Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-09-26


three, If 1t 50 pleased her, himself
content TO wait; and there he left her.
So while the music pealed out louder
and louder, aud the hum of fresh
voices and bursts OF silver laughter
came fitfully to them. they sat quiet
and silent In the little summer panlor:
the bronze lamp throwing mellow
light on Letty's dark. still face, and
only half revealing the cleaning stat
uettes and shining silver ornaments
scattered throughout the room
Ernest Deyereux leaned lis arm on
the low mantel. and his head or his
arm. and looked down silently on the
face of the woman he loved, and hoped
one day TO make love him. That she
did not love him he knew. but she
was young and tender-hearted: once
his. her love. he thought, would be
easily won.
As he stood there in he half shade.
a genial softness stole over his hand
some. cynical, world-hardened face-a
shifting. tremulous tenderness-that
had never rested there since his boy
hood, II II had even then. He was
not wholly bad. although he was very
selfish: but tonight self was forgotten
for the time; and the quaint, dark
face, that his friend had so ridiculed
seemed to have vivid. witching beau
ty, as 1t shone ont on him between
the dim half-lights of the low fire and
the bronze lamp overhead.
Lefty. sitting there. all unmindful
Of the tender gaze of those keen eyes,
was thinking. with vain. rebellious
longing. Of what might have been If
Paul Lennard's wife had never left
her those Inflated riches.
He might have loved me then" she
thought, 'and need never have left
Kenmore. We might have been so
happy in that old brown house. with
only my father, and none Of this hate
ful money to gather people round us
who would not care If we died at their
feet, so that they We're safe. oh! If he
had only been poor. would have mar
ried him. and worked FOR him, and
borne anything for his sake"
So she kept thinking, with fretful
pain, rs she sat there, and picked
away first the leaves and then the
blossoms Of her bouquet.
Lefty was just like the rest of us:
she was willing to endure any trouble
but the one that was pressing down
on her. Her shoulders felt strong to
bear any Of the crosses that might
have been laid on them, bpt they Dent
and shivered under the burden that
they We're called upon to carry.
I'VE thought you We're lost. or had
run away, or something dreadful had
happened, Lefty. dear" called out a
clear, ringing voice. as it's owner swept
into the room. turning over tiny
Partisan Psyche with her voluminous
skirts as she passed lyon have been
searched for everywhere, you naughty
darling, for you were most particular
~ wanted :"
The young lady. the twenty-frst
and most demonstrative of Iettys
new friends. was standing on the rug
by this time, her gauzy skirts danger
orSly near the steel bars Of the CRATE
She was looking up with a mischiev-
ols wonder at Ernest Devefeuxs
smiling face and Lettys grave one.
81 beg pardon a thousand times If
| nm intruding," she said with a lit
tie mock courtesy, and pretense of
going away again.
Ernest Deyereux stopped her, and
gallantly pushed forward a chair for
her close to I.etty's side. himself stand
Ing the while. and watching the two
girls.
who wanted me-" asked Lefty.
looking down with a half blush on
tile scattered petals strewing her lap
and the carpet At her feet.
doctor Lennard," was the reply
"He Is leaving Kenmore, and he called
to say goodbye. or course he knew
nothing of the party; but 1t was odd
to come at this hour, wasn't it?'
The rosy blush was burning fame
now; cheeks neck. and bosom one
painful, flushing crimson.
'IIe had not time to wait till You
could be found. continued the young
lady; ''hut he left his respects. and
the compliments Of the season, and
all that He's going by the twelve
o'clock train. and it's half past eleven
now. and more
Putting mp one white. jeweled hand
to shade her eyes from the fire, the
speaker looked at the tiny ormolu
time-piece which stood oh the manteI,
ana which just AZ that moment he
gan to ring the three-quarter chimes.
II was a quarter to twelve In fl
teen minutes more he would be gone
away from Kenmore forever.
Miss Lyle rose, and shaking ont her
skirts declared She was engaged for
the very valse they were playing, and
must 20.
mr. Lawton win he seeking me
ny nrv whore a N Il \" Safd Sha "opd