Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-06-28

toying her company, not what she told him. And Dorcas felt tho charm of his presence. e others had felt it oftAn and oftsn during the years of his 1AaA- hood.
 "And I've known ladies como to the cottage, too," she concluded, with . xelish, "and one came in the dark. and listened outside his door,"
 "Perhaps too bashful to go in and get her portrait painted for few shill- ings," said Jeffrey, with a charitable smils, and well-concealed eagerness in his voice.
 Dorcas aniffed in cool disdain. "I was trying to drop asleep," she said, resenting the retrospect, but it was e good not try as try, with that fearful noise just through these thin walls moro like bagpipes than anything else, only worse. So I got up to look out of my room window. Then I saw self hidden in the dark. There was Q her"
 ".Young, Isuppose2" asked the tutor. pleasantly.
 But Dorcas was hay on this point, and did not choose to show that she was, 50 she passed the question by with lofty uncOncern.
 of I'd been down here, " she resumed, "and if she'd gone into his house, which I don't think she'd the honesty to do, I should have known what she wanted. The wall in that cupboard's thin enough for that, thin enough to give me the ear ache pretty often."
 Under Jelfxey's white hand there lay . heap of periodicals on the little round table. His eyes seemed to be tracing the letters on the thin paper covers {; but no words printed there could have brought into them that sudden flash of satisfaction.
 "I hope the thin walls do not belong to youe usual sitting-room ?' he inquired, with anxious sympathy.
 "Usual sitting-room or unusual sit ting-room," retortedR Dorcas, the walls are thin; and that's enough to have turned me out of this house years ago, if I hadn't been determined to bear it."
 If Jelfrey's thoughts had not been too much engrossed by other things, he might have fancied Dorcas rather at 8 loss to explain her reason for not being turned out by the thin walls.
 "That is the closet, I fear," he said, pointing to deor opposite him.
 "Yes, that's it" replied Dorcas, with resignation "and inside that closet the nonsense those two talk. self," said Jeffrey, with great tact, II it. Have you really never spoken to Sir Neil about it2"
 "It is not often that Sir Neil Athel- ston troubles me with opportunities of speaking to him about anything" she answered, vioiously.
 "I should like to mention it to him, # you would allow me-" said Jeffrey, rising II do not ask you to show me the place, but"
 "Oh, you can see it," said Mrs. Cheere, little modified by his evident sympathy. "There's nothing secret in any of my cupboards."
 With the door shut the closet would have been in darkness. but she did not. of course, offer to shut it upon her visitor. He stood within for a few minutes, his head against the wall; then he stepped lightly into the room again, and the lips that had been pressed to- gether for that little time with cunning cruelty were smiling now.
 "I think that no landlord should suffer, those walls to stand" he said, shaking his head sympathetically; "and, # you will give me permission, l will remind Sir Neil of it. But would not he should think you have been oom- planning; 90 will mention it casually, as if I had accidentally heard of or dis covered it. You had better not speak of this visit at all-neither will Ito any one. Miss Marjorie Castillain is fond of coming to see you, I know" he added, suavely. "Does she know how the sounds disturb you2"
 "I've told her, but she's harum-scar- um, and don't believe she needs it."
 "She is young and giddy, true; and would have forgotten it, I dare say" A generous excuse, truly, from his
 '"And Miss Marjorie sometimes he went on, with apparent indifference, her portrait, I know"
 "Come as friend" murmured Jel- frey, with 8 hot rush of color in his face, though his cool and easy kindliness did not forsaks him. "You have a hand- some book here," he went on, turning oyer the leaves of the paper-covered books on the round table. History of England,' I see, in monthly parts, and Illustrated. How very nice P
 "Yes. it:s 2 hapdsome book. /" reioined poroas, with stately pride, "and interest Ing; It's handsome price, too-two shillings . monthl 1 began to take it when my little girl was 8 baby, and stopped when-she was lost; so haven't got the end. I don't care about the end; unless she ever comes and wants it"
 "Very nice-very nice," muttered Jeffrey, turning the pages over and over, and wondering how Dorcas could have found it's interest when none of the leaves were cut; wondering whether any one could be found who would wade through all that close, small print and dry matter; and wondering, too, whether the motive for issuing such an endless periodical must not have been to insure the author . life annuity. {" Of course, Jou never lend such book as this?" he suggested; "else L."
 "Lend 1t No, indeedi" cried Dor