Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-12-13

his cousin, aud who will be far away
before the real Celeste Belfont comes on
the scene. She is surfeited with pleasure
and homa se. / have nonel | shall
take what luck sends M, and be thank.
uI."
And Laura flew to put on her littl,
olue felt toque, with its wing of a deeper
,hsde, and the rhinestone buckle in the
'ront, and to button her neat little beaver
aclet around her trim figure.
$50 you are my unknown cousinm
aid Ernest BIrgoyne, Advancing to meet
ner, with a smile. "Isn't it odd that
we have never seen each other before2
And isn't it lucky that I've got the
cla1ce to take you for a real Twelfth
Day sleighridei But we must hurry, for
the Abdalah don't like stan lin in the
cold
In another moment, as it seemed tc
Laura, she was nestled under superb
white sleigh robe, flying over the snow
crusted pavement beside the very hand
soonest man she had ever seen in her
life.
Was she dreamingl Was all this reali
Bat, oh, how delightful, all the same,
and yet-could she he sure that she wa:
ioing right, or wron .
But LAURA Wooibine was only human,
and she put that worcisome conscience
of hers to Que side and took to enjoy ing
herself with all her might. Aud TO all
appearances, so did the unknown
Cousin.
Tta cr;r,so, Of tLa sr--oI m 4Lo .,o-,
was all faded away when they jingiei
back to the stately Fifth Avenue house
and the white glitter of the electric
lights wrapped everything in encLant.
uent.
Blygoyne glanced at his watch.
~ have only five minutes to catch thG
train, sale he. my man will take Alb
dallah to the stables. But there's time
enough to tell you how glad am to hav,
discovered such darling new cousin! ]
nay come again when return to town.
But L Llura shrank back from hi,
offered hand, and put her two little
gloved palms behind her.
"Oh, beg your pardonl' said she.
"But am Lot your cousin. Oh, GO
please goi have done very wrongp
WHAT" be cried, in amazement.
"Holdl Stop a minutel Do you mean
to say you're not Celeste BeIfOnt'
Then"
But before he could finish the SEN
tence he was alone.
Time and tide wait for no man.
Neither does al express train; and Mr..
Burgoyue was compelled to hurry away,
with the riddle yet unsolved.
ait must be some practical j)ke," said
he to himself. "I'm awfullY stupid not
10 comprehend it. But she's the pref
iiest, most spirited little thing I've seen
for long time"
Tnat very evening Twelfth Night.
all glittering with stars and fragrant
with frosty sweesness) Mrs. Wooibine
came hurrying around to the big house
N Fifth avenue.
A second telegram had been received.
A gneta was much worse, and it was nee
essary that her mother and sister should
20 10 her at once.
So the Masters Bslfont lost the COVER
ness, so to speak, before they ever got
ler.
"And shall never see Mr. Burgoyne
again!' thought Laura, with a chill at
her heart. We'll, I'm ve-very glaj
1f it'll"
Aud then she burst out crying, all to
herself.
"Whst must he think of NET" shc
sobbed. "Ob, how foolish l was-how
pC'd-how urm iiden!y!"
Roses were in bloom in those far
Texan wales when Mrs. Woodbine and
Laura reached the spot, Tapped by the
warm Gulf Stream, where Agneta lay
amid her pillows.
"oh, I'm better nowi" smiled III.
girl. "But, all the same, I'm glad you'v We
come. It's dreadfully lonesome to be
sick away from home. And-is'nt it
funny Mrs. Wainwright (my school
mate, you know, who has been so kind
to me) has q brother who Is a cousin of
the Belfont family, where was to have
been governess. And he's as handsome
as Apollo and-Oh, here he is noww
At the same moment the door opened
and Ernest Burgoyne himself entered,
bringing basket of rose-red peaches
aestling in their fresh green leaves.
''It's my Cousin Celeste!" cried he.
"It's my sister Lally" declared
Agueta.
And then and there poor Laura uttered
her small "miserere" and confessed her
sins.
II never shall forget that Twelfth
Night sleighride," faltered she.
"Do you kuow," thoughtfully OBJ
Ierved Ernest, "I don't believe ever
Ihall, either"
at was such an idiotic thing to do"
taid Laura.
sit was SO pleasant" persisted Ern-
est.
"Then you will forgive me-" pleaded
Laura.
"Forgive youl'echoed Ernest. "Why,
what is there to forgivei Now come
out and let me show you my sisters
ferneries and orchid house"
Mother" said Agnets, IS she lay on
aer sofa that evening, with Mrs. Wood
bine at her side, just where they could
both see two sin, dark forms outlined
against tde yellow sunset sky, "I almost
believe that Mrs. Vain wrignt's brother
V falling in love with our Lally."
Mrs. Woodbine smiled softly in the
shadows.
81 think the mischief was done that
mowy Twelfth Day." said she-"when
Lally couldn't resist the temptation of
an impromptu masquerade. Saturday
Night.
Probably Sns Didn't Enjoy 1t, Either.
Ted--How was it you didn't enjoy
the ball game? Ned-I had girl
with me.-Judge.