Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-08-27
NUMBER 35.

| his chief pleaSure-at Greyhope lhey
! felt it was "a matter they ought %
| be able 10 decide Tor themselves, but
still it was the last evening of Lali s
stay in town, and they did not care to
take any risi: Strange to say, they had
come to take pride in their SON. wife, for
even General and Mrs Armour, high
minded and Of serene social status as
they were, seemed lot quite insensible
to the pleasure Of being an axle on
which a system of social notoriety re-
volved.
At the opportune moment Captain
Vidal was announced, and because he
and Marion were soon TO carry but one
name between them he was called into
family consultation. Ii Is somewhat
singular that in this case the women
were quite wrong and the men were
quite right, for General Armour and
Captain Vidall were for silence until
Frank came. if he came that day, or for
telling her the following morning, when
the function was over And the men
prevailed.
Marion was much excited all day She
had given orders that Franks room
should be made ready, but for whom
she gave no information. While Lii
was dressing for the evening, somewhat
excited and nervous, she entered her
room. They were now the best Of
friends. The years had seen many shift
ing scenes in their ompanionship
They had been rs often at war as at
peace, but they had respected each
other, each after her own fashion. and
now they had areal and mutual regard
Lal's was a slim, 1.-the figure. wear
ing its fashionable robes with m air Of
possession, and the face above it, If not
entirely beautiful, had a strange warm
fascination. The girl had not been a
chieftaineSs for nothing. A look Of
quiet command was thore, but also
faraway expression which gave faint
look Of sadness even when a smile was
at the lips. The smile itself did not
come quickly-it grew-but above il all
was hair Of perfect brown, most rare,
setting off her face a. "a plume does
helmet She showed no surprise when
Marion entered She welcomed her with
a smilc and outstrotched hand, but said
iothing
"Lali, said Marion somewhat ah-
:uptly-she scarcely knew why She ID
t-'arc you happy"
IL was strange how the Indian girl
had taken on those little manners of Sc
cicty which convey So much by Inhcc.
tion She lifted her eyebrows At Marion
and said presently III a SOFT deliberate
voice, Come. Marion, We will 90 and
see littlc Richard; thcn ! shall bo
happy.
She linked her am through Marlon's.
Marion drummod her fingers lightly on
the beautiful arm and then fell 10 won
dcrng what she should say next. They
passed into the room where the child
lay sleeping They went 70 his little
bed and I.ali stretched out her hand
gently, touching the curis Of the child.
Running a finger through one delicate
", she said, with still softer tone than
before, Why should not one be happy"
Marion looked up slowly into her
eyes, let hand fall IN her shoulder
gently and replied, "Lali, do you never
wish Frank 10 come
Lai'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 whisper almost
hoarse in its intensity, Yes, | wish he
would come tonight"
She looked harder yet at Marion.
Then, with a flash of pride and her
hands clasping before her, she drew her
self up and added: Am / not worthy
10 BIZ In, wife now: Am | not beautiful
-Tur savage
Th,rc was no common vanity IN the
action. II had a noble kind Of wistful-
ness and serenity that entirely re
deemed it, Marion dated her own hap
pinoss from the time when Lali met her
accident, for tEc evening Of that disas-
trous d..y she issued to Captain Hume
Vidal commission which he could
never, wished never 10, resign. Since
then she had been at her best-we are
all moro or less selfish crcaturcs-and
had grown gentlcr curbing the delicate
imperiOusness of hcr nature and frank
~ aud without the least piquc taken a
secondary position Of interest IN the
household, occasioned by Lali's popu-
larity. She looked Lali up and down
with a 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"--
Hush" said the other dreamily, and
put finger on Marion's lips. Il know
what You are going 10 say, but do not
wish 10 hear it, He did not love me
then. He used me- She shuddercd.
put her hands to her eyes with apained,
trembling motion, then threw her head
back with quick sign. But Will not
speak of IT, Come, prepare for the
dance, Marion Ii is the last tonight
Tomorrow" She paused, looking
straight before her, lost in thought
Eyes, tomorrow, Lali:'
Il do not know about tomorrow"
was the reply Strange things come to
me. "
Marion longcd 10 tell her then and
there the great news, but she was afraid
to do so and was, moreover withheld
by the remembrance that il 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 80 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 APP
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
of Frank appearance SEEM
ed less, and the Armours began to
breathe more freely.
TO BE CONTINUED.