Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-03-06

| manner ne naQ never done before
when some acquaintance of the Ray
monds had claimed Cecils attention
and had for some minutes completely
diverted it from his cousin. He hae
had to tell them how he came to bt
there, and how his ''people" were no,
there, what they were about, where
they were to be met, and where they
were not to be met. He had had e
put some questions on his own account
The newcomers were great folks whom
he did not often chance to meet-peo.
pie who seldom frequented fashionable
resorts, but who would te noted wher-
ever seen; the sort of acquaintances,
in short, that young Raymond ap.
proved of, and with whom he would
not for the world have cut short an in.
terview.
For full five minutes he had been
thus completely engrossed, and when
he had looked around at the expiry oil
that periDdf neither Bellenden nor his
cousin had been anywhere to be seen.
| "They have only gone to hear the
band, ;" Mrs. Campbell had said placid
| ly. Il told them that l should remain
here, and that you would take care of
How long the strains of the band had
been heard thereafter he could not
have told. 1t had seemed ages, and
must really have been during a con.
siderable length of time, since directly
Geraldine had reappeared: it had been
ime to go.
Geraldine had seemed hurried and
i apolOgetic, and there had been a good
deal said about the crowds, and the
making way through them: but all the
talking had been done by her.
Bellenden had said nothing. but had
stood by with a sort Of q smile on his
face, which it had not cheered poor
Cecil's heart to see.
He had, indeed, left all the excuses
and explanations to his fair companion;
but there had been that in his air
which had said SO plainly as words
could have done, that she was herself
his excuse. and one sufficient for him
or for any man. No wonder the son
spoke sharply and sulkily to the parent
VINO had, as it were, opened the way to
80 much: tor that Bellenden had, by
some means or other, now contrived to
break down the barrier which had ex-
listed for SO long between him and his
quondam "little friend" ana which
had, up to the present, seemed so i'm.
pregnable, was only too obvious.
Geraldine herself was bitterly indig>
nant with herself during the summer
morn which had set in ere the party
quilted the festive halls, and which,
gathering strength and gIory, was
blazing forth In its full tide of light
and life as the weary girl sought in
vain the slumber that had fed her
pillow. She wondered what she had
been thinking Of,dreaming of? She had
gone on so we'll until now. Never un-
til this evening had she really faltered;
scarcely ever had she been tempted to
falter. She had. indeed. been aware
of being ever more constantly on the
he had had nothing from her but gay,
mo king words, and sharp, two-edged
iests. Only once or twice, only when
she had been really too unkind. too
barefaced, had she wheeled about and
murmured the gentle after-word and
cast the soft glance which had undone
the rest. But tonight? Tonight
there had been nothing to undo. She
had tried to be sarcastic, nippant, and
.unfeeling, and had failed. and hal
failed utterly. For the future she
must beware.
And there was yet something fur
ther.
Bellenden had offered box at the
opera, ana she had almost accepted it.
How should she now escape the con-
sequences of such imprudence?
''The only thing will be to make
granny refuse" she ruminated, tossing
hither and thither on her fretful, fe-
verish couch; Granny must just say
we have not an evening, or that the
weather is too hot :or theaters. I can
show her that do not care to 60, and
that will be enough to make her not
care. Then | can tell Sir Frederick
what she says
But when it came to telling Sir
Frederick, the message, some how,
took another form. Granny was very
much obliged and would like immense
ly to go. and either Tuesday or
Wednesday wouli suit her, as they
had no engagements for those even
ings.
Now. how was this? Let US hearken
to the preceding dialogue, and Judge
to whom the apparent inconsistency is
due.
Granuy-Wel,, my dear, Sir Freder
ick is very kind and l dare say we
shall en- 'oy it.
Geraldine 1T is the one opera that
have not seen, which 1 should really
care to see.
GRANNY am told it is very good.
Geraldine The Raymond girls say
it is beautiful Even Uncle Raymond
has been to it.
Granny-Well, what night shall we
tx?
Geraldine-Why, if you really think
of going
Granny-My dear, I am ready to 60
or not, as you decide. 1 thought you
would certainly wish to 60
Geraldine e-Ye-es.
Granny-Do you not wish it? OF
course If you do not
Geraldine-Oh, but I-I-I-I do.
Granny tsmiling Then let us say
Tuesday or Wednesday, for we ought
to give him a choice OF days, as he may
not be able to get box for the first.
TO BE CONTINUED.