People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-10-21

tried to reason myself into the belief
that Mr. Bernards utterances were
from the heart, and that he felt a ia
therly interest in my welfare and was
striving to serve me as true friend;
and, in truth, l did believe !. in a way.
Yet | was not altogether aItisfed, and,
in spite of all my reasoning and all my
belief, shade of uneasiness and fear
lurked about my heart
There was a momentary silence,
broken by Mr.. Bernard, who suddenly
remarked:
Il see you have letter there. Is it
from your homeP"
mo, SIR" answered; 1T is not"
Indeed" he exclaimed. Il was not
aware that you had friends elsewhere. :"
1T is from one | knew but a few
days" | replied, but one whom count
true friend"
"Ah! A lady, SUPPOSE"
Yes, sir; it is from a lady"
May ask her name?"
"She is Mrs Cornell" l answered.:
1.-THE lady with whom l remained a
week before l came here"
"Ah, certainly. l remember some
thing of her now. 1t was her son. | be-
lieve, who brought you to my house,"
Eyes, sir, it was" l replied, little
shortly, perhaps, for was beginning to
feel somewhat annoyed.
He made no further remark imme-
diately, but sat staring into my half
averted face as though he would read
my soul in my features. Finally he
observed:
That doesn't have the resemblance
of lady's writing" pointing to the
letter. ut is too heavy and bold for a
lady's hand"
He waited for a reply, but | ventured
none, and after the lapse of a moment
he spoke again, more explicitly:
did the lady with whom you stopped
write that?" he asked.
mo, sir; her sol wrote it for her." I
answered, considerably nettled by the
persistency with which he continued to
pry into my personal affairs.
Indeed" he exclaimed, coolly. 81
was sure it was written by man. l
presume, now, you are very we'll ac-
quainted with the SOM"
Ives, sir; met him every day dur
ing the week was there"
"How did he impress you?"
looked up in surprise, wondering
what the man could mean by this ques-
tioning. It appeared to me that he was
not prompted solely by any idle curiosi-
ty, but that, on the contrary, he had a
purpose in view. He saw my surprise
but did not remark it, simply repeating
his question as though had not under
stood him.
HE impressed me very favorably,"
replied, las he must everyone who
knows him. He is so great and noble.
and so generous"
Mr.. Bernard frowned and looked dis.
pleased, and for little while drummed
the table with his fingers, watching me
from under his eyebrows.
80 you formed a great liking for
that young farmer, eh?" he asked, with
something like sheer.
Eyes, did" answered, unhesitatinp.
ly. 81 formed a great liking for all
three members of the family. l could
not do otherwise if l was at all crate.
full"
The young countryman, presume,
was very attentive to you?"
HE was very considerate of me-"
Exactly. Quite gallant, too, | sus
pect."
HE was gentlemanly."
Just So" and again my visitor
frowned and looked displeased. 90
dare say you thought him very gentle
manly. Those country gallants are 81
apt to impress one that way"
Mr.. Bernard laughed when he saiC
that, and knew from his manner that
he had intended to be sarcastic. Iva.
stung by his meaning, and for an in
slant glow of resentment flushed m,
face. l felt acutely that he was invad
ing sacred grounds, and that his re
marks and questions were leading L
information that he had no right {,
possess. understood perfectly well
too, that he was prepossessed agains
Charles Cornell, though why he was
could not guess. He had never seel
the Cornells, and he knew nothinl
about them save what he had learne,
from me; and it seemed that the NOR
) highly | spoke Of them the less he wa
! inclined to like them. This was es
pecially true regarding Charles.
Il wonder now" Mr.. Bernard said
| AFTER a pause, seeing that l was NO