Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-04-22

voss, a-tremble with eager matri-
monial hopes for her idol.
Asleth rose slowly at the young
lady's entrance.
"Miss Voss?"
81 anu Miss Voss?"
"Miss Elinor Voss?"
81 am Elinor Voss."
"Ah-a thousand pardons! fear
that there is some mistake. You have
cousin, a sister, perhaps"
ga sister," murmured Elinor, be-
wildered.
"Ahl-whom had the pleasure of
meeting at the hunt ball"
"The hunt ball Impossible!"
She turned as the door was flung
open. Asketh stood transixed. 1t
was Jane. 1t was the girl who had
wound him in inextricable tolls, and
yet it wasn't? The marvellous mass of
tawny hair was drawn straightly back;
the strange, wonderful life had gone
out of her green gray eyes; the noble,
alluring curves had left the lips closed
tightly, and almost as pale as the
cheeks.
"Not impossible. Elinor, I was at
the hunt ball, and Mr.. Asketh met me
there. 1 wore your gown and played
the part of the beautiful sister-foI
once, deceived everybody-the pa.
tronesses, who were expecting you,
all those great ladies and the club
men and all. And I deceived Mr..
Asketh. Don't look at me as if were
mad, Elinor. Perhaps L seem to be,
but really don't think that I am.
Her eyes turned to Asketh. "You see
how plain I am. You took me to be
pretty the other night. 1t was the nice
dress and the excitement and the de-
termination that was in me to feel
once as Elinor feels every day.l She is
lovely as you can see, too. She is sweet
and good also. But am altogether
horrid. If you ever thought that 1
was nice you will think differently
now. nm criminal, for isn't it GRIM
inal to lie and misrepresent and de-
ceive people? And that's what have
done. And l am criminal in another
way. For l was envious of Elinor,
who is so lovely and .has always been
made much of, because she was good
and deserved it. But deserved moth
ing. Oh, 1 am quite bad. Forget me,
please" And she went, stonily from
the room, before speech returned to
the other two.
A scandal? There never had been
greater in that part of the country,
given over to the "hunting SET" Mrs.
Demayn blamed Mrs. Aspinwall for
taking cup any such people as the
Vosses" at all. 1t had, she said, all
come from that. Mrs. Voss, on the
other side, was i'll in her bed with
modification and Elinor pale with
chagrin. Mrs. Aspinwall, irritated,
turned upon Asketh.
"Why did you fiirt with that un.
lucky younger sister, anyway? Not
but that have changed my opinion
of her looks within the last day OF
two. Some new life seems to have
come into her. She has great posi-.
bilities, if only she and her mother
and sister would give them chance.
They say that she was beautiful at the
ball. Perhaps the ugly duclsling will
outshine the white swan of the family
yet.
Asketh made no immediate reply.
Then
"You ask me why firted with her?
l did not firt. 1t was dead earnest. !"
| Mrs. Aspinwall stared.
''Not really? Good heavens"
"Really. AS earnest as anything on
this earth will ever be for me-"
'You will forgive that chit's mas
querading. I think it showed horri.
bic duplicity."
81 judge more lenien tly." He
laughed. eyes, I forgive it, because
L understand it. I am going there to-
day. And | may as well tell you,
shall ask her to marry me.
"Good heavens - said Mrs. Aspin.
wall again.
He kept his word.
Three days later Mrs. Aspinwall met
the criminal face to face in one of the
country lanes. She was driving and
leaned far out of her carriage. Asketh
and Jane were walking.
"Call that girl an ugly ducklingl |"
exclaimed the lady to herself. "Well |
well. See what love and happiness
can do Elinor, poor child, will never
hold candle to her. prophesy that
Mrs. Paul Asketh will be in time the
greatest beauty in town. So much
for the crime of Jane. New York
Mercury.