The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-09-01

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not worth while talking TO me-"
'T do feel for you," said the doctor,
with an unusual warmth of manner.
81 have done all could to get your
mother to be fair to you. Phemie"
The had never called her Phemie be-
fore, and she felt her color rise).
"What the matter?" he added hastily,
for suddenly Phemie's eyes filed with
tears, and she just went off then aud
there and left the paint pots and
things without saying another word.
DIR. Jasper's visits became more
frequent. Mrs. Albatross was con-
stantly seen about the village with
him they met in cottages she was
devoted, so she said, to nursing the
sick (it was certainly new develop
ment). She was never seen with her
daughter, nor was Jasper, but he saw
her daughter oftener than she knew
still, it seemed less and less possible
to do without Mrs. Abatross. Her
ability, her cooked foods and port
wine for "cases;" her influence with
the squire, who disliked and obeyed
her; with the parson, whose good will
was importance to the doctor, and who
was afraid of Mrs. Albatross, for she
browbeat him in the chair at parish
meetings. picked holes in his sermons
and organized the penny readings,
which he disliked, under his very nose.
All this and good deal more-for
Mrs. Albatross was woman and not
above feminine arts-put Jasper in
rather tight place.
He knew that Mrs. Albatross wanted
to marry him, and there were many
days, yes, whole days, when he really
thought he should be obliged to marry
Mrs. Albatross.
The moment came. II was in the
little sitting room upstairs.
Something had happened. DIR.
Jasper saw that plainly enough.
The lady was flushed and excited,
and he missed the usual confidential
squeeze.
'I-I wanted to see you," she said,
and paused. Nothing has come to
your ears, suppose?"
The doctor looked inquiringly.
"Well, then, I'm dreadfully troubled;
annoyed beyond measure; put out.
OF course, you know my maid, Susan;
she has been with me ten years, and
is not gossip"
''What on earth do you mean? Do
be plain; surely with me you might
be quite plain" and he moved little
nearer, feeling at that moment a curl
ous kind of attraction which almost
compelled him to lay his hand upon
her arm and force her to be quite
honest.
Don't keep me on tenterhooks,
he said eagerly; "tell mep'
81 will" said the lady; 81 feel I
can tell you anything. don't think
l have any other friend in the world
Mt least, not like you; no one UNDER
stands me, no one has helped me as
you have, and we've got to part, that
is all"
"What, on earth," said Jasper,
really shaken and troubled he had
never seen her grow pale like that,
nor her lips quiver like that--and she
was not of the crying sort--she did
not cry now "What-what has Susan
been saying?"
"Only that it's all over the place,
and that she thought at last she ought
to tell me-"
quite say it.
''Yes, do" she said, and rose and
walked up and down the room full Of
n sort of angry vexation, mingled evil
IDENTIFY with conflict of passionate
feeling she could neither conceal nor
subdue.
"Sit down." he said. He had risen.
He took her arm she was positively
trembling. He led her to the sofa by
the fire.
81 shall have to leave this place."
she said in sort of hard voice. The
angry tears came into her eyes. He
had never seen her weep. This was
the nearest approach to it,
81 know what you are going to say.
Don't say it. You shan't go; you are
useful. The people trust you. 1t is
your sphere. l am the marplot."
"Why should you go?" said Jasper,
hardly measuring his words. "Why
should either of us go? Why not
stay-and stay-stay together?"
"You don't mean it?" Men at such
times are more fools than knaves.
eyes, yes-I-do."
Jasper hal taken her hand. The
woman with the iron will, the keen
intellect, the nature self-contained,
which seemed at times rs hard as
nails, turned toward him, and in
another moment fell crying and laugh
ing hysterically into his arms. At
that moment, as ill-luck would have
it, Phemie, hearing unusual sounds,
and thinking some one needed assist
ance, entered.
$50 and fetch some sal-volatile; /;
your mother is not very WELL Indeed,
at that moment Mrs. Albatross seemed
to have really tainted away. Whether
she tainted or not, no one will ever
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