Catoctin clarion., 1891-10-01

'Cleta, Cleta ls 1t true, this story
that they tell me? Is it true that you
are-that you will be mistress of Glen :
allen Hall p
The girls face pa1ed, her eyes drooped
moment, then the long lashes swept
upward, and the proud dark eyes met
his.
is it true? he said, hoarsely, only
tell me, is it true?'
The passion in his voice conquered
her.
1t is true, Vance, she said, slowly.
I am Roy Glenallen's promised wife !!
For a moment he stood silent, his
handsome face white as death, then he
recovered himself.
I wish you every happiness he SAID !;
is not that the correct thing to do p
Without another word he turned and
left her, and then, with low, shudder-
ing cry, she turned from the window
and sank on her knees, her face buried
in her hands.
How long she knelt there she could
hardly tell, only the cleaning had dar-
kened to night, and Else's soft voice
was calling her.
She rose to her feet as Elsie entered
the room, and held out her hands with
low cry.
oh, Elsie! Elsie, pity me. she said,
it is harder to bear than l thought it
was.
What is the matter. Cleta! Are you
i'll? What is so hard to bear? Your
face is palid, your hands trembling,
and your eyes seem dark with pain.
Cleta- sister,
With an effort Cleta recovered her
self, and forced a light laugh to her
colorless lips.
DO not look so serious, little one, I
am perfectly we'll, but it will be hard
to leave you, and home and mother
A little later Elsie turned to Cleta.
Il saw Vance Seymour passing here.
They tell me he is very clever. His
picture took first prize at the academy
this year. You and he used to be
friends before he went abroad, | thought
it strange he did not call, l am almost
sure he saw me.
Cleta's face paled.
we are friends still, she said per
haps he dld not have time to call to-day.
His life is a very busy one.'
Elsies soft serious eyes rested on
Cleta'e face.
Sometimes I used to think he was
more than a friend to you, Cleta,' she
said.
Cleta's face grew, if possible, still
paler, but she was spated an answer by
the entrance Of Roy Glenallcn.
A tall, broad shouldered man, with
clear.cut though rather stern face, and
bright blue eyes, with kindly light in
their depths; and Elsie thought, with
an upaccOuntable thrill, how proud
Ceta must be of her stately lover.
This IS Colonel Glenallen, Elsie,
Cleta SAID. Roy, this is Elsie, the ba-
by of the family. whom you will have
to pet, as we'll as mother and /.
Roy looked down ard met pair Of
soft brown eyes, saw pale little face,
with delicate features and sensltiye
mouth.
NV little sister that is to be, he said
with smile, as he held her slim, white
hand il moment in his.
They were very unlike, these two sis
ttrs, and more than once during the
night, Roy Glenallen fonnd himself
wondering what was the charm that Ell
sic seemed to hold for him-Elsie, the
sister of his promised wife-the little
pale sister of the girl whose rare beauty,
whose grace hauteur, were to do honor
to his name us we'll as his taste.
That was only the beginning of the
end, for before the summer wancd, Roy
Glenalen knew he had made Il mistake
IA fatal mistake-a mistake that
would wreck his life's happiness forey-
er-knew h, loved Elsie Vernon with
the one passion OF his life-that for the
sake of ii little, pale, brown eyed girl
he wonld lay down his life if necess-
ary.
He had been mad, the rare beauty of
Cleta had taken his senses captive, and
he had yielded to the spell.
Many far women had sighed for Roy
Glenallen, many beauties had smiled
on him in vain, and after all he had
fallen madly in love with girl scarce.
ly even pretty--a girl whom it Was dis
honor to love.
But Roy Glenallen was a man of hon
or, and death would have been prefer
able to him than the loss of it, and so
he fought his battle bravely and believ-
II bo had oopouoroI