New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-14
THE MATCHMAKER.
tcopyrfoht: 1894: BY Loncmans. Green Coz
CHAPTER XXXIII.
BY L. b. WALFORD.

ent on the arrival of the Ainslies
Busy with her pots and plants. and with all her
thoughts intent upon the one subject she had
fel the appearance on the scene or frcsn HNeY'
uninterested and embarrassing people tre'ohe
Interruptions and had been impatient OF the end
less discussions to which the projected visit had
given rise.
Everybody had tried. moreover. 10 cnhShteh
her and make her curious and excited about the
AinsNcs Even her aunt had begun in accents OF
formal condescention. you will naturally want
TO know who these Ainsli IS are. my dear Pencil
- Ode" when she did not want in the least; and
she had been obliged to listen with the best
grace she could. to heightened details Of gen
eaIopv which at no time would have been Of in
terest and were at the present crisis simply I'M
endurable
She had Jared better with Louisa. Louisa lad
started conversation with, Eve are pleased that
Alice Ainslie is coming on your account Pencil
ope" and had got further. Penelope had
turned upon her.
"Why upon my account?" she demanded al
most fercely.
"Did YOU not know? Did no one tell you?'
Mild establishment mingled with exultadon In the
speakers accents. She could scarcely heileVe IN
her good fortune 1t had actually been eft to her
70 inform Penelope Of the joyful surprise in store
"Alice A.nslie is just your own age" she said
us that ALP"
"Anr repeated Miss Carnoustie. confused by
such a reception Of her intelligence. Dear me!
Why. really! Why. Penelope. I thought-we all
thought that IT would be so delightful for you to
have companion
THANK you. but don't want companion.
Why should you suppose needed companion!
drumming with her foot upon the floor unter-
haya q think
ont having another troublesome girl pokng in her
nose'Y 81 detest girls of my own age" cried she
ungratefully.
Louisa wisely elected not to repeat this little
conversation. She was sweet-natured woman
and such perplexng little outbreaks on the part
Of others were safe with her. She would not
have had them reach her mothers ear for the
world
Ard Penelope was really in earnest; it was no
fit of childish petulance which prompted the
above declaration. month before. and she
would have responded joyously to Louisas an
nouncement, and been as eager as heart could
wish to know down to the minutest item every
thing her cousin could tell her about this
stranger CT her own age, who would be likely 10
share her own tastes and feelings-more hKey'
at least, than any Of the Carnousties-and VINO
would at least be able to talk the talk she was
accustomed TO.
A month before she had been at her lowest ebb
for society She had often to go for days ana
DAYS without any-to be called any. 1t was at
that time that she had most frequented the
factors house and been fam to bake cakes and
scenes In the old ladies' Kitchen and beg for Kate
and Flora to take her boating and fishlng' she
had been wont TO say, " If had only some one
to talk tor
But now 1T was all the other way round. She
did not want TO talk to am one.
She wanted to be let alone, and DO her WORK.
give her whole mind to the task; ponder over IT,
probe it; wiring out the bitter and the sweet OF H.
Every other topic was havoress. The narrow
stage on which figured the TWO or three actors
whose veal or woe was ever before her eyes was
all-suficient. How stupid dull. commonplace
would sound the London prattle which had once
been music 10 her ears.
And Penelope was conscious Of being "out OF
it, all. besides She did not altogether ike mat
The worrying girl would stare at her ignorance
and perhaps patronize her own strength OF H. on
finding that Of current events and the season
novelties the whilom London young lazy Knew
as little as her rustic cousins.
Should she try contempt? But she remembered
how she herself had smiled at the air adopted by
Lady Carnoustie and her disciples toward the
topics Of the time: and how in her own mind she
had ridlculed the Importance they attached 70
every tr.fing circumstance within their own
the affairs of nations
Lord Carnoustie alone had perused daily
newspaper. and even he had never lound IN IL
food for general conversation. HIS VIE ana MS
daughters were content to receive from him the
news OF a BIRTH marriage, or death. their own
current literature continuing itself to the local
weekly and few semi-religous organs Dear
mamma thought there was so much time wasted
over reading newspapers" Penelope had been
informed.
At first Penelope had set herself steadily to dis
regard dear mamma She was not obliged TO
give In 10 whms Of this kind during a SIX
months stay; and with something II defiance In
her manner she had insisted on discussing this
point and that with her host which she would
openly preface by the words. 1T was In to-day $
paper" But Lady Carnoystie. for wonder, had
turned deaf ear; and had she cared TO do 50
she might have exuited in the wisdom Of such
forbearance since Penelope. finding that no one
opposed Ter, and that II was dlfhcult ana poor
snort making head against the old lords lack OF
intelligence and ignorance Of the subjects under
treatment gradually forgot to find her way INTO
had and after losing the thread once or twice.
had now passed several weeks without having
once glanced through the familiar sheets
Now she felt she did not know what people had
been about or what was going on outside Car
Not only that. but she did not wish to know.
she had been sleeping-d was only
half-awake She would fam have resisted fur
Their rousing i; was this which made her reply
with such brusquere TO poor Louisa's wen-meant
congratulations, and which sent her away Win
frown on her brow
Since the scene In nurse Alisons room. she had
managed TO be a good deal alone. excusing this
TO herself by the plec that she must think out the
situation.
No one not even her cousin Nina. held the key
to the situation as she did. Nina only knew that
her misplaced attachment had been discovered
and put down with high hand, stamped out
indeed swiftly and sternly as not to allow OF
q sparks escaping to illuminate any ones ignor-
ance: also she might guess with tolerable ac-
curacy whom Penelope had designed should sup
plant and succeed Torquil Macalister in her af-
fections: but Nina had not heard Tosh.
That Tosh was speaking the truth, the exact
truth, and nothing but the truth Penelope had
not q shadow Of doubt. Every presumption
was in favor Of It's being
The poor haf-wtted creature was most I'M
likely to have thought OF such thing for him