Nevada County picayune., 1892-03-03

blush when she read it; and she
was still smiling and blushing when
she answered it. And this was how
the letter to Eugene concluded:
"You speak of rivals In my regard
and say You could not bear it with
good grace. But | think there is
nothing you couldn't do gracefully.
As TO the rivals, you have only one,
but he is all-powerful, and to such a
kind, good friend must confess that
| shall love him while | live, as l
have from the first moment in which
| beheld his dear face. In complex
ion, he is not unlike you, for he has
fair hair and the loveliest blue eyes,
but cannot flatter you so much as
to say that you are like him, for no
one was ever SO beautiful, so charm
ing, so captivating. If you ever see
him you will agree with me, though
now | suppose you are laughing at
me, and no doubt you think l am
dreadfully in love. To be entirely
frank, l just am; but l do think the
dear fellow gives me some excuse,
for he declares that he loves me just
the same !"
Eugene turned white and then red
as he angrily crumpled up this letter
in his hand; then smoothing it out
he deliberately and with set teeth
for every word seemed to stab him
read it all all over again.
"'The bare-faced little flirtl' he
exclaimed. "This is your sweet
country simplicity and innocence
Confound the fellow! Some moon
faced BOBBY, with saucer eyes and
hair smelling of bergamot, | sup
pose. What fool / have been.
Not practiced coquette in society
could have made more complete
idiot of me. And yet l deserve it.
Wasn't l calmly flirting with her as
summer amusement-something to
while away the time, without a
thought of any serious ending to it.
And now-well, Pm punished. This
is what they mean by hosting a fel
low with his own petard, l suppose.
Practical illustration to enforce the
lession."
But, storm and fume and philoso-
phize as he would, Mr.. Lorillard
could not get the subject out of his
mind.
And when he reached the railway
station on the next day, instead of
buying a ticket to New York, he alb
sently mentioned the name of the
little town where Amy lived; and
only when the train started and the
conductor came along did he realize
his blunder.
"No matter" he thought, savage
ly, 81 suppose there is hotel of
some kind there, and just for once
in way | would like to see my
rival, 1t will be a new sensation. "
lie found Amy prcttier and more
charming than ever. The few weeks
since he had said goodbye to her
had matured without aging her, and
without taking away her charm of
girlish simplicity, had invested her
with subtle fascination. 1t was
the charm of being in love and
knowing herself beloved, though
neither of them knew it.
But Eugene soon found out his
own state of feeling. and somewhat
to his dismay, realized for the first
time that he was deeply in love.
Amy did not attempt to deny her
regard for him. She had never felt
such a deep friendship for any gen
tleman in all her life. 1t was more
than friendship, she admitted, with
a blush--it was love. Oh, yes, real
love; but not the same she felt for
his rival,
'My rival-where is he 2" exclaim'
ed Eugene, turning pale again. 81
had hoped that that was playful
mockery. l have seen no rival
where do you keep him."
"Oh, he lives with u.s." laughed
Amy. "We are inseparable. Who
ever loves me must love him. :"
Amy, could not have believed
that you were cruel! l congratu-
late my rival, but | fear you don't
understand mans love-"
II understand his!" cried Amy,
as the parlor door was slyly pushed
opened, and a lovely goldenhaired
little boy peeped in.
Come in, Willie, and be intro
duced to this gentleman" she said,
and added, with a lovely blush :
This is my brother, Mr.. Lorillard
and the only rival in my heart that
YOU will ever haven
son, Amy" exclaimed Eugene,
as a food of light seemed to break