The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-08-31

Madge, il her pretty holland gosfu and
sailor hat with red ribbons, acting Jehu.
Mrs. Trevylian had unbeps a little under
the influence of SO perfect day, and
leant back enjoying the unwonted lax
ury of q drive. Her faded face wore a
smile, and the lines of care were fainter
r on her brow.
Olive, think you might have smart
ened yourself up a bit Its AZ poor com
pllment to Mr.. Darlington to have come
out in that old blue serge. Not but what
Madge is smart enough for the pair of
you, and don't know but that you were
wisest after all, she afterwards added.
1.-THE dress you have on is quite good
enough for climbing about the rocks"
| Olive turned her head away, with a
shrug Of the shoulder and a sullen look
on her handsome faco
Anything is good enough for me, I
know that well, she muttered. NO
body cares how look or how dress"
I She felt a savage delight in noticing
i the faded streaks where the keen sea air
/ had taken the color out of her gown, and
III knowing that her hat was old and
j shabby.
/ "A pauper, living on charity that is
what am. And Aunt Trevylian does not
scruple to make me feel it. 1t is well to
be Madge; all the pretty garments and
other good things of life fall to her
share she reflected modify, not paus-
ing to think how unreasonable she was.
Mrs. Trevylian, though she had sharp
tongue, was incapable Of the petty mean
ness of which Olive accused her; and
when once her niece suggested going out
in the world to earn her own living she
had negatived the suggestion with such
agitation and vehemence as had almost
frightened the girl. And as for Madge's
clean, fresh dress, had she not, as Olive
well knew, risen that morning almost
before it was light to iron and do it up
with knots Of scarlet ribbon with her
own dainty fingers? Her cousin had
heard her singing blithely as a lark
at her work, and had smiled with
contempt at '.the little it took to make
Madge's simple heart happy"
Then terrible light all at once broke
in on her How changed Madge was of
latel She was always singing, laughing,
! OF fitting about the house with SO light
and buoyant step that she seemed the
spirit of joy personihed. The languor of
her late illness had quite passed away,
the rose bloom on her cheeks was bright
er, deeper than ever, deepest when she
was engaged in lively chat or joking ar
gument with Harold Darlington, who
treated her like willful, attractive
child.
He fancied his secret was known to
none, but Olive had fathomed it, and
more, had read in Madge's face what the
girl did not herself dream of-that her
heart had passed into the keeping of the
handsome stranger.
And so on this glorious day, sunshine
all around, and a sky blue as molten
turquoise overhead, when all were gay
and happy, Olive alone wore a mask.
Outwardly serene and smiling, the demon
of jealousy was ever gnawing deeper and
deeper into her soul
Harold Darlington came up the hill in
long, swinging strides after the basket
carriage. His white linen suit, with
the ruby silk scarf tied carelessly under
the open collar, set off his dark hand
some face and big stalwart figure to per-
lection. He wore solar topee, with a
soft India muslin puggaree knotted
loosely round it, and as he came toward
the carriage he took off his hat and
famed his tanned face with it.
''The heat is quite tropical. It re-
minds me almost OF the Brazils, y he said,
smiling.
Were you ever in America" Olive
queried, flashing keen look at him.
It suddenly struck her how little, after
all, they knew of this man, who had be-
come, with only months acquaintance,
so thoroughly one of themselves; that it
now seemed odd to think of a time when
he had not been with them.
What they knew they had only his
bare word for-and Olive had frequently
noticed that he avoided speaking Of him
self or his past life; and if any subject
was mooted likely to bear on these, he
would always insensibly direct it back
into ether channels. It was the case
now, as she perceived.
/ 'Oh, yes; America, as well as every
other place of any note, and sick enough
/ got of them all. Miss Madge, l really
believe that is a root of harris tongue
growing up there. did not know you
had it about here It's fine clump; let
me dig 1t ont for your rockery." His
face slightly Redeemed, as he went to get
the fern. Olive noticed this; also that
he had evaded her question in his Gus
tomary manner.
A creeping, strange suspicion, begotten
of her own evil thoughts, kept coming
into Olives head. What if there should
be some guilty reason for Harold Car
rington's unwillingness to speak of the
past? And why was he content to stay
in hiding, as it were, in such a place as
Trevalrock?
Olive busily pieced things together, as
she sat silently in the back seat of the
T,f,,,xy Tho mora cha fbc71crfaf r.xyc.r.