The Press., 1891-08-27

kissed tt tendesly.
 After that he always asked for Mrs. Morgan when he came, and she was very kind to him, and Eugenie as cold as any iceberg. She knew that he loved her; he made no secret of it, and she was very sorry for little Maisie and very con- temptuous of him.
 When Mrs. Morgan told her of his brothers dangerous illness and his ex- pectationss she began to hate him, it seemed so cruelty heartless in him to calculate on such chances. She avoided him as much as possible, but one even ing, by Mrs. Morgan,s aid, the girl found herself entrapped into tete-a- -tete with Roy.
 It was evident that he was anxious to talk seriously about something, and she was determined that he should not. The moment they were left alone she went to the piano and ran her fingers over the keys.
 ''Shal sing you the last new ballad?'' she asked. And without waiting for an answer began the prelude. She was wei aware that he did mt care to hear her, but she sang on and on, following one song with another, until her repertoire was nearly exhaustedl She gave him German songs, French songs, English ballads, selections from Italian opera, she cared not what, so that by singing she silenced him. But at last he came to her and deliberately took her hands from the keys.
 Miss Ashton" he said, ''please stop, I want to talk to you. I think you know it. Won't you listen to mel"
 -ssIt appears. to- me that L have no choice" she replied, rising.
 ''I know exactly what your manner means" he said. '.You believe l am treacherous to Maisie, that am betroth- you should think that suitable thing. am not very vain, but, really, though l know am famiiarly mentioned at the BunnyS as Maisie'ss sweetheart, I feel hurt Eugenie lifted her eyebrows. He went on: "Now you consider me 8 puppy" he said. Do let me explain. A year ago we all thought my brother, the earl, would recover, and we are not a rich family, and I, as 8 younger brother, have nothing. Everybody in England who has no money is going in for trade nowadays. It was suggested to me; I was not averse to the idea, and felt it would free me from the suspicion of waiting for dead mems shoes and the absurdity of living on expectations, and l was thinking of it when Bunny came back home on 8 visit. Bunny had been helped in his youth by my father, who gave him few pounds to go and seek his fortune, and it amuses us all to think that he should be one of the American miuinnaires.
 "When he came over he presented himself at Clifford House, and they con- graduated him and all that, and when he had gone found that he had offered to show me how to do as he had if would come to the states.
 "It was a great offer, for, plain as you see him, Bunny is quite at the top of the heap among business men, EE
 Well, came over, and he received me with open arms. You would not un- derstand the business part of the matter, even if it were not too tedious to go over, Miss Ashton; but here I was in Mir. Bunny's place of business, favored as few young men ever are, and everything de- pended on his action. MT. Bunny is 8 sort of Napoleon in his own empire.
 Well, one day he said to me, Clifford, you 'aven't hever sweetheart across the erin pond, 'ave your r......,.- a |" 'Oh, mo- said I. ..- -.--- s
 Honor bright, said he. laughed and told him that as to that I would take my oath if he required it.
 "'Your word will do, Clifford, he said. Now, I've a plan for you. My wife as . little friend we're as fond of as we would be of daughter. She's not 8 very pretty girl, but she 'as the lnakin's of as good wife as hever was, and I've no kin, nor the missus either. l can make my will as please, and Maisie will be an heiress. Then there is partnership for the man that marries 'er. You come mp to my 'onse and see Ter. Come to dinner tomorrow -.s...
 He did not wait for an answer. but toddled away sassgQ z4a.f Isss.s-.>
 Well. naturally. l went to dinner at Bunny'a You've been to dinner at .Bunny's; l needn't describe the feast" ,"
 'Oh, no They are so kind to one, 30 anxious to make one enjoy ones self" said Eugenie
 Exactly. said Clifford. By the time was allowed to stop eating. my ability to think or act had vanished. was really apprehensive of apoplexy. Then they put me in large chair. and Mir. Bunny bade Maisie give us tune.'
 ''The piano tinlrled; I prayed heaven that might not snore: at intervals I