Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-05

came more distinct
when some Of his new business acquaintanccs
rallied or complimeuted him, and when he
occasionally declined an invitation, given
viva vocc, by explaining that he bad prom
ised to escort Miss Tramlay somewhere that
evening. II this explanation were made to
lady, q was usually the case, a knowing
smile. or at least . significant look, was al
most sure to follow. II began to seem to
Phil that the faces Of tho young women of
New York said great deal more than their
tongues, and said il in q way that could not
be answered, which was quite annoying.
II he was TO seem engaged, he would prefer
that appearances might not be deceitful.
Again and again he was on the point Of osk.
ing tho question which he little doubted
would DO favorably answered, but he always
restrained himself by the reminder that be
was only clerk on salary that could not
support wife, bred like Lucia, in New York,
ami that villa plots Mt Haynton Bay were not
selling as rapidly as they should II he were
to become well to do; indeed, they scarcely
were selling at all Who could be expected
10 become interested In building sites on the
sea shore when even in the sheltered streets
OF the city the wind was piercing tho thickest
overcoatsi And who could propose to girl
while another man, even were be that stick
Marge, was offering her numerous attentions,
all Of which she acceptedi-confound Margs
and his money!
That Margo also was Jealous was inevita-
bic. Highly as he valued himself, he knew
womankind well enough to imagine that
handsome young fellow just past bis major.
fty might be more gratifying TO the eye, at
least, than man who had reached-well,
who had not mentioned his age since be
passed his thirty-flfth 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 estimabe did not greet him
as effusively and coniidentially as they did
Phil His hair was provokingly thin on the
top of his head, aud farther back there was
tell tale spot that resembled tonsure; he
could not quickly enter, like Phil, into the
spirit Of somo 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 a morning dash
through the park, as Phil did once or twice a
week. So ho frequently said to himself,
Confound tho country habit Of early rising,
which his rival had evidently mastered.
As for Lucia, except for the few happy
hours she spent with Phil, aud tho rather
more numerous hours devoted to day dreams
regarding her youthful swain, sho was really
miserable In her uncertain condition Other
girls were getting engaged. ON shorter ac-
quaintance, and ten times as many girls were
tormenting her with questions as to which Of
the two was to DO tho happy man. She de-
voutly wished that Phil would speak quickly.
and finally, after long and serious consulta.
tion 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
il had had the unexpected effect Of making
her yield her heart to Phil; on the other
hand, it had perceptibly guickened Murge's
interest in her; would not a reversal Of tho
factors have u corresponding resultl
Sho 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 nrconstraincd. Could it be that the
heiress was playing q deep game for the
prize that to Lucia seemed the only one In
viewl She had seen wonderful successes
mado by girls as old as Agnes, when they had
any money as a reserve force, and she trent
bled as she thought Of the possibilities. Agnes
ives old-dreadfully old-it seemed to Lucia,
but she was undeniably handsome, her man.
ners were charming, and she was smart bo-
yond compare. Sho 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 q number of lics--the very
whitest Of white lies-about her own regard
for Phil; suppose Agnes were doing likewisei
II she were Lucia's little finger nails made
deep prints on the palms Of her hands as she
thought Of it.
She told herself, in her calmer moments,
that such thought was unworthy of her 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
the more hopeless. She tried TO escape by
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 q
party which was TO Lucia unspeakably stupid
there being no dancing, Miss Dinon monopo
lized Phil for full hour--a thousand hours
il seemed TO Lucia-and they sat on a sofa
too, that was far retired in an end Of a room
which once had been conservatory. Lucia
watched for an opportunity TO demand ar
explanation; it seemed it never would come
Dut Indlly I'll OH tduy WHO WAS tuc utdu uul
front of a small local missionary effort in the
south called the young man aside In an in
slant Lucia seated herself beside Agnes Dinon
saying, as she gave her fan vicious twist
"You seem to find Mr. Hayn very enter
tainingf'
''Indeed do" said Miss Dinon; 81 haven
spent 50 pleasant an hour this season, unit
this evening"
"Ohr' exclaimed Lucia, and the unoffend
ing fan Aew into two pieces.
"My dear girlln exclaimed Agnes, picking
up one of the fragments. ats really wicked
TO be so careless"
"Thank you," said Lucia, with grand ail
for SO small a woman. II thought it wa
about time for an apology"
Miss Dinon looked sideways in amazemeut
The subject Of conversation must hav
been delightful" Lucia continued.
''lndeed it wns," said Agnes.
Lucia looked up quickly Fortunately TO
Miss Dhion, the artificial light about then
was dim
"You told me once" said Lucia, collectin:
her strength for grand effort, chat
Year
"You dear little thing" said Agnes, sud
denly putting her arm about Lucia and pres
ing her closely as "a mother might seize
baby, "what we were talking of was you
Can't you understand, now, why enJoye
IL so muchf'
There was a trerlor and convulsive move
ment within the older woman's arm. an
Lucia seemed to be crying.
Darling little girl" murmurei Agnes
kissing the top of Lucia's head, II ought I
be killed for teasing you, even for a moment
but how could you be jealous OF met You
lover has been great deal more apprecia
tive: he has done me the honor to make ~
his conAdante, and again | say it was d.
hghuul"
I'm awfully mean,n sobbed Lucia.