous attentions,
all of which she cepteda-confound Marge
and his money!
That MGrge also was jealous was inevita-
BILE. Highly as he valued himself, he knew
womankind well enough to imagine that
handsome young fellow just past his major
ity might be more gratifying to the eye, at
least, than man who had reached-well,
who had not mentioned his age since he
passed his thirty fifth birthday. He had in
his favor all the prestige of good record in
society, of large acquaintance and aristo-
cratic extraction, but he could not blind
himself to the fact that the young women
who were most estimable did not greet him
as effusively and confdentially as they did
Phil. His hair was provokingly thin on the
top of his head, and farther back there was
a tell tale spot that resembled q tonsure; he
could not quickly enter, like Phil, into the
spirit of some silly, innocent frolic, and al
| though he insisted that his horses were as
good as Pills, he could not bring himself to
extending an invitation for q morning dash
through the park, as Phil did once or twice
week. So hs frequently said to himself,
| Confound the country habit of early rising,
which his rival mad evidently mastered.
As for Lucia, except for tho few happy
hours she spent with Phil, and the rather
more numerous hours devoted to day dreams
regarding her youthful swain, she was really
miserable i'll her uncertain condition. Other
! girls were getting engaged, on shorter &C
| quaintance, and ten times as many girls were
| tornenting her with questions as to which OF
| the two was to be the happy man. She de-
voutly wished that Phil would speak quickly,
| and finally, after long and serious consulta-
| ton with MarGie, she determined to adopt
| toward Phil the tactics which only two or
three months before she had tried on Marge:
| she would encourage his rival. With Marge
it had Lad the unexpected effect of making
her yield her heart to Phil; on the other
hand, it had perceptibly quickened Marge's
| interest in her; would not a reversal Of the
| factors have u corresponding RESULT
She had but one fear, but that was grow
| ing intense. Agnes Dinon continued to be
| fond of Phil; there was no other man to
whom she ever saw Agnes appear so cheerful
and unccustrained. Could it be that the
heiress WAS playing a deep game for the
| prizs that 70 Lucia seemed the only one in
| view. she LGd seen wonderful successes
made by girls as old as Agnes. when they had
any money as a reserve force, and she trem-
bcd as she hought of the possibilities. Agnes
was old-dreadfully old-it seemed to Lucia,
but she was undeniably handsome, her man
ners were charming, and she was smart be-
yond compare. She had declared that her
interest in Phil was only in his position as
Lucia's admirer; but-people did not always
tell the truth when they were in love. Lucia
| herself had told number of ies-the very
whitest of white lies-about her own regard
for Phil; suppose Agnes were doing likewisei
If she were Lucias little finger nails made
deep prints on the palms of her hands as she
thought Of it.
She told herself, in her calmer moments,
| hot n tbou1l,t hy Of bar and
insulting to Agnes, who really had been friend
ly and even affectionate to her In wakeful
hours at night, however, or in some idle hours
during the day, she fell into Jealousy, and
each successive tumble made her thralldom
rallying Phil about Agnes, but the young
man, supposing her to be merely playful in
her teasing, did his best to continue the joke,
and was utterly blind to the results,
At last there came an explosion At
party which was to Lucia unspeakably stupid,
there being no dancing, Miss Dinon monopo-
LIKED Phil for full houI>--a thousand hours
it seemed to Lucia-and they sat on sofa,
too, that was far retired in an end of a room
which once had been conservatory. Lucia
watched for an opportunity to demand an
explanation; it seemed it never would come,
| DuJ lllldlly an Olu ldu1 WIN do luo ucShI dIld
front of a small local missionary effort in the
south called the young man aside. In an in
slant Lucia seated herself beside Agnes Dnon,
saying, as she gave her fan vicious twists
"You seem to find Mr.. Hayn very enter.
taining7'
"Indeed do,n said Miss Dinon; 81 haven't
spent SO pleasant an hour this season, until
| this evening"
"OhI" exclaimed Lucia, and the unoffend
ing fan flew into two pieces.
"My dear girlI' exclaimed Agnes, picking
up one of the fragments. "It's really wicked
to be so careless"
"Thank you," said Lucia, with grand air
for SO small woman. II thought it was
about time for an apology"
Miss Dinon looked sideways in amazement.
"The subject of conversation must have
been delightful" Lucia continued.
"Indeed it was" said Agnes.
Lucia looked up quickly Fortunately for
Miss Dinon. the artificial light about them
was dim.
"You told me once" said Lucia, collecting
her strength Tor a grand effort, ''that''-
"YesF
"That-that"-
"You dear little thing" said Agnes, sud-
denly putting her arm about Lucia and press
ing her closely as a mother might seize
baby, "whGt we were talking of was you.
Can't you understand, now. why l enjoyed
| it so muchf"
| There was q tremor and convulsiyc move
ment within the older woman's arm, and
Lucia seemed to be crying.
Darling little girl" murmured Agnes,
kissing the top of Lucias head, II ought to