Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-03-22

aentiV not been heard, for the knock
was repeated after a discreet inter
val
This time Laura rose. and. nencj,,
III nahd, opened the door herself.
Il am very glad to see you Mr.
] 'arlan, " she said gravely. ''Come in. )"
p, vi the two 1t was not she who was
embarrassed. Laying down her pen.
CHS she pushed airslightly towarr
MIN with the gesture of queen.
"Mr. Narian," she said, Il have
known you but short time. Prac.
tically We are strangers Yet think
we shall understand each other n
90 you the credit nf believing that j
can speak frankly to you. asked
you TO come here to see me for a
special reason, which | shall hroach
at once You are aware" she con.
cluded, that Elsa-Miss Hart-ha,
returned to her home and friends?"
"lndeedF l had no idea of 1t
No"
Laura dropped her eyes for d mo
nent
You make it more difficult for N,
20 say what l wished" she observed
, 10 moment. ''She has gone back
to her trends because she was far toe
sensitive and delicate Little creature
! u tace the hand-to- mouth, strug Cling
existence of female art student sue.
! cessfully. She should never have at
tempted it. blame myself now, fol
l love the child dearly. Still, her
year of such experience as she has
known here would do her no harm,
rather good, perhaps, were it not for
| one thing" aud here those gray eyes
rested full upon the young man again,
land with that you, Mr.. Varlan, arr
! connected"
! "I?"
The gray eye flashed scornfully.
| 1t Is unworthy to dissemblem
criel Laura. If you have given
that poor child cause to think that
| you love her, and have taught her tc
! love you In return, there is no reason
/ why gOu should attempt so to conceal
! the fact.
Pardon me, have been unneces
sarily rude and hasty. But 1 am
Elsa's best friend, 1 think. 1 know
her very thoroughly. Her happiness
seems to have become, in some sense,
my responsibility since she left
D the safe shelter OF her home
/ to be with me-to try the sam
life that have tried. Mr.. Variar
{ l believe Elsa is very unhappy now.
| And
| 'And you think she Is unhappy be.
! cause l have trifled with her affec-
| tions? Led her to fix them upon M
| when-"
''Of course, you are a man OF tn,
world Mr. Narian, and Elsa is
mere little country GIRL" interrupted
| Laura, with rapid utterance. Her
case somehow, did not seem so very
clear after all. And strong and col
lected as she always was she Wa
growing strangely nervous now
"But Elsa is a good, pure girl,
worthy to be the wife of any man,
she hurried on And" She
paused abruptly.
Il honor you more than l can say
tor what l have seen Of you within
the last ten minutes" said Variants
voice at this juucture Few women
would have had such directness, such
loyalty to friend, such courage.
But there is mistake here. IL
cannot marry Miss Hart"
Laura raised her head. For mo
ment they measured each other.
you cannot marry"
mo Because 1 do not love heI.
have looked upon her as a pretty
child-nothing more: and mindful Of
her grandfather'S Kindness to me the
summer that l was thrown from my
horse when riding near his place and
laid up under his roof for weeks, I
have tried to do what little could
for ber That is all 1 sought her
out. not for herself, but because she
was your triend-because she was
near you"
She had turned ashy pale. Ths
! pallor of her cheek was reflected on
Verlan's He had not thought to
speak so soon. Their eyes held each
other for long, breathless pause. In
an instant the young man was on his
knees II ~! side.
Laura Laurar'
mo, no. no.' She shrauk away
from his touch; but he had seen the
expression OF her eyes, and all his
pulse beat in the intoxication Of a
new hope.
You must go away; you must
Laura You can't mean that?"
the poor fellow gasped.
I She had risen to her feet.
"Why? Why?" he stammered,
| following her as she retreated from
him. A light burst upon him, in
duced by something in her lace.
lit cannot be that You are
not thinking Of Elsa, Of Miss Hart?
But this is folly, madness! For a
girl like you--head and shoulders
above other women-such stand Is
incomprehensiole."
''She loved you; she trusted me, =
sad Laura, rigid and white In her
effort at selfcontrol.
Good heaven" the man exclaimed
driven to bay, you would not have
me marry a girl 1 do not love simply
because she happened 10 fancy other
J wise? I deplore the delusion, but
what more eau ! do? Laura, he
pleaded. 'you will not send me
lway'"
! Yes" She still stood rigid, With
downcast eyes.
"At least, he pleaded again, after
4 moment OF silence, ''wlll you not
tell me that you care for mo
little?"
Not even then would she raise he,
eyes.
N"Yery we'll / shall go now, but l
shall come back. Do you hear me?
Time works many changes-and
shall return"
And, so saying. he left her.
But she nsver hoped for his return
She never expected it.
The last of the warm days mao