The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-03-25

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me more than to have him for brother.
There. / am glad of it." in savage sim
I cerity.
Lucy had run the point of the needle
under her nail. Her brows contracted,
and her whitening lips were pressed
closely together, as she dipped the
wounded member in the bowl of water,
and then stanched thS blood with her
| handkerchief.
1t does bleed, doesn't it?" remarked
Sara, cool and malicious THAT does
surprise me somewhat
In the next second she collapsed into
an unexpected bunch of blue foulard and
fiaxen fluff upon the white work, and
burying her fearful face in Lucy's fichu,
begged her to forgive her for all the
despicably abominable things she had
said"
Lucy fondled her silently. as she might
hurt kitten or frightened rabbit.
Il know you don't mean all you say,
DEAR she said with unmoved gentle
ness. And it is awkwardness, not in
gratitude, that makes me seem I'M
gracious. I am not quick of speech, as
you are. Or of wits, either, for that
matter. You must bear with what can't
be cured.
''And you will be kind to Dan when he
asks you TO marry him, won't you2"
pleaded the other with wet eyes and
trembling mouth. ''He will at the first
opportunity. He said so. And he is so.
doubtful of your feelings that aslisht
rebuff will drive him away from thesub-
ject. You see, Lu, you never had an
offer, and don't understand how much
eIcourageme It modest man needs in
such circumstance. You must do your
part, or you'll lose him to dead GER
tainty." f.rsf..E ..-a 4
A wave of color, so faint that Sara
could not guess how it scOrched the
dark. still face, fiickered over Lucy's
forehead.
''Since he did not mean for you to
speak of it to any one. wouldn't it be
honorable for rs to let the matter drop
here. and try not to think of ii again?"
she said in her level tones, as she picked
up the white work and gave it little
shake TO get out the creases Sara's
weight had left in it. -
Sara stared at her in intensest scorn.
eff say another word, I'll be sorry for
it" she uttered, in desperate composure.
and flung herself out of the room.
At nine o'clock that evening the girls
were in the drawing-room. Amity was
completely restored. and Lucy was play
ing diligently correct accompaniment
to Sara's singing, when Dan Hyde en-
tered. Both sisters saw him. and his
courteous gesture of entreaty that they
should finish the song. Sara smiled
with her eyes and nodded, warbling
spiritedly all the while. Grave Lucy's
fingers were as obedient as in stitch-set-
ting. Time and tune were accurate.
Her playing was like her voice in speak
ing, mechanical. yet holding vague in
TINA tons of an imprisoned soul.
The brilliant little blonde had an in
spiration, and bit of swift telegraphy
went on behind Lucy's back. Neither
of the respondents thought of the mir
ror in which the dumb show was re-
peated.
Within fifteen minutes after the three
sat down together. Dan had asked Sara
tOI hOOh lAt IiolU lNhb MI. anu ohN hou
flown upstairs to get it before Lucy
could offer to do the errand.
The elder sister sat down again on the
opposite side of the fire from the visitor,
with an inarticulate murmur of embar-
rassment he miStook for dissatisfaction.
Her face was as fine and cool as marble
Minerals. She leaned back in her chair,
her beautiful hands overlapping one an
other at the wrists, and relieved artist
ically by the maroon of her velvet
gown. She looked altogether composed
and trifie weary. Heavy rain had
come on with the night. and in the
dead. brief silence succeeding Sara's
fight they heard the wash and thud of
the wind-driven flood against wall and
window.
Dan Hyde might not be confident
lover. but his was not the faint heart
that never wins. He led off tolerably
well, =
How cozily delightful home and fire.
side are on night like thisI'' he began.
in natural, colloquial strain.
q, Very, replied Lucy, dryly.
~ ''It makes one long for a hors of
his own" was the wooer's next advance.
Lucy's face paled and stiffened. She
gazed steadily into the ruddy palpita-
tions of the CRATE and could not have /
spoken TO save her soul --
r At that exact instant an ignited lump
of coal ratified from the top of the heap
into the fender, and both stopped for the /
tongs. Dan secured them, picked up
fragments, laid them in place, restored
the tongs to the rack, crossed the rug,
and took chair beside Lucy's. Another
clatter called his eyes to the unlucky
fire. The tongs had slipped their moor
ings and lay kicking widely on the
hearth. AS quickly as her sister could
have moved Lucy sprang forward, set
them up, and crossing the rug in her
turn. took straightforward reception
chair, the whole width of the hearth
distant from her sutton.
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