Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-26

81 feel very tired; I've not slept well, but
I'm coming down to breakfast, answered
Miriam; and she did go down. Mrs. Clyde
| was already seated at the table pouring out
tea, and the Colonel was reading his news.
paper, and they both looked up and smiled
as their young daughter entered the room.
"Here is a letter for you, Miriam, 7" said
the Colonel; and as Miriam glanced at 1t
she saw it was from Sir James.
cit is from Sir James, isn't it, my dear?''
said Mrs CLYDE.
"Yes, mother, I think, so," replied
Miriam, taking the letter from her fathers
hand. But she did not open it; she laid it
down by her plate on the table, and as she
did SO her mother looked at her attentively.
care YOU not SO we'll this morning,
Miriam?'' she asked. "Your eyes look so
heavy"
81 have rather headache, and did not
sleep very well, replied Miriam.
"Your tea will perhaps take it away;
read your letter. my dear, your father and
1 will excuse you.
heart reproached her as she read the warm
and t. ustful words it contained.
"He is coming to-day she said, without
looking up.
''That is right. You must make him stay
to dinner" smiled Mrs. Clyde.
The Colonel glanced over his newspaper
as his wife spoke, and looked at his daugh-
ter, and a certain expression of anxiety
stole into hi. ewes as he did so. Miriam, In
truth. was looking exceedingly ill, and her
feelings, as she read Sir James lett er, were
far from enviable. The more she saw of
him, indeed, the more she hated the idea of
deceiving him. He was so honest, so true,
it made her own conduct seem ,baser to her
writing to her in language of unmistakable
affection ant trust, and she knew she was
unworthy OF it all.
One sentence of his letter was enough to
tell her this:
81 am always thinking of you, dear one;
always wishing 1 could do something to
please you. Will you tell Inc if 1 can,
Miriam? You will make me SO happy"
And the girl who read these words with a
shamed heart had fixed to ask him to do
something for her that very day. She left
the breakfast room feeling that she could
not do this, but by o'clock in the after
noon she had resolved that she would She
was torn with conflicting emotions and feel
ings, but then Hugh Ferrars must leave
Newbrough- on-the-Sea before General Con-
ray arrived there. And who could she go
to but Sir James TO ask for help? she
argued. Her father was far from rich
man, and the hundred pounds he was going
| to provide for her trousseau was really q
| considerable drain on his yearly income.
And besides, Miriam knew he would give
her money for no such purpose as she re-
| quired il for had he been ever sorich. Thus
| she made up her mind to ask Sir James to
| lend ii to her, and ask him she did.
He was standing looking out of the win
| dow when she entered the drawing room
her nh ho hao I'll
| her tootstep he turned round with bright
smile on his face and went forward holding
out both his hands.
SHOW are you, my darling" he said, ten
derby.
81 have rather tiresome headache" she
| answered, with a somewhat wintry smile.
"a headache? And how did nv dear lit
tie girl get that?" and Sir James bent down
| and kissed the fair face that had lain weep
ing the night before on Hugh Ferrars'
breast!
This thought struck Miriam, and she
started back. ,..-...
Sir James looked little hurt, but he said
nothing.
'She is such shy little darling" he re-
fected. ~.
! Then he drew her gently to couch near
the fire and sat down b. her side.
81 met Esccurt," he said, "as 1 was
coming here, and asked him about that
| poor fellow who was shot on the sands
some weeks ago, when you behaved so
splendidly,. Miriam, and he says he is
| nearly we'll again now, and out of the hos
pital.
Miriam was conscious that sudden flush
dyed her face, even her white throat.
"Why, you silly little girlr' exclaimed
Sir James, smilingly, when he saw this
sign o. emotion. "I declare you are blush
ing over your good deed But do you know
1 was interested in what Escourt told me
about this Dare. 1t seems that the
man Smith who shot him had
some grudge against Dare; he's a
handsome fellow, Escourt says, SO
perhaps Smiths sweetheart smiled on him, 4"
and Sir James gave laugh. "At all events,
they say in the regiment that Smith was
suspected of shooting Dare Intentionally
But when Escourt questioned Dare about