The Cook County herald., 1893-09-30

have sent Lyd away for. this after
noon because wished to speak to
you undisturbed..'' She had led the
way into the house, which, under its
new aspect, he had difficulty in rec
ognizing. Where was the familiar,
stale, shut-up .odor of Uncle selah's
occupancy? Where were the dark.
mouldy rooms, with dim visions of
wax flowers and horsehair furniture
showing through the gloom? Win
dows were open, flowers were every
here, zengravings and books filed
walls and tables. The sun shone in.
The elder Miss Thrall, with her
strong, breezy presence, appeared to
radiate ig BIT about her, scarcely Sec
ond to that of the greater luminary.
81 knew Lyd and you had grown fond
of each other last summer again
she flashed her smile upon him; "but
would not, as my little sisters
senior, advise her to marry you in
accordance with Uncle Selah's will
no, not for: all the money!-until I
had refreshed the Impression I had
kept of you. That is why I wrote
you to come here at once Mrs. Kin
nick" to the elder piece of feminine
respectability in black dress now
entering, .will you please show Mr..
Meadows to his room?"
Fifteen. minutes later, a hasty
toilet made, Benedict found himself
seated opposite his cousin at the tea
table Of polished mahogany. Behind
the cleaning silver tea urn of anti
quated make her clear-cut, charac-
teristic face looked out toward him
in q way which he could not but
think very charming. She had re-
moved the semi-masculine walking
dress and wore something straight
and white and guiltiess of any fur
below, however small, but which
followed all the curves of her strong,
gymnasium suit.
Il have concluded" she said at
once, .''that I am willing to let Lydia
marry you: Tread faces quickly. l
rarely make a mistake. I have been
thinking you over in the last fifteen
minutes You are, as a man, I am
convinced, just what you were as a
boy. You once, when we were chill
dren together. attacked youngster
twice your size, because he had been
making himself disagreeable to Lydia
and to me. Perhaps you don't re-
member it; but I always did. I feel
that Lyd will be happy with you. 1t
| will be nice for you both to have the
money. For myself, I shall not care
for it. | have been interested in
kindergarten work for :seyeralzyears,
and I shall always prefer to be, self
supporting. But Lyd is different.
She was not brought up in the West
as I was. She lived, as you know,
with another aunt of ours here in
the East, and she has luxurious
tastes Money is needfui to her.
Yes.'' she gave musical, buoyant
laugh, II am sure that poor Uncle
Selah knew what was best for you
both!'
''Of course he is in love with you!
A bat, blind as it. might be, could see
as much! And you must see it too!
Except that it's rule always to
pretend otherwise, you'd have to
acknowledge it. And it's not the
first time. Twice before when men
have been in love with me you've
stepped in with that boyish way OF
yours and all your talk about never
getting married. and you've cut me
out never cared especially before.
Ii mon want TO care for girls OF your
new-fashiono1, independent sort all
can say is that their taste is very
poor. But it's different this time.
Uncle Selah's money"
The peevish torrent of Lydia's
| speech was interrupted for the frs
time by Vesta, who hitherto had
| stood motionless in the middle of the
room. The girls had retired for the
night. Lydia was letting down her
/ hair about her round, childish face
and was half sobbing with vexation,
her mouth meanwhile clutching a
| tortoise-shell comb.
"Oh! it's money, then, you are
thinking OFF, said Vesta.
Aoo, ~ 10 uAA0 1AUuoy. 100: Cr1oQ
LYDIA s'You need show no contem pt
or sarcasm. don't pretend to say
that I'd marry Benedict if neither of
us were to have anything for doing
so. We had q little Irritation last
| year and we liked each. other very
well, but not up to the marrying
point. Uncle Selah's money, though,
makes a great difference. And I
don't see why you should stop in and
take it from me. And, besides, it
makes me angry that girls like you,
with all your hypocritical airs Of not
! wanting any of the things that other
women want, should get the best
everything, after all!''
The torrent had ceased even to ar
| rest Vesta's attention She knew
fLydia---knew that the torrents wa
ters were not very deep. A half f-hour
later Lydia was sufficiently consoled
to be. sleeping soundly Not SO
Vesta. She lay awake and questioned
herself. She thought over the week
just passed. Benedict was to- leave
| on the morrow. Could it ha nOssih]a