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

hither, interrupted Paul, calamity.
Yes, murmured the girl it was
fate that united US once more.
Paul started and flushed with amaze
ment. What the deuce could that mean?
Was this one of those highly respectable
and dccorous Mantell girls. whom he had
often been fain to hold up as examples to
Alice? Yes; he could not doubt his eyes,
however much he might his ears, although
she seemed changed; her glasses were of,
and there was tender expression on her
face, as if her back hair were becoming
undone. She was leaning toward him.
too, as if in need of that holding up
process Decidedly, shift of subject was
necessary, so that he might gain an inter
val to think.
It's about time for that dinner bell to
ring, blurted the wretched man.
Don mention time, dearest, breathed
Sophronia, when we have an eternity of
bliss before us.
Paul sprang to his feet, aghast and
gasping: Really, Miss Sophronia, real
ly Miss Mantell this won do at ALL You
must excuse me if l leave you at once.
There is some dreadful misapprehension.
What if any one should overhear ?
Think
Eyes, agreed sophronia, staying his
arm You are right. We must dis
semble. But, let ME 90. not you. Here
comes Abigail. Your greeting will allay
her suspicious. Farewell until kinder
hour. Be our watchward secrecy and
trust, and with smile which Juliet
would have deemed unseemIy she tripped
away.
Paul leaned against the rail and mopped
his brow, and tried to straighten his limp
rag of a collar. One inevitable explana-
ton, however, gave him comfort. Poor
thing, he sOliloquized, poor child! so
young, so fairl She had gone crazy, and
evidently alone am aware of it. Now,
what is my duty? Hodges, the proprie-
tor, who has the girls in especial care, is
away for week. But here comes Abb
gail; how composed, how sensible, her
bearing! must break the sad intelli-
gence to her; luckily her strong mind will
temper grief with good judgment =
And yet, even as Paul resolved, there
was certain unwonted sprightliness be
coming apparent in Miss Abigail APP
proach which caused vague apprehension.
My dear young LADY,, he began, and
his nervousness lent ardor to his words
II am inexpressibly thankful to see you.
There is subject, delicate closely init
mate, on which l must speak.
..Yes, whispered Abigail, with down
cast eyes. Il think | understand
Your sister
''You fear she may suspect? Wemust
be cautious; we must dissemble; we must
meet as Stranger
GOOD Lordr' groaned Paul.
s.There, darling, don be impatient. I
know it hard, but perfect trust is such
courage. Remember our motto in the
dear old days: 'Semper Fidelis. See, |
will set an example of prudence, and,
eoyly touching her forefnger to her lips,
Abigail likewise tripped away.
II see how it is, concluded Paul gloom
ily, after moment bordering, 4 am
going daft myself overwork and worry,
suppose. Perhaps, though, the dread
malady may be checked in its inception
will go to my room and take every sort
of pellet in our medicine box. ] shall
surely thus get the right one But de
spite this diagnosis he walked to the open
window of the smoking room and looked
in, in fear lest some one might have heard
these conversations, if perchance they had
really occurred. As he failed to look be-
hind the door, however, he saw no one,
and so went away satisfied in his most un-
secrecy. Had he looked be-
hind the door he would have seen Mason
Welles, and from the expression of his face
not only have been reassured as to the gen
uineness of these conversations, but warned
as to the use that interruptions Young man
would make of his knowledge
Mason WeIles had indeed been wit
ness, and an expert one, too For chad
known the Mantell girls from their child
hood, and now, as he reviewed the singu-
larity of their single conduct, he was able
to trace its course. He remembered leng
ago hearing his father, DIR. Welles, shrewd
old physician that he was. discuss the idi
osyncrasy of the Mantell twins These
children are not simpletons, his parent
had said. Together they possess all the
faculties. The trouble is that certain ones,
due to the mysterious intimacy Of their
birth, they hold on in common Separ-
ately, each one is apt to grin and eaper
like an idiot do not believe that any
education, however thorough, can eradi-
cate this stiffness But when they are
kept in company, as they should be, this
perversion not only disappears. but they are
utterly oblivious that it ever existed. In
fact, one is the compliment Of the other.
Together they form the perfect circle Of
common sense. The remedy. is, and l
have impressed it on their parents. to make
them to all intents and purposes siamese
twins.