Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-05-06

quest have ever made or am likely to
make? Well. the matter must rest so.
suppose. Goodnight"
Slowly and deliberately she rose. her
eft hand grasping the letter with cruel,
venOmOns grip. For a moment the girl
watched her with streaming eyes and
wildly beating heart: then the old lady
stopped to kiss her, but her kiss was al
cold rs Ice
At 10 o'clock the next morning Mrs.
Meason took her place In the breakfast
room Mt O Portland place with as calm
an air as II nothing whatever had occur.
red to disturb her serenity ON the nigh
before.
When at length Lady Constance enter
ed her face was pale and her eyes showed
signs Of recent tears. 1t was the dreariesi
of breakfasts: scarcely a word was spok-
en- by either of the ladies present. When
the meal was over, and the servants had
left the room, Lady Constance walked
over to where the old lady sat and knel
beside her chair.
MY child" she said, you have done
Of your own free will the deed ! would
have shielded you from. You have laid
beneath Jour own feet o mine which ma!
enc day destroy you"
"Grandma," cried the girl in terror.
"what do you meant"
II mean that the day you marry F-anh
HOwarth all happiness for you will end
He has his own family traits. Had yor
been q different girl, had you been cold,
hard-hearted and callous, I sAould have
given . very different answsp that day
when this young man asked 1og youl
hand. l should have married yeu - him,
and through your agency Jour mother
might have been avenged. But ! saw
that, despite my stern training, you had
grown into a tender, timid Gid, capable
If loving very deeply, and, seeing this,
knew that your cousin Frank was the
asst man on whom you should set yoW
Heart"
''Iou disliked him 30 much even them
said the girl, reproachfully.
do you expect to find q fig upon o
pear tree or a rose upon thistle? He il
IIowarth; that is enough"
There was n knock at the door; the
footman entered, bearing a card, upon
which the old lady read:
Captain Frank HOwarth."
II will come to the drawing ROOM" sh'
said, and the footman retired.
Constance leaped to her feet, her FACE
turning from red to deathly white: her
hands, which trembled violently, eagerly
clutched her companions dress.
''Grandma," she cried, ''what will you
say?"
''If I send him away your heart will
break; if he remains"-the old lady sighed
heavily-''Well, perhaps it Ia better to
enjoy few hours of happiness" she
continued, ''since the issue must be the
same" With these words she left tho
room.
Fully an hour passed, when the dooI
again opened, and this time the figure OF
young man appeared. He stretched
forth his arms.
Constance" he said, softly. With .
glad cry Constance futtered across the
room and fell upon his breast.
"One hour, Connie" said he; ''but you
were waiting for me. my love. 30 1t seem
ed to you like three"
'Now you are laughing. If you do not
become serious and tell me what / wish
to know I shall 60 to grandma. She II
80 strange: l cannot understand her,
Frank. Sometimes think she hates me" !"
"Yes, she Is very singular" returned
the young man. gravely. but she does
not hate you. darling"
'"Then why is she afraid to see me
happy, Frank-dO you knowT'
"Yes; but the story II . very sad one.
Why should our happiness be clouded
at the outset?"
ITO b contlnued.D