The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-05-13

on the understanding that had no ties
she would have me. She said she want
ed no tearshedding females about her.
You knew all that before.
well / thought no wrong OF it,
either"
.sBut did not tell you the whole
truth, Nora. If that old woman had
not been Eugene Norcross' mother, and
if he had not been going over with her,
I never would have taken the position.
It all turned out splendidly. The old
lady died in Nice. had seen none of
her family, but her son, on this side l
came back Mrs. Eugene Norcross.
When wrote you from Paris that |
was going on the stage, it was to pre-
vent you from hunting me up, ma chere.
I knew your horror Of stage people.
One cannot hope to succeed in life
succeed as have" she glanced COM
prehensively about her-''if one dare
not finesse little, even with ones own
sister. AS for the child, she was al
ways much fonder of you than she was
of me- wrote you long letter three
weeks ago. I told you in that letter
that did not mean Ninette should be a
pecuniary burden to YOU"
Nora put her hand to her head with a
distracted GESTURE:
II grow more bewildered at every
word, Amelia. never got your letter.
have heard from you but once since
the day Celeste came to me with your
little girl, bringing the letter telling
me you were going to Europeans COM
panion. That once was when you
wrote me you were going on the stage.
I cried over that letter, Nellie, and l
prayed so hard that you might be kept
pure and sweet"
Mrs. Eugene Norcross smiled indul-
gently:
"a ruse, Norrie, my dear, but nee
essary one. 1 knew your adherence of
the stage, and knew, or thought I
knew, that if you believed me to be on
the stage you would shun me as you
would leper."
''And you wanted me to shun you?"
eyes"
A cold, hard look had come into the
radiant young face.
N
and teacher all in one to you, Nellie?
I, who never wanted you even to try to
support yourself at typewriting?"
eyes"
II, who loved you so dearly, Nellie,
that it was only, as fancied, to get
Justice done your child that I married
John Lorimer after he'd asked me three
times?"
Eyes" IT,
It came monotonously from the full
red lips which after each utterance Mrs.
Norcross drew fercely in under her
glistening white teeth.
''But why?'
II told you why in that letter"
but I never got the letter, tell
you"
'Then I will have to go over the
whole hateful chapter once more. But
not here. This is Mr.. Norcross's study,
and he might come in unexpectedly"
She got up, almost dragging her Sis
ter with her. I"
''Why should Mr.. Norcross not find
me here?" Nora asked, resentfully.
II have right to come and see my own
sister. have I not, Amelia?"
Amelia made an irritated motion with
her pretty hands:
81 have so much to tell you, Nora,
and the house is so full of people. You
must follow me. Some one might inter-
rupt u.s.
y She dropped her sisters hands, and,
sweeping rapidly forward, led the way,
by rear staircase, to the upper floor,
never once pausing in her graceful sin
uous progress until they reached the
small dressing-room, perfect in all its
appointments, through the open door
of which Nora got glimpse into a bed
room fitted up with still more oriental
splendor. .".
.sNow! We are safe-quite safe!
Eugene never intrudes here. We can
talk eornfortably.''
She pushed Nora into an easy chair,
and, seating herself close beside her,
began nervously.
~ ann sorry You failed to get that
n