The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-27

ton. She lifted her eyebrows at Marion
and said presently in soft, deliberate
voice, "Come, Marion, we will go and
see little Richard; then / shall be
happy. "
She linked her arm through Marion's.
Marion drummed her fingers lightly on
the beautiful arm and then fell to Won
dering what she should say next. They
passed into the room where the child
lay sleeping. They went to his little
bed, and Lali stretched out her hand
gently, touching the curls Of the child.
Running finger through one delicate
ly, she said, with still softer tone than
before, why should not one be happy?
Marion looked up slowly into her
eyes, let a hand fall on her shoulder
gently and replied, "Lali, do you never
wish Frank to come?'
Lali's fingers came from the child,
the color mounted slowly to her fore
head, and she drew the girl away again
into the other room. Then she turned
and faced Marion, deep fire in her
eyes, and said in a whisper almost
hoarse in its intensity, "Yes, / wish he
would come tonight" "
She looked harder yet at Marion.
Then, with flash of pride and her
hands clasping before her, she drew her.
self up and added: Gam not worthy
to be his wife now? Am not beautiful
for a savage?"
There was no common vanity in the
action. 1t had noble kind Of wistful-
ness and a serenity that entirely re-
deemed it. Marion dated her own hap
piness from the time when Lali met her
accident, for the evening Of that disas-
trous day she issued to Captain Hume
Vidal commission which he could
never, wished never to, resign. Since
I then she had been at her best-we are
all more or less selfish creatures-and
had grown gentler, curbing the delicate
imperiousness of her nature and frank
ly and without the least pique taken a
secondary position of interest in the
household, occasioned by Lali's popu-
larity. She looked Lali up and down
with glance in which many feelings
met, and then, catching her hands
warmly, she lifted them, put them on
her own shoulders and said, "My dear,
beautiful savage, you are fit and worthy
to be queen Of England, and Frank,
when he comes'--
"Hushp said the other dreamily, and
put finger on Marion's lips. II know
what you are going to say, but l do not
wish to hear it. He did not love me
then. He used me''- She shuddered,
put her hands to her eyes with pained,
trembling motion, then threw her head
back with a quick sigh. "But Twill not
speak Of it. Come, prepare for the
dance, Marion. 1t is the last tonight
Tomorrow She paused, looking
straight before her, lost in thought.
'Yes, tomorrow, Lali?"
II do not know about tomorrow, "
was the reply. Strange things come to
me.
Marion longed to tell her then and
there the great news, but she was afraid
to do so and was, moreover, withheld
by the remembrance that it had been
agreed she should not be told She said
nothing.
At II o'clock the rooms were filled.
For the fag end of the season people
seemed unusually brilliant. The even
ing itself was not SO hot as common,
and there was an extra array Of distin-
guished guests. Marion was nervous all
the evening, though she showed little
Of it, being most prettily employed in
making people pleased with themselves.
Mrs. Armour also was not free from ap.
prehension,
In reply to inquiries concerning her
son she said, as she had often said dur
ing the season, that he might be back
at any time now. Lali had answered al.
ways in the same fashion and had shown
no sign that his continued absence was
singular. As the evening wore on the
probability Of Franks appearance seem
ed less, and the Armours began tc
breathe more freely.
Frank had, however, arrived. He had
driven straight from Euston to Caven.
dish square; but, seeing the house light.
ed up and guests arriving, he had a
sudden feeling of uncertainty. He or
dered the cabman to take him to his
club, There he put himself in evening
dress and drove back again to the house.
He entered quietly. At the moment the
hall was almost deserted; people were
mostly in the ballroom and supper
room. He paused moment. biting hi.
mustache as if in perplexity. A strange
timidity came ON him. All his old dast
and self possession seemed to have for
saken him. Presently, seeing number
of people entering the hall, he made fol
the staircase and went hastily up. Me
chanically he went to his own room
and found it lighted. Flowers were SCI
about, and everything was made ready
as for guest. He sat down, not think