The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-12-15
SATURDAY, DECEMBER IL, 1894.

pretense of prudery. Aud upon this
hypothesis he began to scheme demon
stra,ion.
To Paul, in his course of treatment,
came no such clarity of vision. But since
his head remained unaffected, however
much his stomach did suffer, he gained
slight approximation to the situation. Ev-
identity what had happened had happened,
incredible though it appeared The solu-
ton rested solely with old Hodges; until
his return, he was helpless UrAess-why,
of course unless he could play one sister
against the other Each had asserted the
necessity of assembling; undoubtedly,
then, if he could associate with them
jointly the old forrnality would continue,
and, better still, he would be relieved from
the dreadful apprehension of a separate
encounter. Perhaps, too, that object which
had provoked his approach to Sophronia
might also be achieved. For the next
few days fishing was neglected, and Paul
combined the outdoor study If botany and
geology.
So marked chance in her husbands
avocation did not escape Alices sharp,
bright eyes. When she commented on
his taste for curios, as she termed it.
Paurs distracted '.Eh2 All! l presume
so seemed more disguise than aslight.
In word she grew suspicious, jealous,
unhappy, lamenting as lost what she had
not cared to hold, and burning to prove
beyond cavil that which she would give
worlds to disbelieve That right jolly
party became compound Of inanity, and,
Mason Welles easily its quintescence.
However, when this beamful young man
in his pursuit of the vicarious mote sug.
gested jaunt to the Summit artfulIy
mentioning that the Mantell girls were
going and adding, and of course Mr.
Dupont, Alice agreed with an eageness
which he misinterpreted, for her delight
ed should have been taken as heart
broken Nor was this the only error
that Mason made He offended the twins
sense of decorum, representative in its
entirety, by jocular reference to their
intimacy with Paul.
II detest that Mr.. Welles, said So
phronia frigidly.
He is abhorrent to all ideas of de-
cency, agreed Abigail
Inflated Mason, not to have applied
discrimination to his own case If such
was their united JUDGMENT, what might
not be their individual impulse But no
man while digging pit ever whistled more
merrily than he. .When we get there.
he meditated, '.Tn manage to separate
the girls, and it will be hard if can ar
range to have Dupont come across one of
them while pretty Alice is looking on.
And them
So settled was. Mason in the certainty
of laughing last that he regarded with COM
posure the way in which the party took
seats in the great mountain wagon, though
it was hardly in accord with his desire,
for Paul and Alice were side by side like
Darby and Joan, with the Mantell sisters
as prim and demure neighbors. The
return will be slightly different. he unused
with triumphant smile, and 1t will be
dark then too.
Compunction for two unattended wrongs
had drawn Paul to Alice. Belated APP
probation and poignant regret had dragged
Alice closer to Paul To the infinite
repugnance of the twins. this couple in
continently indulged in soft and cooling
phrases. and more than once on the drive
were undeniably holding hands And,
still worse, when there was a heavy jolt
Paul embraced Alice with exaggerated
tenderness, although she was safe and Sc
cure in an interior corner, while the unpro
tected maidens who should have been his
care were bobbing up and down like
electric balls Ere the destination was
reached that respectful admiration which
the Mantell girls had shared for Paul
Dupont had faded away, its place per-
manently retained by Indifferent contempt.
'Sappy Z whispered Sophronia.
Spoons !! eoncurred Abigail.
But hapless Mason Welies was unaware
of the changes of sentiment; otherwise.
when the cloth was spread on the ground
and the hampers were in process of unlad-
ing. he would not have been so intent on
sending Paul hither and thither, and on
employing the Mantell girls with disjunc-
tive enands. His eageness, too, pre-
vented him from perceiving that Alice was
studying his manoeuvres with doubt and
aversion. Everything seemed to be work
ing just to perfection. Paul was engross
ed with kettle, some damp kindlings and
broken match down in the ravine, hid
from the sight of every one, excepting his
wife. Sophronia had been inveigled on
the heights after berries, and Abigail down
the road to the farm house for milk, each
sister believing that the other was close by.
'.Tll take a shy at Sophronia first,
Mason resolved. There's more of the
March hare about her, think, and he
elambered up the rocks to her side
Look down there, he said, pointiag
TO Paul; there is your darling quite
alone.
Sophronia glared. '.what you empty
pated fop, She screamed, do you think
you can insult me with impunity Take
that z and she east the pail Of berries
full in his face.
Mason did not await further eeeentrici-
ties. He sped like channels down the
mountain side until he came upon Abigail
Your sister he exclaimed. Look
out for her; she's erazier than loon r
.Insolent puppy, retorted Abigail,
and the milk blended with the berries.
Mason turned and fed, in fear Of other
singularities. But. alas, where could he
find shelter? Down the path was stalking
the rengeful Sophronia. close behind him
painted the indomitable Abigail In a
furry Of terror he bounded TO Alice's side
.sSave me, Alice from those harridans,
he implored