Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-12-11

ing but me-.
Perhaps you are right. only hope it
will turn out to be the best; but I shall
not be here to see how it ends. I am 60
ing away tomorrow"
Then they said "good-by," and Jane was
soon on her homsward road, thinking
over all that had occurred.
Some one overlook her as she walked,
and looking up she saw it was Major Lar.
ron.
She save her hand to him with . some
what nervous smile, relapsing at once
into unnatural gravity as he clasped Il
closely in his own.
Il am very glad we have met" he said,
earnestly. Il began to think 1t must be
decreed we should never meet again.
That was hardly likely in a small place
like Alipore," she answered, brusquely.
She felt 1t incumbent on her to avoid a
silence, which might give him the oppor-
tunity of saying what she did not wish to
hear.
1T il In these small places where one
Is most likely to miss ones friends. I
have been looking for you everywhere for
the last week.
Il have not been out much lately, Just
now l have been saying good-by to Mrs
Dene."
"She is leaving here?'
Yes. She goes with her father to
Hattiabad tomorrow"
What, Mr.. Molnet? Is he herer'
He looked positively angry when Jane
assented. He had not seen Nora Dene's
father for more than a year now, and
the last time they had met, he had been
obliged to lister to palmer truths than he
exactly relished; another such meeting
was therefore decidedly to be avoided.
Jane, stealing furtive glance into his
face, saw that something had disturbed
him. and was relieved that his thoughts
were evidently withdrawn from her
Just then he turned and caught her
criticising glance.
You have been playing cricket?' she
stamuered, blushing
mo. tennis. 1 had the honor of play
ing with Miss Knollys."
What is she like" asked Jane, eager
fy, for she, as we'll as every one in ALI
pore. was full of curiosity a. to the ap-
pearance of the commissioners daughter,
who had only arrived from England two
days ago.
Il scarcely noticed her: but 1 believe
she is handsome. 1t is to be hoped SO,
since. l suppose. she is brought out with
the intention of being sold to the highest
bidder"
How can you say such thinrs?' cried
Jane, Indignantly.
rs it not true-or il it because Of its
truth you think 1t ought to bs SUD-
pressed?" he questioned, cynically.
'.For neither of those reasons"
"Then why? Don't all men marry those
who can offer the biggest settlements? 2"
he persisted. looking keenly into her face
CHAPTER XVIII.
In spite of the Hon. Barry Larron's
somewhat deprecating description, Diana
Knoylls was very handsome, and might
have been more 80 had her manner been
less in accordance with her appearance.
She was q little above the medium
woman's height, and her figure, neither
very slim nor girlish, had the graceful
languor which characterizes those Of
Southern birth. Her eyes were large, and
of a gray 50 dark a. to be almost black,
and all the color in her face seemed CEN
tered In her small scarlet-lipped mouth
Her dark hair was gathered high upon
her head In q somewhat uncommon fash
ion that added to her height, and gave a
certain queenliness to her presence Yet
It was her naughty demeanor that robbed
her beauty of half its charm. She was
cold as an icicle. and her voice, though
musical and clear, had a metallic ring in
it that grated on the ear.
She was just twenty five, not too young.
she thought herself, and determined,
pleasant as was her present position, to
obtain as soon as possible more assured
one.
Before she came out from England she
mad studied the army list to see what
regiment was stationed at Alipore, and
after consulting Burke as we'll, had come
to the conclusion that the Hon. Barry
Larron was the most eligible bachelor in
the station; and that after him came Col
onel Prinsep, who, though he had no title,
nor any very probable claim to one, had
a large income and beautiful estate in
Herefordshire. Either of these would be
a desirable match.
She had been there nearly a week, when
she decided that to give eclat to her debut,
her father should give a dance to intro
duce her to his friends; and having set
tied this in her own mind, she went at
once to consult him upon the subject.
Jane did not get an invitation. Indeed,
she never expected it, and would have re-
fused It even had it come. But still she
felt the slight. She was SO young, and
her one short glimpse of gayety had been
SO sweet that she felt it hard to be left
out in the cold. And her mother was in
dgnant.
Stephen Prinsep, on the contrary, was
glad that Jane was not there. His sole
idea was to put away the remembrance of
that one sweet hope, which from its very
brevity had seemed the dearer. Yet had
it been her loss only which he had had to
deplore, there would have been nothing
to rankle so in his mind. Had she re-
fused his love because she could not love
him, he was too manly to have wasted
his life in vain regrets: even had she died
he would not have sorrOwed as one with
out hope. But to his short dream had
.ome such q bitter. huniliatins awal1ns
that NO vonder he felt dissatisfied and
,ad. He loved her SO well, perhaps even
she loved him; yet neither fact had the
power to prevent her marriage with one
his inferior, who would, II
here was saythins in the theory pro-
pounded by the author Of "Lockslsy
Hail." drag her down to his level
He was not thinking Of that then. He
was watching the commissioners daush-
Ter, and acknowledging her good looks
any means fall In love with her, and 80
Danish from his memory the unwiss pas
sion he had contracted for Jane Knox.
For the better furtherance of this plan,
he had attached himself to Miss Knollys
early in the evening, and scarcely left her
,ide, while she, nothing loath, only too
Braciously accepted his attentions.
It pleased her that people should notice
his apparent devotion and draw the in
.vitabl9 eQnsiqei0D. Even X she aayer