Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-07-07
THE ATHELSTONS;
 OR VICTOR AND vANQUISHED
BY MARY CECIL HAY.

"No," answered the younger sister, gently. "I may want mOney-I general ly debut I would not ask you for GaGt as ask you for this.
 "WelI, what is it, then"
 But Marjorie hesttated even yet to speak out, understanding her sister so well. So-though in her great earnest nOss 1t would have relieved her to come to the point At oncs-shs leaned little more forward on her arms, and slowly introduced her desired request, as she fanoiOd it would be best received.
 "We all know" she said, "what an immenSe power you possess over Eustace Jeffrey. He Obeys every wish of yours, much to Emily Jorden's discom- future and he. is always ready to follow your advice. Louie, will you use this great influence, which everybody mo- tices, to dissuade him from posting a letter which Lady Athelston hSs written to-day to London about Niss Chester {"
 Marjorie, knowing who was the real writer of the letter, had too much tact and knowledge of her sister to venture to let such a knowledge appear, or to seem to suspect that Louisa could have even the smallest shaTe in the tranSac- ton, except as an able auxiliary now in remedying the evil.
 "Rubbish [" sneered Miss Castillain from her pillow, looking, with a super cilious smile, into her sisters anxious face, on which the fuctuating color came and went swiftly in this, to her, novel and unpleasant situation. "What busi- ness is it of mine what Lady Athelston may choose to do about her poor little paltry companion? We have quite enough of her down stairs, I think, with out your dragging her into every conver- sation up here. I'm sick to death of her very name"
 "H you will promise me this one thing" entreated Marjorie, "I will promise never to speak to you of her again-I will, indeed"
 :" Much should believe you Beside" added Miss Castillsin, with an enjoy ment of her sisters unusual and un- feigned earnestness, "would it not re lieve you from your present painful po- sition to know that the letter had been posted? Don't people generally post their letters the day they write them ?"
 But I know-I mean" corrected Marjorie, with great suddenness, "sometimes Lady Athelston does not and, if it is not posted-will you prom ise me it shall not go if it is not posted I will take the other chances. Oh, Lou isa, do promise me; you might just as well. Will you?"
 Might I just as well ?" snapped the elder sister. "That is not exactly what I happen to think. The letter is posted rest content with that. If it were not"
 If it is not" cried Marjorie, the tears actually starting in her pleading eagerness, "you will prevent its being .dOneP Louie, there isn't anything you can ask me that will not do for you, if you will only promise me this.
 "Thank you; but have no special desire either for your property or serq- ices," rejoined Miss CastillAin, chilling ly; "and have not the faintest inten- ton of doing what you ask. hope am too much of lady-whatever you may be-to interfere in matters that are entirely personal and private matters of Lady Athelston's."
 "But if Eustaee Jeffrey isn't too much of gentleman-I mean, fAltered Marjorie, afraid of injuring her cause by her natural impetuosity, eff Eustace Jeffrey doesn't think it wrong to inter- fere, you need not, need you, Louisa2 I shouldn't-I shouldn't, indeedl" cried the girl, forgetting in her eagerness how little store Louisa ever set by her opin- ion on any point. "And you could do it so we'll. Will you-win you? ask you favor 50 seldom, and I ask you this so urgently. Will you-if Eustace Jeffrey has the letter-prevent its being posted tomorrow"
 con the contrary" replied Louisa, gazing with stony uneoncern into her sisters face, eff you do tempt me to in- terfere at all in this affair, shall do it just so far as to take especial care that Lady Athelston's letter is posted tO-mor- row, without fail and posted in a way which will be rather hard to circumvent. But I think" she added. wstshing with keen enjoyment the very novel sight of her sisters patie9t forbearance. "I think, my dear, that you have no real cause to excite or distress yourself over such trihe, as am perfectly confident that the letter would be posted prompt ly and safely if it were left to Eustace youP"
 Marjorie, wondering vaguely, as she listened to this last speech, how far Louisa's deceit could go, but hardly knowing even that she thought of it, pleaded again with one last, brave struggle.
 "Louie, you may be glad afterward il you promise me. You never can be glad that you refused. Do promise mel ] will do anything for you, and I will never say word of this"
 "Thank you; that is indeed kind, ' retorted Miss Castillain, with vicious suavity. "I should value your offer highly if I were accustomed to doing things about which could fear youI saying a word No, have not yet fallen quite so low as that. whatever my sister may have done. Are you going to bed at all tonight. or are you ooin0 to lean there staring at me till morn. ing?"
 "Does it strike you, Louisa" asked Marjorie, a great, cold change coming , over all her face, " that Neil Athelston would hardly relish the fact of Mrs. Els daile's tutor posting hls mothers letters, when the post-bags go from here; and that may choose to tell him of it l" "It Is not very likely that you will, ' laughed Miss Oastillain, in her thor ough, cruel confidence, tat least not il you do really care what becomes of that upstart girl. That would, of course, al