The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-08-01

-
he ought to be, and il will require boil
your vigilance and mine To cheekmat'
the empty-headed lOvemaking will
which he is sure to pass his time.
have been turning over the matter il
my mind, and have come to the con
elusion that during these 10 eritica
days you must be the constant compan
ion of my two elder girls. II is the
only possibility of averting the dangel
| that threatens
"And Elsbeth?''
''Let the child have holiday. Ii
will do her no harm to shut up hel
books and run wild for 10 days"
Miss Wilkins shook her head, but sc
entirely were the baron's thoughts TAX.
en- up with his elder girls that he nevel
even noticed the disappearing gesture.
Elsbeth was child, still safe in the
school-room. The day when she took
to long skirts would be time enough to
begin worrying about her.
When at the end of half an hOur's :
private consultation the gaunt English
woman left the baron's presence, she
was primed with warnings, and yet, for
all that-so obstinate are some fibers in
human nature-the spark of match
making enthusiasm was not utterly
quenched in her eye. Silently, but not
the less irrevOcably, was the middle
aged English woman determined that
this opportunity should not be lost. Ii
was with an eye to the main object
that she encouraged both Anna and
Helen TO pass their wardrObes in review
and made various well meant but not
overskillftIl attempts in the direction
of refreshing up tumbled tiounees and
procuring a new lease of life for hats
which had borne the brunt of summer.
During this week of preparation such
things as turned ribbons and half curl
ell feathers belonged to the common
features of the apartments, though the
approach Of the barron generally caIls-
cd them To disappear. In their heart
of hearts both girls had set upon those
10 prospective days hopes which as yet
they had not acknowledged even 20
themselves. Even the domestic vir-
tues, of which both possessed fair
share, could not blind them to the fact
that it was rather hard to be aged, re-
specify 20 and %, without ever having
seen the inside of Vienna drawing
room. Their own gentle resignation
filled them with wonder, but neverthe-
less did not prevent occasional medita-
ton being made on the possibility of a
husband dropping from the skies.
Count Conrad Kestler's proposed visit
seemed exactly to answer to that de
scription of that event, and was there
fore duly prepared for.
"Will he be big or little man ?"
was the doubt which SUNK in and out
of the souls of both harnesses. The
first sight of the stranger would help
greatly to clear the situation, for big
Anna could place no hopes on scrap
of a man, while the miniature Helene
would never have the courage to fall in
love with giant. And yet, when the
day came and the moment, and when
from behind the window curtains two
pairs of blue eyes peeped AT the new ar
rival, nothing like n definite conclu-
sion was To come To. Under an iden-
teal impulse Anna and Helene looked
at each other and laughed. Not a word
was said, but they understood each
other perfectly. The glance exchang-
ed between the two sisters said as much
as, 81 must have another look ut him
before make up my mind, but he is
certain to do for one of us two"
This was the conclusion which Miss
wilkins likewise had reached, though
she would have greatly preferred if
Count Kestler had not been one of
those men of undesirable height
whom il would be incorrect to describe
as tall, and who yet are unquestionably
not short. SO long as the prospective
husband was not distinctly assigned to
one of her charges she could not feel rs
though the campaign were opened.
But the first evening passed without
betraying to Miss wilkins anything
beyond the fact of Count Kestler being
lady's man in the fullest sense Of the
word. When he was talking to Anna,
the watchful English woman felt ready
to stake her soul that he had succumb-
ed to that young lady's massive charms,
and yet the moment he approached
Helene he appeared To have eyes for
nothing but her fairy-like grace. As
for the poor, ovcr-conscientious baron,
he spent not only the evening, but
most of the night, upon thOrns, tossing
about from side to side and passing in
review before his minds's eye all the
symptoms of lOvesickness which he
was convinced of having noted in both
his daughters. Had not Anna forgot
ten 10 hand round the sugar, and Hell
enc twice dropped her handkerchief in
the course of the evening?
The author of all these cruel ankle
ties was meanwhile enjoying a perfect
ly unbroken nights rest. Owing 10 a
belated butterfly which came sailing in
by the open window, having slept
through the proper butterfly season and
being condemned to make the best OF
September weather, Count Kesler's
morning slumber came to a somewhat
premature conclusion. Had il not been
for this tardy butterfly much might
have happened differently. Whenever
in future days his thoughts travelled
back TO the little yeIlow-winged Great
ure, Conrad Kesler saw in it direct in
strument of fate, or, at any rate much
more than an ordinary butterfly.
At the moment, however, it must bC
admitted that the instrument of fate
was not greeted by him with all the de
light that would have been becoming.
Having opened his eyes 10 see what
tickling his nose, his lips first formed
themselves TO mutter-abOut which
perhaps the less said the better-and
then to a yawn. In the very act o
turning over for another snOoze his eye
was caught by the flash of light upon
water, and he rose on his elbow to SCI
the very first sunbeam sliding from b