Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-07-07

patx. Lnlnk enoul0 DO tno BAAAoE III purity of atmosphere"
 "Don't you think" put in Louisa, with caln enjoyment of the spite her Nttie bit idiotic to make this fuss about one of Lady AthSlstoH's dependents un- N you are mistress of Lady Athelston's hOuss3 And don't you think. too, that your chance of becoming Lady Athel- ston yourself is rather slight while that lOU-bred girl stays here2 It Is plain to see that she could lure that foolish Neil to anything. I, as your elder sister, advise you to show . grain or two of common sense in this matter, advise you not to stand quite so thoroughly in your own light"
 "And I advise you" cried Marjorie, in . voice of intense passion, while the big brown eyes famed with anger under the hands which were still in her hair, "to remember that you are not speak ing to such a one as your own contempt iblo, false-hearted self. And advise you to remember that Neil Athelston is no fool If he had been. he would have you years ago, when you used every art you possess to tempt him. And l ad- wise you to think, before you call Miss | Chester low-bred, that she may rank miles above you presently I hope she will. know, and everybody can see, that her words and acts are better than yours, even at your best. And, as for her beauty, that is as far above yours as-as-" Poor Marjorie fsltered and failed lanely over her simile, for the natural and uncomfortable burst of passion had exhausted itself. and she felt the hot tears crowding to her eyes. as they al- ways would after one of these rare, real outbreaks with her sister; real, because 1 the girls very heart was tempest-tossed with fierce, shaned misery; rare, be- cause as long as she had strength to burnt within her Marjorie avoided any retaliation upon her sister beyond the honest, hot rebuh, which was over in a few seconds, and left her comfortable 1 and content.
 So much stronger and higher in heart and mind was she than her sister that it was but seldom she felt crushed, as she did now, by the malicious words and spiteful hints. Beside this she was baf- fled and disappointed, too, of her desire, and knew she would have no comfort to | give on the morrow, where she felt com fort was sorely needed; so it was not wonderful that her hot, vehement speecl, was unfinished, and the scalding tears would hGve their way.
 Louisa, catching sight of them, laughed pleasantly upon her pillow.
 "Get into bed, Marjorie" she re- marked, with amiable patronage, "and don't be such an arrant goose"
 Marjorie did not retalliate then, though her eyes flashed through her tears. She extinguished the lights, and, drawing the heavy curtains from 8 narrow, deep set window which had no shutters, looked out across the park, where she could but dimly descry the outlines of the great trees and the gigantic hills above and beyond. And, standing so, shewondered and wondered many things, though never for a moment, in her brave and simple confidence, did she doubt the truth and purity of the girl she was be- friending.
 "There is one effort can make," she said to herself at last. eff that does not succeed, IT suppose must appeal to him. What horrible lowering of my pride that will be! Yet I don't know" she unused, with a glean of the old brightness-almost the old merri- ment-in her eyes; nothing really lowers us but sin, so old nurses tell us, and sometimes they hit upon the truth, as Solomon did; hope that's true, for to beg a favor of Eustace Jeffrey will be as bad to me as the inquisition."
 And, with this lucid smile and cheer ing thought, Marjorie turned away from the gloom and the chilly silence which that night surrounded High Athelston. | CHAPTER XVII
 MT. Johnson Mathers, stationer and postmaster of Churchill, sat writing at his desk, on the afternoon succeeding Lima Chester's night walk to the village postoffice. It was by no means an un- usual thing for MT. Mathers to be seated at his desk, but it sUGs an unusual thing for him to be entering three new books to the account of Miss Marjorie Castil- lain, of Hawkedale.
 "The old gentleman doesn't allow her | .L11c A1