The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-09-06
The Tiger Skins Secret.
BY HELEN FoRREsr GRAvEs.

BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.
Il was the morning after the party
Outside the magnolia blooms restled soft
ly in the breeze, and the murmur of tn,
Okeechee River kept up its soft mono
tone
Within the great echoing hall Lilias
Lejeune lay, her hands interlocked under
her head, the gorgeous, striped Afghani
making proper setting to her gIrlish
beauty, while Lilias Lejeune, the elder
her forty-year old maiden aunt, sat a
the other end Of the place, arranging
long-stemmed roses in a quaint Omar
vase, with dragon handles, and throa
splashed with the delicious blue tint 81
dear to connoisseurs.
Lilias-"Lill," they called her, to dis.
tinguish her from Miss Lejeune, the eldel
was a rosebud Of seventeen. Mis-;
Lilias, on the contrary, was q rose in ful
bloom.
Il do think" said Lii, smothering Al
incipient yawn, that Colonel Mainwar'
ing was the handsomest man here last
night, for all Of his ive-and-forty years
Lilias shrugged her shoulders.
"You young people are 50 intelerant,
said she. You talk of Colonel Main
waring as if he we're a second Msthu
selah !"
But fye-and-forty-it's almost forty p
said Lii. ''Some people are horned al
filty. lie isn't though. wonder, Aunl
Lilias, why he never married -
Miss Lejeune rose.
Il haven't half enough Of these Glory
Of Dion roses" said she, Il must q
down and gather some more
But it's so warm :" pleaded Lii.
Its shady down in the rose garden
Lii looked sleepily after the light, re-
treating figure.
Il wonder if it's true" said she "that
Colonel Mainwaring was in love with
Aunt Lilias years and years ago before
he went to India? How funny, to think
that they Were lovers twenty years ago
But Colonel Mainwaring will make a
royal lover for somebody yet. lam
not-certain-bu that-In try-fOr him
myself"
And Lii drifted into dimpled slumber
While Lilias Lejeune clipping away
among the glossy le4ved vines with her
rose scissors, was utterly reckless whether
she cut flower, stems or stalks.
why does he come back here to haunt
me2" she asked herself, with restlessly
shining eyes. Il had schooled myself to
forget him. Why did he not stay where
ne was? One thing is very certain: He
shall not again have the chance TO jill
me-"
Just then little woody pated picanin-
ny came running TO her
please, Miss Lilias," he cried, "Miss
Daily Warden wants to see you! Miss
Daily she's pow'ful pad to-day"
Lilias gave a little shudder.
Dallette Warden was the overseer's s
daughter, woman Of about her age, who
was dying of consumption. She did not
like Daily, and.never had liked her, but
how was it possible TO refuse dying re-
quest ike this.
Il will come" she answered, shortly
Daily sat propped up among her pill
lows, her pallid face lighted up with the
shine Of her great fevered eyes.
She had once been very pretty she
had an interesting countenance still.
Its very condescending of Miss Le-
jeune TO come TO visit the poor overseer' s
daughter" she siad ironically.
But Lilias ignored the tone.
as there anythingI can do for you,
DAlly? she asked, gently.
NO" f4shed the girl, there's nothing
anybody can do for me any more But
"a like you to understand one or two
things Miss Lejeune, before, it is too
late"
Lilias looked puzzled.
"You and have been rivals always,
said Daily. "Oh you may pretend not to
know II. That amazed look of yours is
excellent acting, but it don't impose on
me. You were afraid that Edgar Main
waring would like me better than he lik-
ed you, and that night you gave the grand
party at the Hall you didn't ask me. You
said it wasn't fitting that the overseer's
daughter should be invited to mingle
with all the grandees of the county. Oh
you were fine and naughty in those days
But you never dreamed that the poor
overseer's daughter could make or mar
your fate for you. When Mr.. Mainwar-
ing went to India-he wasn't a colonel
in those days, and your father, the judge
didn't think him good enough to tie your
dainty shoe ribbons for you, grand lady
that you were-was il 10 you that he
wrote or to Daily Warden the overseer's
daughter? Look at that set of ivory
chessman on the shelf That came from
Burrampore. Look at that tiger skin on
the floor, all black and gold, with head
erect, as if it would spring at you. That
was from the jungies Of ArdpoOtrA. He
sent those to Daily Warden, not TO Miss
Lejuene. And saw you looking paler
and sader day by day, and 1 was reyeng-
ed"
Llias had drawn back; she had red
dened at frst and then grown pale.
rs that what you wanted to say to
me?"
Isn't it enough?" insolently retorted