The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1892-02-19
all at once" she comtortea herself by

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rejecting.
But one day there came a CLEAN Of
hope athwurt the Cimmerian darkness
of her prospects. AS she was working
at her easel footsteps stumbled up the
semi-lightcd stairs, and o knock
sounded at the door.
"Is this Miss Maitland's studio?" de-
mandeA q cheerful voice.
"Why," cried Gladys, drawing a
quick breath, "why, Lowell"
"It's Gladys!" exclaimed Lowell.
For the young cousins had met
once years ago ut the seaside, and they
never had forgotten one another.
"lyhy," cried Lowell, rubbing his
forehead as if not quite certain but
that he was dreaming. ~ thought you
were adopted by some rich oma
here in tho ethyl"
"Art is the only mother that I know"
Gladys answered, laughing. II hope
you've brought Inc m order, Lowell"
but, ! say" pers listed the b%ewildcred
law-studcnt, why don't you come and
live with Aunt Barbara?"
"Oh, I've tried that" said Gladys,
shaking her head, land W. couldn't
get along at all together"
"speal.iug of Aunt Barbara," said
Lowell, mysteriously. opening u paper
parcel On the tablc-"behold!"
H%alf-a.dozon bits of old china fell
out with q clinlS and a clatter.
"Ol!" cried Gladys, stiffcning with
horror. Its Aunt Barbara's painted
china! Oh, Lowell, how did this hap
pcn?"
MIR. Fest smote himself pathctically
or the chest.
Like George Washington" he con-
fcsscd, ~ cannot tell q lie-it was I!
1 was doing my gymnastics in the
storage-rco1n-Indian war-clubs md
all that sort of thing, you lsnow-when,
all of Il sudden, l lost my balance and
tumbled ovcr the pile of boxes. Down
they went! Aunt Best keeps 'cm
packed, you know, in case of accident,
and, of course, the china must needs be
under all the rest, and got the hardest
humps"
What did she say?" cried Gladys,
with upliftcd hands and eyes shining
humidity.
"Sle doesn't know" Lowell answered,
with %twinlling dimplcs around his
lips. "Do you suppose I'm going to
Tess before I'm Obliged to? 1 seized
q neutrality-suspicious. in not nor than
six picccs-and fled frantically to the
nearest china-shop. They FOL
mcndcd me-hcre. To Miss Maitland,
No. - Sixth avenue But l never
dreamed that l wa coming to my old
playmate! Now, Gladys, l am ut your
mercy. Can these ruins be replaced,
or car they not?"
Gladys fcowncd. half closed her love.
ly limpid eyes, pursed up her lips in
tho intensity of her attention, and
finally nodded her head.
EYES," she said. ''But it will be. oh,
SO expensive! First we Rustt-6rder the
china manufactured in just that outrs
ancient shape; then it must be painted
picca by piece"
"Lct us hope" said Lowell, earnestly,
THAT there will DC no grand family
festival to use the china before
Aunt Barbara nere'r uses it," said
GLADYS. ".sllc only unpaclss il ut in
tcrva;s to Iraam over the grandeur OF
her ancestors. Courage, Loyci; ! think
we shall save You YETI
But. Glaays,' said the young man,
v,is.fplly, "mayn't l tell Aunt Bar.
bara that you arc here ulonc? l am
quite sure she would invite you to hc1
horse, IT,"
Gladys colorcd to the very roots Of
her hair.
"If you do, Lowell" she said, II will
never forgive you. No. We neither
of lis wish to see the other. Let thing.
remain rs they are"
"But 1 may como to see how the
china gets pap"
/. "Ol,, yes" said Gladys, Frightening
5 "lou ma come. But mind, not a wore
| to Aunt Barbara"
The important business took time. a
: all such things do, but it drew to
close ut lest, and n day the box o
china-ncw, yet such q perfect imita
tien of the old one that Aunt Barbar,
herself could not have told the diff
icrcncc-was safely struggled into TIN
4 back door and up to the storage rooms
"Now," said Lowell, laughing, I"
y shall breathe freely at last"
= lie gave GLADYS @ check for huadret
and fifty dollars, but as she took it Ii
looked earnestly at her.
i "Gladys, darling" said he, 81 cam
i keep my secret any longer: love you!
II knew that. long ago." said Gladys
in the sweet. solemn way she had.
r "And you, dearcstY
{ 81 love you, too" said Gladys. ''1sn'
it the most natura! thing in the world
r But I am no. going to burden you wit,
e Il pcnnileas wife. We must wait unit
I am a great artist, you a prosperou
lawyer"
G Lovcl Best secretly made up hi
d mind that nothing Of the sort shout
occur.
I'll go homo and tell it oil to Aur
o. Barbara" lie resolved. "And if sh
consents, al right; if she doesn't, a
d right, Just tia same! Gladys is bette
l. than a dozen fortunes!"
g Eut when he reached home, the ser,
. ants came to meet him with pail
IT troubled faces. Aunt Barbara Best ha
d been found sitting dead in her chair.
Her will, ali signed and sealed, lie:
It all that she had to Loycl Best. GladJ
Maitland's name was not once mel
toned.
III Eut Gladys vas coheiress all ii
i. same Us Lovcl's wife; and, pcrllap
ID had the old lady known it, she woul
not have been d%ispleased. For comm
death lifts the veil off our hearts, or
Mrs. barbara had moro than ont
xv;shnl that Sl,o Ind not hear so sha,