Nevada County picayune., 1891-03-12

her beauty.
a year ago." she whispered be-
low ncr breath---''a year ago | was
all in all to hlm-or [ fancied that |
was. Oh, God. what happiness was
mine! How the world-my world
would have stared in astonishment
could it have looked into proud Les
lie Arlington's heart and behed the
absolute childish dreams of love and
faith which it fondly harbored-
dreams that he destroyed. But it
did not know, it does not and it shall
not - and her dark eyes flashed de-
family. And this story Of him
that Fay has just told me-can it be
true!"
For long time she lay there,
yielding her heart up to the sweet
and bitter memories of the past. and
haunted by some strange, subtitle
prcmOnition that, whether for good
or Ill. her life was not free from the
tangled web which that same past
had woven about it.
1t was bya sharp effort, at last, that
she threw off the mysterious feeling
and remembered the iatcness of the
hour.
GLOW unutterably silly am !"
she exclaimed, a look of intense
scorn of herself sweeping across her
proud. dusk face. 1T is all over
and done with; what fool | was to
forget that for moment, And /
would not have it different if /
could. Heigho!" with a sleepy
yawn-''I wish that Fay had not
said anything about him"
Certainly, after that evening. Fay
did not mention his name again.
On the second day after Miss Ar
lington's arrival, however, a new,
conner ahghted from the dog-cart
which had been sent to the station
for him-a tall, fine Y built man. who
lifted handsome, but rather Ian
guild countenance toward the win.
dows above him in a momentary sur.
vey before the great hall door was
opened to admit him.
Leslie Arlington, happening to
glance from one of those windows
at that instant, suddenly drew back
as though some one had shot her.
Her lovely face was white as snow,
but the next moment deep crimson
flushed it, and an angry light blazed
IN her dusty eyes.
She turned to Fay, who was just
approaching the WlndOW,
II this a plot?" she asked, with
such cold hatcaur in look and ac-
cents }hat poor Fay shrunk back in
CONSERVATION. WAS | invited here
for the purpose of meeting him-Mr
Grenville Grace. whom Just saw
standing on the steps below: If so,
I-should have preferred to remain
at home"
"No, it is not plot, Leslie, an
swered Fay. decidedly, for he is
absolutely ignorant of your pres
cncc here. 1t is true that, when !
asked him to come, some time ago,
hoped and intended to give you both
a pleasant surprise. But that was
before-we had that talk, You know,
Even then | didn't dream that you
really disliked him, or | should have
arranged to defer his visit. But
hesitatingly, with a pleading look in
her pretty blue cycs-"now, that he
is here, you won't refuse to meet
him, will you, LeSliei'
"Certainly not, Fay, since he is
your guest, and find that my first
hasty suspicion was Incorrect re-
turned Miss Arlington, with a grace
full air of apology for the outburst
which had so betrayed her, "After
all"--with jangling little laugh
Nwhat is it to me? save that !
thought you were trying to play a
trick upon me, YOU wicked little
Fay"
The young hostess went down tc
welcome her guest, and later Leslie
met him.
But there was nothing in the po'
litcly formal greeting between then
to excite surprise or gossip among
those who witnessed it.
Fortunately for the two estranged
ones there were several other visitors
at the house, so that their habitua
avoidance of each other passed un-
noticed, excepting by Fay herself.
And even she appeared not to see