The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-28


TO convey him to the country home Of
Mr.. Cranston's sister, distance OF eight
miles.
He was in the act of asking the way
to the best hotel when buggy came
rapidly up to the station and halted.
The station agent hurried forward to
meet the driver, who was o slender
young girl, with bright dark eyes and
hair as golden as the June sunbeams
touching those hills.
sis Mr.. Colewood of Greenville wait
ing here to ride out to Mrs. Thurston'slp
inquired the fair driver IN q sweet voice
which won Hugh's interest ut once.
II am here and waiting, thank you, .
returned Hugh for himself smiling pleas
antly as he came forward on the station
platform.
~ came to drive you to Mrs. Thurs
ton's,n she answered simply.
"Shall take the reins2' he asked, as
they started away.
"No, thank you; I like to drive, = she
answered.
ut was too bad for you to take 50
long drive for stranger, he re-
marked, as he stole side glance of adj
miration at the girlish form in dainty
blue.
.t0h, don't mind the distance at all:
besides, rather had to come,n she re-
piled. 81 did wish 20 go with the young
folks, whoar having picnic this morn
ing over on Laurel Hill, but Uncle Jerry
was sick, and of course he couldn't come
for you"
"Then Mrs. Thurston and Miss Wayne
never drive, so they made q virtue of
necessity and sent the last resort of the
place, and she laughed merrily.
'It Is too bad my coming prevented
you joining the picknickers, !" he said.
II shall not he able to forgive myself. ?
"That's nothing. am enjoying my
self now too well to think Of Laurel
Hill, " she returned brightly.
ssThank you, and at the same time let
me assure you that /, too, am enjoying
myself excellently WE'LL" and Hugh
bowed to the young girl, whose eyes
dropped beneath the warm light Of adj
miration in his blue ones.
81 hope you will enjoy your visit, Mr..
Colewood.' she said, to change the sub
ject. "Iknow Mrs. Thurston and Ethel
will do all they can to make your stay
pleasant"
"Thank you; I've no doubt I shall find
It pleasant, " returned Hugh. tYou,too,
are one of Mrs. Thurston's summer
household, supposed"
"Yes," with smile. 'sYou see am
adistant relative to Mrs. Thurston; then
MISS Wayne is my cousin and exercises
a kind of cousinly guardianship over
me, which no doubt is very necessary"
$50 you are Miss Wayne's cousina
do not remember hearing Mr.. Cranston
mention yol.' / did not expect to have
the pleasure Of meeting any ladies but
Mrs. Thurston and Miss Wayne"
"How unkind in Mr.. Cranston not to
prepare you for this meeting" and there
was roguish CLEAN in her eyes which
Hugh did not see. az had up to date
regarded Mr.. Cranston as one of my very
best friends, but to ignore me so utterly,
when he knew i would accompany
Consin Ethel here, looks like downright
intentional neglect"
"You have not given me the pleasure
of knowing your name," said Hugh, both
amused aud pleased with his pretty dri-
yer.
"oh, I'm Wayne, too, )" she answered
lau2 hingly. ''Ethel Estella Wayne,
variously nicknamed, as you will observe
later on"
Two Ethel Waynesi Here was real
surprise for Colewood. Why had Grams
ton not mentioned that strange fact to
him2
If the Ethel Wayne referred to in the
will was only half as animated and gen
orally captivating as the one by his
side, Hugh thought it might be an easy
matter after all to obey that condition
which had so vcxed. him.
eColewood received cordial welcome
at Mrs. Thurstons pleasant home. He
found Miss Wayne to be atall, dlgni6ed
girl OF about twenty-three, with coal
black hair and deep gray eyes. She was
as unlike her little merry. hearted cousin
as it was possible to be.
Yes. Hugh decided that she was just
such woman as his eccentric aunt would
be likely to select as the wife of her heir.
In the weeks which followed Hugh's
arrival he saw great deal OF Miss Wayne,
although much of her time was divided
between her taste for literature and in
demonstrating against the innocent
pranks of her cousin.
1t did not require long time for the
young man to realize that he could never
love Miss Wayne as the man should love
the girl whom he intends to marry.
He made another important discovery
that his life would be failure without
the little cousin to furnish daily sunshine
and wifefy cheer for his own home.
He resolved to let Miss Wayne have
one-halt of his aunt's estates and the
orphan asylum the other. He would
marry the girl of his own choice, pro-
vided he could win her, and boldly fight
IL. 4 e..