Nevada County picayune., 1891-03-12
A YEAR AGO.


Grace had returned from Europe:' =
And pretty Fay Winfield turned
short around and stared at her guest
with a pair of very wide-open and
surprised blue eyes.
'Leslle Arlington, do you really
mean it?'
sOf course | do" replied Miss
Arlington, leaning further back into
the reposeful depths of the cream
plush divan. and clasping her perfect
arms behind her dark regal little
head. Il know nothing of his move
ments."
''But-you wcrc-that is STAN
mered Fay, considerably more en-
| barrasscd than usually occurred to
her, 1--WE all thought you were en-
gagged, don't YOU know"
"Oh, that was a year ago" re-
turned Miss Arlington, languidly
! lifting her magnificent dark eyes un-
til they gazed straight into the won
dering blue eyes before her. "A
great many things can happen in that
time, you know"
And it was a year ago that he
went to EuropeH remarked Fay,
thoughtfully. Knowing your aver
sion to having your private affairs
published to the world, always imag-
med his going abroad at that time
simply a scheme of your own to de-
lude the gossips, but | see now. Oh,
Leslie'-with burst of her charac-
teristic impulsivencss-"how could
you help caring for him: | used tc
think you were just made for each
other. am so sorry.
There is nothing to be sorry for
my dear" Leslie answered lightly
though she knew her face was grow
ing pale, and changed her position
more to bring it a trinc more il
shadow. ''Surcly, you wouldn't
have two people marry merely tc
verify the predictions Of their friends
You can see for yourself that | am
not heart-broken. and he-he was nc
more in earnest in the matter thar
myself"
"Ah!" calculated Fay, slowly, s
different expression dawning on her
fair. pretty face. "Then that ac-
counts for
''For what" SAID Miss Arlington
as Fay paused indefinitely, as though
lost in mental speculation on the
subject, and the latter gave an in
voluntary little start at the sharp,
| strained accents of Lcslie's tlute-like
voice.
"Whv, for the host of rumors that
have been drifting across the ocean
concerning his attachment to a love
/ " and high-born 'miladi' over there,
/ You know | am well acquainted with
several of his most intimate friends.
and they have told me, but the sto-
res seemed absurd to me, and | only
/ laughed at them. Now, however
since YOU say there was no thought
of an engagement between you and
him, 1 begin to think that the report
may be true one, after all.
Leslie Arlington made no reply in
words, but a slight, half-mOcking
laugh rippled from her lips, a more
discordant sound than Fay ever
/ heard from them before.
"What is it, wondcrE' she
thought, little cloud of disappoint'
ment settlinm on her white, girlisl
brow. Can it be that She dislikcs
him? or"-her iace suddenly bright.
ening again-''or has there really
been an engagement between them
aud perhaps quarrel? Well, il
any case, shan't mention to her
now that he is coming lmust leave
every thing to chance. y
Soon after She kissed her lovely
guest an affectionate goodbye and
fitted away to her own room, leav'
inc Leslie still in that indelcnt, half
dreaming attitude Of the diVan.
Lying back among its luxurious
cream-tinted cushions, still in The
alc-god-and- black-dinncr-dress she
had worn during the evening, whicl
left bare her exquisitely lovely arms
and shoulders.
Her dark, silky hair, twisted IN ;
careless coil fastened with TOPAZ
pin, high above the low, broad, iyo
ry-smooth brow; her dark. bewitch
inc ewes, shadow and sad Will