The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-06-15

| dow. and she was drawing her own con-
illusions from what she saw there.
No such luck, my dear. Jack isn't q
marrying man."
Luck? Do you want him to marry
| then?n
No; but there would be compensations.
We should live in town then instead of
| this dull, out of the way place. But don't
be anxious, Susie. 1t will all end in
| smoke as far as he is concerned.
"And she?"
That, you must acknowledge, is her
affair, not mine," Constance said care
lessly. as she turned from the window.
Meantime the young people themselves
all unconscious OF Constance's plots
| and schemes-were rapidly progressing
In each others good graces, and for a
short space Colonel Leigh. and all his
claims to consideration and respect were
| forgotten. Yet he was coming to the
dance that very evening, and in another
hour or two Minnie knew that those Sc
| we're eyes would be upon her, and she
would be called to account for all her
| present happiness. 1t was not pleasant
prospect to contemplate. SO the poor child
steadily averted her eyes from it, and en-
Joyed the present moment with reck-
! less disregard OF consequences very un-
usual In her gentle nature. Perhaps she,
too, thought it was ''only Jack" and
therefore would not greatly matter.
| lime passed on all too quickly, how
ever-as is usually the case when we
| especially desire TO delay its progress
! ana soon Minnie had to hurry indoors to
dress for the dance.
How much she wished there wasn't GO
ing to be dance at all, but just pleas
ant, quiet evening with only the house
! party; an evening when everybody would
| be free 70 stroll about the garden in the
| deepening twilight, listening to the
thrushes' melodlous evensong; or to sit
| on the terrace Watching the moon rise
slowly from behind the dusky trees,
while. perhaps. some one else strolled or
sat there. too, and seemed in no haste to
| go In. Such an evening. in fact, as the
| two last had been, evenings unlike any
| she had known before, and never, never
| to be forgotten, whatever new expert
ences the future might have in store for
her.
But, this was the night of the dance.
and Colonel Leigh was coming would be
here almost Immediately. Colonel Leigh,
who mad always been so kind to her, and
whom it was her duty to respect, and, by
ana by, to love! Had not her mother
| always told her this? Had she not urged
to remember it almost with her dying
breath?
WAOuSoO I'LL, Su0 uaQ 6alQs Ii Is
for you to make amends. He has prom
| ised to make you his wife, Minnie, and
wish you to marry him. Remember,
nave no dearer wish in the world than
TINS. lou are too young yet, but by and
by he will ask you, and you must say
yes-for his sake and your own!"
Two years had passed since then, and
Minnie was now Is, but Colonel Leigh
had not asked her yet, nor had he even
n mn, of or
OF late. She lived with an old governess,
and an extremely quiet, not to say dull,
life 1t was; for she had few friends, and
the old lady did not approve of her visit
ing those she had. Miss Framley had
known something of the Myersons years
ago, and had therefore consented to make
an exception in their favor and allow her
young charge to accept the invitation
Constance had given her. though, had
she known the kind of woman she was,
Constance MyersOn would assuredly
have been the last friend she would have
chosen for Minnie. In point of fact she
knew nothing of her, and great would
have been the poor old ladys dismay
could anybody have enlightened her
comfortable Ignorance. Fortunately for
her peace OF mind there was no one to do
this.
Thus matters stood between Minnie
and her guardian on the eventful evening
of the Myersons' dance, and undou btedly
it could scarcely be considered a satisfac-
tory state OF affairs to either OF them; but
OF all this Jack Of course, knew nothing.
How should he?
1t was 10 o'clock. and the dancing was
going on merrily-toO merrily, perhaps,
for Colonel Leigh's taste, as he stood in
the doorway contemplating the gay scene
with a somewhat bored expression. He
had given up dancing years ago, and was
not one OF those men who take a lively in
terest in watching other peoples amuse-
ments. He watched intently. it is true.
but he seemed to take no pleasure in it,
and Constance thought she had never
seen him look so stern.
Minnie had never looked prettier than
she did that night. and excitement had
lent color to her cheeks and q light to
her eyes that intensified her girlish beau
ty into positive loneliness. Even Jacks
stately sisters were not SO much admired
as she, and Susie made up her mind that
despite any plans Constance might have
to the contrary, Minnie's visit should nos
be prolonged beyond the date now fixed
for its termination. For she felt that
under favorable conditions, the girl might
become too dangerous rival.
OF course Minnie had been dancing q
good deal, but she was not dancing just
now. She was not in the room at all,
n6lLu6I was JdChs CIAdpSg dlt6I dls
they had gone to see the moon rise.
Constance crossed to the Colonel mis-
chievous smile on her lips.
"You must be trightfully bored by all
us frivolous people," she said sympathet-
ically. "Won't you come into the library
and see Jacks engravings? He has some
very valuable ones. and know you are
q Judge of such things"
She spoke very courteOusly, but with
out any of the coquetry that had formerly
annoyed him SO much. Yet he disLrusted
her.
"Thank you: but don't like to trouble
you SO tar"
ut is no trouble. Colonel. Come this
way"
She led the way across the hall to the
library, large room with French win
dows opening on TO the terrace.
1t was very dimly lighted. and through
the opened windows flood OF moonlight
streamed into the room.
"Oh, 1 wonder where Jack has put
them? They are not i'll their usual place."
Constance exclaimed. glsncing round
the room. ''Wait one moment while |
go and make Inquiries and before he
could raise any objections she was
gone.
Colonel Leigh walked up to the open
window and stood there looking out.