The Press., 1892-08-04

SnaO0S or req on the new leaves Ill the woods where the little twigs had sent them shooting out early and they had not time to turn green. This wide open carriage, MT. Carleton declared, had the merit of allowing great number of at tractive combinations.
 If Helen and he had something to say to each other-which was usually the case-she could sit on the front seat be- side him while he drove; or, if they hac a matrimonial squabble, MT. Somers could sit with him and they could dis cuss farming and the merits of the horses. If Margery should appear in a new hat or if he felt more than com monly brilliant, he might invite her to sit beside him Helen was so accus- toned to him it was hard to dazzle her with his gleams of wit. The first of these combinations, however. was the favorite, and it gave MT. Somers an op- portunity to know better the girl who was frequently in his thoughts. She attracted him from the first, and he had then thought it would be easy to know her we'll, but he found that he did not make as rapid progress as he had hoped
 She was so bright and pretty and friendly with him too-she and Mrs Carleton were like sisters, and the chil- dren tagged after her, Helen declared until she felt jealous. He must exert himself, he found, if he wanted to in- terest her, and he began to feel very anxious to hear from Mr. Nelson. If she should prove to be a relation of the injured old couple how would she feel toward him when she came to know the wicked story of his people? She had de- cided views of her own, he knew, though she did not obtrude them, and her standard of morals as we'll as mind was high. It would be very hard to have those brown eyes look at him with the expression he had once seen in them when she was speaking of the strong taking advantage of the weaker
 MT. Nelson had been allowed his own time and methods of making inquiry about the heirs of Stephen and Margery Douglas, and after leaving MT. Somers, the day after his uncle's funeral. the lawyer had been pressed with more ur- gent business, and MT. Somers had heard nothing from him. But one evening Mr. Carleton called his wiE aside with great tinesse to hold vine that he wished to train over an old tree trunk at the foot of the lawn. and asked her for the address of Margery's cousin, Sarah.
 "Why in the world do you wish to write to herr" asked Helen, dropping the vine in her surprise. Has some one been asking you for Margery's hand. or what is the matterY'
 Well, my dear, will tell you." an- swered Jack mysteriously, If you will not say anything to Margery. The law yer who asked for it-a very reliable man-wished the inquiry to be kept pri- vate in case it should prove false scent; those were his clients instruc- tions, he said, but knew l could trust you. He wants the address of Margery's guardian or nearest relative, so that he may find out if aae belongs to a family named Douglas, whose heirs he is search ing for. told him she was left an or phan when she was baby. That was correct, was it not?'
 "Yes; her cousin ought to know more than she about her family; but how mysterious the lawyer is. What differ ence can it make if Margery knows%
 "That 1 cannot tell you. suppose he has his own reasons, though he did not confde them to me"-and they ranbled slowly back toward the house, where they had the benefit of a pretty picture the long, low house, with its messy roof and few fine shade trees around it, the sunset light falling softly on Mar gery's blond hair as she Sat on low rustic bench under an old pine tree. Her white dress fell in soft folds around her, and the violet sash at her waist and a bunch of violets i'll the lace at her throat suited the delicate tints of the girls face At her feet on the pine needles John Somers had deposited his substantial form i'll a position where he could watch Margery's face as she sat looking out thoughtfully over the meadows stretching before her.
 "The voiceless depths of perfect sym pathy, l should say" remarked MT. Carleton, "but they look comfortable, and no doubt can get on without our so- ciety a little longer. Come out with me and look at Bess' little colt" and they walked off to the stables. As they dis appeared Rosa came running up. ,r
 ''Please, Aunt Margery. make me a daisy ball. This is the string nurse gave me and here are lots of daisies to begin with," displaying mass in her small apron. Rosa's faith in Aunt Margcry's powers and good will was irresistible
 "Very well, Rosa, will, if have not forgotten how to make them. Give me those you have and will try"
 "And now" said Rosa, with q little shake of her pinafore, 'I will run and gather some more while you tie these," and she trotted off. Pax vobiscum,' mentally ejaculated MT. Somers. and he pulled himself together and sat up watching Margery's fingers as she tied the daisies.
 Miss Douglas" he said gravely, ''the first evening l saw you you dissipated for me severe attack of gloom. wish you would repeat your charm this even- ing. Ineed it. -..- -.
 She smiled as she said: You are so mysterious. l am afraid it would re- quire an oracle to suit the various possi- bilities of your case. But there" with swift glance down into the dark, stern face, Il don't believe you need any help from me. You look strong enough to control your own destiny. so far as mor- tals can, and 1 believe much of it is, after all, in their own hands, even when circumstances have done their worst. A man who has the right kind of strength may be east down but not destroyed by what he has to contend against, and the brown eyes looked steadily into his, though her color had risen as her words grew more earnest. It was not easy for her to speak on such matters.
 "Thank you; you have given me what wanted" he said. Then after few minutes he added, in a different tone, "Isn't it hard case? l find l must go in town for week or ten days. and do not in the least want to go."
 "Oh, dare say you will soon be recon ciled and wonder that you wasted so much time in this quiet place and on it's nrOcu naoplo "