Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-01-08


took her for an impostor, they had been
so unwilling to give her any isforma-
tion. She should hear from them in
few days, and in the meantime she
must kindly fill in the answers to GER
tain questions on paper they had
given her.
"And l thought l should almost
have had it In my pocket by this time,"
she said ruefully. ''Ah, well, must
have patience for another week or so
1t is sure to lie settled then. only-I'd
like to have something to tell Mr.. Law
renee"
Mr.. Lawrence pathized with her
almost as deeply as she did with herself
over the delay when she told him the
result of her visit the next day. The
girl was quite struck with the way he
seemed to enter into all her feelings.
"Aud they did not even give you an
idea how much 1t isP'; he asked.
No, but l could tell by their manner
that it must be good deal, " said Bar
bara
81 don't know if that is criterion.
These old lawyers are very deceptive
sometimes" he rejolned. However,
you can get that paper filed up and sent
in, and would not lose any time about
it,
John Grant was the next person TO
whom she had to explain herself.
Just what L expected, Miss Bar
bara," he said, cbeeTfully. lone IS
never sure of chance of that kind till
one actually has it. l would not build
on it if l were you"
"Y ou don't seem TO have had a for
tunate experience in that way" re-
torted the young lady, ungrat-fuliy.
''It is only deferred in this case, and l
am in no hurry for few days"
Days" echoed John. There's a
man IN our Office who has waited years,
and is likely to wait, far as can see."
Mrs. Stewart was another thorn in
the path.
Barbara, my dea-," she remarked
one day, after school was dismissed,
''were you paying any attention what
ever to the girls practising this after
noon?n
Barbara flushed scarlet.
II was beside the piano the whole
time" =" she declared.
Your body must have been there,
but your mind certainly was not. Now,
my dear, you must really endeayor to
put this unfortunate legacy ont of your
head for the present; you have been fit
for very little since it was first men
toned. So far it has proved decidedly
the reverse of any advantage to you"
Ten days later came the much
looked-fOr communication from Messrs.
bod 81 Son. They were in receipt of
Miss Reeds paper, and could assure
her the matter should have their best
attention, and we're hers most ODE
diently, ETC. -
Barbara flung 1t into her desk with a
mn inf 4.As q
be obliged to walt in suspense like this
She would hardly know how to get
through the time but for Mr.. Law
rence's attention and warm interest in
the upshot. John Grants indifference,
t to say scepticlsm, on the subject,
threw up his rivals superior qualities
in full relief; and yet there were times
when Barbara felt just little pul Zled
that Mr.. Lawrence went no farther.
With all his solicitude and looks that
said more than words. hs never abso-
lutely committed himself to anything
more binding than friendship.
II can't ask him, - she said one day
under her breath, as she walked slowly
home after one of these ''accidental''
meetings ''But, oh, l dc wish, he t
would say straight out what he means, !
or else keep away altogether. 1t makes |
one tCel so unsettled ~
Poor Barbara As to feel more unset |
tied still before she reached home. 1t !
was lovely summer evening, and fifty |
yards farther on she was Joined by |
another cavaller-John Grant this time. |
She shrank back at first, half afraid OF |
s bme jestlng inquiry after MesSrS. Do |
Il Son, but she speedily discovered that |
he seemed to have forgotten their very |
existence. There was something else in |
his mind. and he lost no time in saying |
very straight out" indeed what it was. |
81 may not be able to offer you a fine |
house and luXurieS,'' he said, ''but l |
have saved plenty to begin in comfort, |
and 1 think we might be very happy /
together If you would only try. l have |
thought ii for the last two years, and |
worked hard to be able 10 tell you so. -
Barbara looked up at him with gen.
uine tears in her eyes.
II am so sorry!'' she said. 81 never
thought of such thing-at least, not
in serious earnest" 5" as she remembered
remarks of Mrs. Stewart's.
besides, there's lots OF other better
girls you might find"
That is not the point" he inter
rupt Il; tits you, not the other girls, L
want Try and think of 1t, Barbara
: don't want to hurry you, but let me
have line as soon as you can; it means
a good deal to me-"
Barbara went home in kind OF haze.
She had never thought so highly of
John Grant and his straightforward
as at that moment; but,
on the other hand, there was Mr.. Law
renee with his handsome face and DASH
ing manner, and there was little un-
defined sense of resentment against
Mrs. Stewart, who had always been a
strong If not entirely judicIOus advocate
for John Grant, and-and there was
his probable fortune that might be
coming 10 her. Barbara looked at the
Teaceful evening sky in sore perplexity
what she ought to de, OF what sire
wished.
He said he didn't want to hurry
me-" she finally decided. I'm just
wait and see how things CO."
For another week or two things con-
tinued to go in much the same fashion.
Mrs. Stewart wore a chronic air of dis
approval. John Grant was invisible.
Only Mr.. Lawrence was to the fore
with his sympathetic inquiries, but in
some mysterious way b trbara began to
find them irritating rather than fiatter-
ing. She got tired of giving the same
icopOioc, NOthluS yCb. auu Vi Aodl
ing the same polite remarks about his
and admiration of her. They
did not go deep enough. IF he has
nothing more than that to say. he ought
not to have said it at all, she reflected,
1t half unconsciously with
John Grants very opposite line Of con-
duct.
At last, one Saturday morning, as she
WAS setting out for Mrs Stewards she
met the postman, who gave her a blue
official looking envelope. Barbara stood
still on the step, holding her breath as