The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-12-20

abruptly ktAmA1l lie tOuuN ntiIHtlf
for tie moment standing alone with
her-both OF them isoia..d IA the sor.
tex OF the confusion.
mo. But could do more by help
ing than by being in tho tablcaux my
self" she said. coldly. and FASTENED
away with her hands full OF pins aud
drapcries. A moment later she re-
turned TO find the young man standing
motionlcss in the same place.
Mrs. Merriweather Is dressed for
the first tableau and wishes You TO SEQ
whether there are any suggestions 10
make
She spoke without looking at him.
aud the next instant she was bending
TO adjust fold ia the widows costume
The latter stood before the Young
man and challenged him 10 admiration
with every inch of her rcsplendent
presence. She WAS CLEAN OF jewels
aud priceless stutfs and red lips. She
was undeniably handsome. She looked
fifteen years younger than her age,
aud the artist in Pallatine did homage
TO the cohsummate cleyerncss OF the
whole production.
Perfect" he said. bowling low. The
"Elaine" tablcau came first. This was
really n regal Gunevere. A flutter
rose in Mrs. Merrlweather's throat.
The excitement half carried her little
out of herself.
Had YOU been Launcelot." she mnr.
INJURED. with softened ewes. lit might
have been perfect indcedg'
And she held out her hand toward
him.
The curtain went up in moment
and Pallatine began his reading In
whirl. He scarcely heard his own
words. When the curtain had como
down again amid burst Of applause.
hiding the reader and the illustrative
tableau alike from view, he withdrew
into a corner and tried with MI the re-
newed confusion around him, TO collect
his thoughts
Great heavcnl He did not wish TO
be coxcomb. bat what was thisp
Could IL be- Was this where he had
been drifting. with his frequent visits
10 this house, his tolerance OF the great
lady's patronage? Ii seemed impoSsi-
BILE. and yet Morciful powersi He
remembered Mrs. Merriweathrr's look.
her extended hand aud chill ran
down his spine.
Had the little Italian girl seen themP
She had moved away rs soon rs he mp.
preached Mrs. Merriweather. Aud
vet. how could he telle His cheek
tingled II she had surmised anything
of this sort IL would account for
the GOODNESS. the contempt almost. with
which she had seemed TO treat him in
these weeks he had been coming here.
a poverty-stricken reader ingratiating
himself into the flyors OF an elderly
widow OF wealth and social standing
with visions of u matrimonial denouc-
ment-that was how he must have APP
pcared to her. Taught The thought
sickened him.
lie went through tho rest of tho pro-
gramme automatically. lie was seized
with a wild desire to get away. And
yet his eve watched for Amina CON
stanty. Just before the last tableau
he caught sight OF her. standing on a
chair and mailing up some bit OF
drapery for the scenery.
He found himself the next instant
beside her and looking up. with sort
OF desperation. into her pale face. Her
lips were tightly set. Some hidden
emotion seemed to communicate itself
from him to her from her To him. lie
longed TO explain TO her
His voice came thickly. and all he
found TO say was: Pm afraid the
chair is not steady. You will fall"
'Oh. no." she said ia turn. But was
II his close presence that made her
fingers less surep One end of tho
heavy drapery slipped from her grasp
and. rs she made movement To re-
cover It, the chair tipped and her light
weight slid downward into his arms.
1t was tremendous revelation to
both OF them. Their faces were white
and their eyes glowed.
Let me 60" whispered Amina
fighting for her self-coutrol
II love You" Egbert kept repeating.
IL love you very much. Amina. You
must believe me. That is why have
been coming here-though / did not
know it myself"
Ii had been the affair OF mouCnt.
A high cardboard wing had screened
them from view. But In the ntcrstice
of il Mrs. Merriwoather had suddenly
appeared. The three stood looking nj
each other; then youth. wild with
haste and excitement under his paint
aud wig. rushed frantically toward
them and dragging the fallen drapery
out OF sight. told them the curtain was
about TO rise.
Mrs. Mcrriweathcr's boudoir was
darkcncd and an odor Of cologne and
UtBaigrc DE t0iicttc pcrvaded II. She her
self lnv on the lounge In a dcshdbiiic OF