The Opelousas courier., 1893-01-21

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objects scattered about the handsome
room, then her eyes fell upon a picture
over the mantle that surprised her SO she
came near fainting.
1t was her own portrait, drawn merely
with a pencil, by a hand if not genuinely
artistic with a touch that WAS very near
it, for the likeness was striking.
She wore the same plaid sunbonnet
she had worn that memorable day. and
the little white folded kerchief she had
pinned close about her throat: The
bonnet was pushed well back and d mass
of eurls were plainly visible.
",Why!" she gasped at last.
Bob who had been watching her in
amusement, laughed gayly.
"Dick done it, he's a master hand.
There amt nothin' that boy can't d., l
reckon. He's gone to Chicago for a
month, lookin' after my interests, the
cattle I ship, an so on. It's the Teller
who saw your upset"
ooh yes" said Mary family, ~
know
eyes. He told me he thought it like
ly you needed a little help-an' bless me
if there he don't come nowI"
And come he did, stirling along the
the long hall, wearing no longer a cow
boys outfit but a good business suit,
looking handsomer and more manly than
ever. Poor Mary longed to run some
where and hide.
"Hello, Cousin Bob!" he cried gayly,
Chow are ycu-but what have you been
doing to the old house?"
''Fixin' it up a bit," said Bob sheep
ishly. Then the newcomer for the first
time beheld Mary.
He started, flushed slightly, but came
readily forward.
"Oh." he said, s'it's the little Maude
Muller | found in distress. How do you
do, Miss Keen, for that is your pane,
isn't it"
eyes," said Mary family. but in such
a cold little voice Dick felt AS if a sudden
chill had struck him.
After the big dinner was over with,
Bob bashfully drew her into the great
unfinished parlor and began to question
her about carpets and SO on, when to his
amazement she burst into d fit Of weep
ing; that rendered him quite beside him
self with wonder and anxiety.
"My DEAR he said; Tiny dear; dear
little girl. Why have l made you cry!
I wouldn't make you sned sone tear for
nv life. You needn't bother about it If
you don't like"
~ want to go home" sobbed Mary.
aim ashamed of myself, but 1 do want
to go home"
And then poor, stupid Bob left her
and went off to see about ordering the
wagon, and when he came back to tell
hen all was ready, he approached very
softly so as not to brighten her, and this
is what he accidently saw and heard:
His handsome cousin DicR standing
Indignantly before a most defiant young
lady, whose cheeks were flaming red.
a"I can plainly see how It is," said
Dick, ''and besides, just see what the
fellows up to-"
HYou are mistaken. NEVER"
But Bob's no fool: he's plain and
blunt, but he'd never have taken quite
so much for granted"
"You are-you treat me shametully."
81 didn't think you a ~coquette," said
unreasonable Dick.
"~Coquettel" cried Mary, ''what bust
ness have you to think anything about
me-"
Dick laughed mockingly.
"Wcll, you're right, but l have thought
lots about you. I've never ceased to
think about you since l saw you that day
on the prairie. 1t happened that I had
to 60 away just then. or l don't think
Bob would have got ahead of me-"
"oh," said Mary, raising her head,
the anger and shame all leaving it for d
new, strange beauty. "He-he-hasn't."
Then Bob closed the door softly and
went away.
An hour later he came stamping along
the hall in his usual way aud throwing
open the door called out:
"Wagon's ready. miss. an your faith
er's waitin'. I think Ill drive you
back, myself"
And If Mary hadn't been so blind with
her own happiness, she would have
noticed his strange pallor under oil the
bronze.
After the old man had stumbled slowly
into the house, Bob detained Mary an
instant on its threshold.
81 didn't know I was maxim you I'M
happy. | want to make you happy,
that's all. Good-by."
The next day Dick was astonished to
receive a deed for the big ranch and a
letter from Bob, delivered by a messen-
ger.
Pm going to California for a time. I'll
make you a present of the ranch. | allus in
tented it for you. I've got enough without
it, you know. I'll be back ~by-and-by, aud l
hope you'll be happy in my oil home.
"BoB."
Dick was at FIRST ~dunfouudei then a
light broke on him, and with d lump in
his throat, he said:
OTIS for her, not me-poor Bobl"-
Yankee Blade.
a Unique PORTRAIT.
Many remarkable stories are told con-.
Corning the wonders of penmanship,