, 1889-01-20
'evTbo is my friendT I thoughtlessly

"CyHl B~HownriCg,r she answered,
with a laugh. How will he greet his
brother and friend, / wonderT7
/ felt myself growing scarlet with
Shame n annoyance, for l had, of
course been numerically tcasJd about
that unfortunate dedication, and had
carefully explained TO all my friends
that the author only knss= me from my
book l felt that 1 could not STAY and
meet him there with all those people
watching, and turned 10 tell my cousin l
felt III and must return home, but she
had been claimed for a duct, and was al
ready standing by the piano at the oppo-
site 10 OF the room, SO l skunk away
into the conservatory, where, behind tall
camellias n ferns, ] trusted to be IN
observed until ! could speak TO my
cousin, and persuade her to return with
me. / do not know how long ! sat
there, lost in q dream, when a voice |
know well said quite close to me:
Lave you seen your brother and
friend here yet. Mr.. Brownrigg? /
know she with a malicious accent on
the shc) is here tonight. because have
just spoken 20 her cousin, Mrs. Wrny-
burn
a grave voice answered slowly:
Il do not quite understand you, Miss
Could"
MOI" she laughed. "No. I dare say
not! It waa q charming little mystery,
10 doubt, but really it is losing the charm
of novelty now. and of course not many
of MS believe in these quiNotic impcrsonal
feelings. Al! there she Is; let me intro,
duce you. pray. Miss Earle Oakhurst,
Mr. Cyril E~rowHrigC. Now ! must leave
You and sing my little song. Au ~revoir."
And Miss Gould foated away, and l
became couGIsedly aware of n pair of
very grave blue eyes fixed inquiringly
and somewhat Coldly ON my face.
Il HyE your pardon" he said, 'but
your bruthCrI conclude he is your
hruthcr-i5 a great and dear friend of
mime Is he here tonight"
Il have no brother" l murmured, and
continued hurriedly: 81 am Earle Oak
hurst-at least my real name is Amy
MidEos, and, / added, desperately. sec
ing how pale and hard his face was grow
ing as the first look of surprise changed
10 one Of cold displcasurc, II am so
sorry. Forgive me; l only did it ut first
Tor q joke, and aftcrward ] feared"-
You fcarcdE' lie inquired, quietly, us
I paused.
Yes" l said, feeling my checks burn
and my eyes fill with tears, 81 never had
a friend like you before, and 1 feared TO
lose your fricndshipl'
And did you really imagine that to
deceive and make me ridiculous was the
best means of keeping my fr%iendshipyo
"4es-no-I don't know. l did not
think much about it until l saw tho dcdi-
cation, and then felt too ashamed and
unhappy to confess. What can | do? ]
am so sorry"
You can do nothing. VIII you allow
mo to take You back to your cousin.
who, l believe, has been inquiring for
youI' he asked. with a sudden change to
icy conventional tones.
/ rose without a word, but as we en-
tered tho room / whispered:
Can you forgive mey'
mo, l cannot" he answered, and
with n bow left me, and ! saw him, after
n Few words with our hostess. leave the
room, and was told afterward he had
pleaded urgent business as an excuse for
leaving early.
After that miserable evening, though
l frequently saw Cyril Brownrigg ut
musical or literary gatherings, he never
spoke n word 10 mo beyond what mere
poIitcncss rendered necessary; and vet |
always felt "A strange new Joy in his
presence. 1t was Il pleasure to me to
hear how popular he was becoming, and
10 watch his grave eyes light up and his
whole face CLEAN when ho talked about
anything that interested him.
One night n large party of us were
dining together, Miss Gould, Cyril
BrownriGg, my cousin and myself being
among the number. After dinner we
were all going to the theatre to hcar n
celebrated French actress in one of her
most powerful representations. BY
chance Cyril Brownrigg was my neigh
Dor at tho meal, but MS usual, beyond
the necessary polite formalitics, did not
speak, nor did /, of course, though /
was longing to break down this icy wall
that separated me from the man | had
grown to love so deeply. Presently the
lady sitting on the other side of him
said.
Il suppose l may congratulate YOU,
Mr.. Erownrigg, and l do, very heartily.
/ really think you have been rs success
full as you could wish, and every ono is
saying how entirely you deserve your
good fortune
Thank YOU he answered, quietly,
with, l iancicd, n half glance Mt me, Il
do consider myself very fortunate, and
hope 10 bc even more SO before long"
"Ah! h said with n little laugh, Eve
shall even have to congratulate you on
Your marriage, ! SUPPOSE
l could not catch his answer, as Just
then our hostess rose, and | had to fol-
low; but as We went upstairs n girl l
knew said:
Il suppose Miss Gould is to he CON-
graduated. Have you heard of hei en-
gugcmCnt? A case Of love at first sight.
| hear. by the by. when will Mr.
B~rowurigE's new book appear? Is it
also to be dedicated TO his brother and
fricudF'
The old joke had not died out V vet.
and now came as n keener shame and
pain than ever. j made no reply, and
though ! heard aftcrward that Mime.
Sophie Lenoir surpassed herself. every
thing that night seemed n blank to me
Mt the theatre. Voices md faces mixed
themselves up together in torturing con
fusion, and the brilliant light seemed
only TO show me more clearly the utter
blackness Of my heart and life. My
cousin, perhaps, guessed something Of
my misery, for she said:
Don't talk to Amy; let her dream.
No doubt she is composing sonnets on
the actrcss or the play!'
$50 they laughed and left mo alone.
Suddenly my apathy was broken by n
cry Of ''Firu!' repeated in louder tones
again and again, and people sprang
from their seats, as thin streaks of smoke
were seen curling round behind the stage.