Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-13

call you Clara You are not as aggressive
As should wish, Clara, but still I like you
very much Self-sacrifce is all very well,
you know, but we have had rather too much
of it on our side, and should like to see a
little on the other What do you think OF
nv nephew, Chsrles?"
The question was so sudden and unex-
pected that Clara gave quite jump in her
chair. I'LL hardly ever have thought
of your nephew Charles"
'"No? Oh, you must think him well
over, for I want to speak to you about
him."
"To me? But, why7"
"You see, Clara, the matter stands In this
way. 1t is quite possible that I may soon
find myself in q completely new sphere Of
life, which will involve fresh duties and
make it impossible for me to keep up q
household which Charles can share"
Clara stared Did this mean that she
was about to marry again? What else
could it point to?
Therefore Charlie. must have q house.
hold Of his own. That is obvious Now, I
don't approve of bachelor establishments
Do you?"
ideally, Mrs. westmacott, have never
thought of the matter"
'He has no profession. But he has nice
tastes. He reads Browning every night.
NAlG ne Is ulOSi RLu6Llu3ly 6tIOuS w ueu
be was younger we used to put on the
gloves together, but cannot persuade him
to now, for he says be cannot play light
enough. 1 should allow him $500, which
should be enough al first"
''Mv dear Mrs Westmacott," cried Clara,
81 assure you that have not the least idea
what ii is that you are talking of. ;"
'Do you think your sister Ida would have
my nephew Charles?"
Her sister Ida? Quite q little thrill of
relief and Of pleasure ran through her at
the thought. Ida and Charles Westmacott.
She had never thought of it. And vet they
had been a good deal together. They had
plsyed tennis They had shared the tandem
tricycle.. Again came the thrill of Joy, and
close ct its heels the cold questionings of
conscience Why this joy2 What was
the real source of it? Was il that deep
down, somewhere pushed back in the black
Tecesses of the soul, there WIS the thought
lurking that if Charles prospered in his
wooirg then Harold Danver would still be
free? How mean, how unmaidenly, how
unsisterly the thought She crushed it
down and thrust 1t aside, but still it would
push up its wicked little head. She Grim
toned with shame al her own baseness, as
she turned once more to her companion.
'I really do not know" she said.
''She is not engsged?''
f'Not that ] know Of
"You speak kesitstingly."
Because l am not sure. But he may ask.
She cannot but be hattered."
The widow moved away to where the
PLAYERS were grouped round the net, or
rauntering slowly toward the house. She
rose to follow her, but her head was in
whirl with new thoughts, and she sat down
again. Which would be best for Ida,
Harold or Charles? She thought il over
with as much sOlicitude as mother who
plans for her only child. Harold had
seemed to her to be in many ways the
noblest and best young man whom she had
known. If ever she wss to love man it
would be such a man as that. But she
must not think of herself She had reason
TO believe that both these men loved her
sister Which would be the best for her?
But perhap. the matter was already de-
cided She could not forget the scrap of
conversation which she had heard the night
before, nor the secret which her sister had
refused to conide to her. If Ida would not
tell her, there was but one person who
could. She raised her eyes, and there was
Harold Danver standing before her
Don't go in, said he, as she began to
move slowly toward the house. II wanted
to have word. Let US stroll up and down
the lawn. Perhaps you are cold. If you
are, l could bring You out shawl"
''Oh, no, l am not cold" ="
81 was speaking to your sister Ida last
night" She noticed that there was q
slight culver in his voice, and, glancing up
at his dark, clear-cut face, she saw that he