The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-06-05

Where is Miss Darcy - he asked.
| Mercy me ! We never know where
| Margaret Darcy is-careless child ~
| said Ann, sharply. ''She has a lazy
| habit of living out among the flowers,
| after the mornings work is done, and
| we can't get her to settle at sewing or
anything sensible. l found a book
| tucked away in her room not long ago,
| but made short work of that nonsense
| by burning it,
What was it ?"inquired Barrie, Sc
| cretly resolving to replace the stolen
treasure.
"Middleditch, by George Somebody
or other. It's ridiculous notions that
girls got, any way-cramming her
head with trash.''
Her mother was your sister, was
she not p
Gracious, no! Our half sister. She
was a baby. We couldn't cast the
child off, being of our own blood, so''
here Ann drew q long sigh-''we
brought her up"
"She is very pretty" said Barrie.
do you think so? Folks say she ia
vors me a little" Miss Ann looked
complacently at her we'll kept hands.
I'VE wear the same size in Gloves
Indeed" Barrie was evidently in
terested. He moved nearer to the spin
ster. That's very quaint ring you
wear, Miss Ann. May l examine it
more Uioselys''
Coloring family, Ann drew it from,
her hand Barrie slipped it half way
on his little finger, looking at it in
tently.
You wear very small ring, Miss
Ann returning it to her.
Ann. What in the world are you
doing" cried shrill voice.
Desire stood in the doorway the
picture of shocked decorum. Barrie
could not repress smile as he bowed
and left The room.
I'm afraid I've made rather bad
half an hour for poor Miss Ann" he
thought. Then he went in search of
Margaret.
80 Desire ~ cried Ann, petulantly,
what made you come in as you did?
you've spoiled everything. Haven't
you noticed that our boarder has been
very attentive to me lately p
Good gracious, no y cried Desire.
But Ann hurried on.
"He has been so kind and devoted
that couldn't help noticing it; and,
Desire, to day, when he found me
alone, he asked to see my ring, |
knew right away what he meant, and
when he put it back he sort of meas
ured my finger with his eye"
Did he ask you to marry him p
catechised her sister.
''Well, no, but he was just going to
when you blundered in
10nnf+ onr1nt ahin1ynnG
before they're hatched," said Desire,
and she looked so stern that one might
suppose she had some such experience
of her own.
Barrie was rather puzzled by AIMS
treatment of him during the next few
weeks. She had a conscious air in his
presence which implied the existence
of a secret understanding between
them. He was half annoyed by her
manner at first, but soon came to a
conclusion very far from the truth.
''She has discovered that | am in
love with Margaret, and wishes to as
sure me of her good will" he thought.
"Shes nice old soul, in spite of her
curls and white muslin.s'
So grateful was he for this unspoken
sympathy, that he treated the mis-
taken spinster more cordially than
ever. And SO the little game of cross
purposes went on.
1t was hard for Barrie to convince
Margaret that he really loved her.
You have known me for such a
short time,'' she urged. And you
could do so much better l am a little
more than q servant, and"
Il am the best judge of what l want
Listen to me, Margaret. must leave
here soon, and cannot go without a
promise from you. | am coming back
in a fortnight. Will you marry me
then ?''
She looked into his earnest. honest
face, and could no longer doubt him.
"Yes, ''she said softly, II will go with
you where you will"
Both the sisters were in the parlor
when Barrie and Margaret presently
entered it. Ann started at sight of
them, and trembled visibly.
"She is afraid of Miss Desire"
thought Barrie. Then, in a few manly
words he told his love story, and ask
ed for permission to make Margaret
his wife.
1t was Desire who answered, for
Ann was speechless. They had no
control over Margaret, she said. She
was of age and could chose for herself.
And after q few conventional phrases
on both sides, the lovers withdrew.
That night, as Margaret passed Miss
Ann on her way to bed, her hand was
snatched in tight feverish grasp.
Il see that you are wearing a new
ring, Margaret Darcy" said the
spinster. Here is anothe to keep its
company"
With some violence she pushed the
ring which Barrie had admired on the
girls finger.
THANK you, Aunt Ann said Mar
garet, wondering mt her strange man
ner, but grateful for the unusual kind
ness. Il will wear it as long as l
live"
Upon reaching her chamber she
blew out the light and sat looking over
the gray, moon-lit lake until after
midnight. Then she went to bed, but
was too happy to sleep. Long after
the old clock in the hall had struck
two she heard some one sobbing.-
Ann Kapper was crying her heart out
in the stiffness of the night IFacer7y
MdgaziISe.