The morning call., 1891-03-30

IN IL
she had ever loved him, but that, in the
willfulness of a happy time. she had let her
intercourse with him vex and offend the
man she had really loved. and who might
perhaps have gone on to love her.
"How could | be so foolish?" she said to
herself; and then she went on 10 murmur,
thinking of the man she had loved: 81 hope
he will never know, never guess what a
miserable thing l am now"
She fancied that he would only pity and
despise her, for he had never really loved
her; and it seemed to her that already
she had taken the tone Of her surroundings,
so that all grace and beauty had left her.
- might have been SO happy now" she
said, ard cried herself 10 sleep again in the
darkness.
Mr.. Tompkins' friend arrived the next
day, while she was out with her pupils. She
was toiling YEARLY upstairs on her return
when his door opened suddenly below her,
and he said, Sarah
She stood still, her hand on the banister,
but she did not look round; it seemed as if
she had been turned into stone If any one
had been in front of her he would have seen
that her face was as white as it could we'll
be, and that her mouth was drawn with a
strong look of distress. But the lOdger was
below and did not glance up. Sarah came
hurryng out of the kitchen, and while the
two talked Efie went on upstairs slowly
and softly. When she reached her own
trembling ali over now, and did not even
attempt to take off her jacket Instead of
that she rang her bell, thing she had not
done for years, for she had long learnt to do
without personal attendance. The strange
ness of the incident made Sarah hasten up
stairs.
"Who is that, Sarah?" Efie asked. "Who
were you talking to-"
1.-The new Iodger-Mr Tompkins' friend,
mean. He came half an hour ago."
'But he is not going to stay"
"Why, certainly, miss; you said yourself
it made no difference"
II did not know then, but 1t Is impossible,
impossible that he should stay"
''Pm afraid he'll have to. He's brought
his things and everything. We can't turn
him out, and why should we? He's never
been rude 10 you, mlsS|
Rude to mel He would be rude to no
one. But-but-if he stays, cannot, l must
CO." said Ellie wildly, and she began to tie
her bonnet-strngs again.
" Just sit still, and let me get you a cup of
tea You don't know what you're saying.
| You're tired to death"
:" l know quite we'll He is Mr. Lucas; he
| is Paul Lucas, and lie has come here!'
Lucas is his name, sure enough, but
what difference that should make | can't
see You've taken cold" said the gooi wo-
man, with anxious sOlicitude. and got put
! out about something. Get your things oil
| and come downstairs"
Il cannot come down unless it's to 20 out
| and come back no more. l might meet him
| if | did"
81 don't see how that would matter. He's
| a gentleman and you say yourself he'd
| never De rude to any one. | didn't think
! you were one to have such faucieS just be-
! cause he's younger than we thought"
" But he would know NE, Sarah"
81 can't tell what you mean, Miss Ehie.
| Have you met him before?"
" Net him? He ought to, have been-if
had not been a fool he would have been-oh.
Sarah. how can tell you?" and she put her
head down on the coarse colOred counter
pane and sobbed bitterly.
NAY, miss; il you wont tell me, how can
| help you? Yet if it's as bad as this il
would be best 10 know"
81 He is the man l was to-that my unc lie
| wanted me to marry"
"Ah!" said Sarah, light breaking in upon
| her, land you didn't like him."
mot like him!' said Ellie fere civ. the
| pent-up passion OF long years break ing out
under this propagation. I" l love him with
all my heart l wish he would speak to me
tonight as he once did-only once before,
and then l might die and have done with it,
and forget the rest"
Good lord !" said the woman, shocked as
we'll as amazed; 81 didn't think you were
| that sort"
81 didn't think so myself" said Effic. "but
what | say"
Poor dearl You've had a bad time, and
! not what you've been used to- said Sarah
her sympathy returning. But you dom
mean that he didn't like yOu?"
lie didn't like me-much," said Effie in
self-sc0rn, and l yrXed him. So lie wen
! away"
well, now he's back, it'll all come right,
said Sarah. cleerfully. GU come down anC
get your tea-and how would it be if you wa.
to take his in on tray as a surprise. and
| sea what would come of it?"
Poor Effiel The bitterness Of her position
was not likely 10 be understood by this rude
but faithful friend. She had poken- altsnsl
| abjeetly Of her love for Paul Lucas, and We
f fa.i s%'' or meet him at all in hei
present position. How could Sarah com
prehend that? At last, however, sht
consent to remain in the house
another moment if Mr.. Lucas Knew tina
| she was there; as she had nowhere else t
go to, this threat was certain 10 make Sarat
| keep her secret safely. Then Sarah Tough
| against Effe's desire TO send Mr. Luca!
| away. There was no reason that could b.
| given; if she tried 10 turn him out HI
! would demand to see the mistress; and ner
! where you would be?" she asked. ''lU i!
but few days. You need never be on The
stairs when he is in the house. I'll bring
| your things up and down for you. aud yoI
can go out at the back. He's not OF the sor
to pry into places that don't belong to him
| He's too much the gentlemen"
And so Ellie agreed to do nothing desper-
ate. Only she sat up in her cold room
wrapped in a shawl until Mr.. Lucas went
| out. Then she crept down to the kitchen
fire and had her tea. She was afraid
! of being in the sitting-room alone.
| She was afraid of being alone al
all while he was so near She felt
that If left to her own thoughts she
would be driven to do something strange.
| She might even get up and walk into the
dintug-room to say to him, won't you for
give me, Paul? L never loved any one but
| you"
And what could have been more dreadful
than that? What desperate humiliation
what depths of ignoble self-scorn might MOI
be expected to follow? As least now she
could, to some degree, respect herself; while
! know 1t.
To be continued