The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-09-02
copyright, 1897. by the Author.l
CONTINUED

bHdb uC udu HOW ICdu lD6Iyl y lOtlluBs
accurately, and she was careful to keep
up her spirits and keep down her feel
ings until her father was quite recon-
ciled to the fact of the arrangement
having come to an untimely end.
With Sir Jaffray, Beryl took some
what similar course.
"Of course l guessed it long ago,
Jaffray," she said. ''Do you think you
and have been like brother and sister
without my being able to read good
many of your thoughts? OF course not. "
And she laughed without the least APP
parent restraint.
He noticed that she was unusually
demonstrative.
II thought it would surprise you. ="
he said.
IF it surprised me, it was because it
didn't come sooner. I've always known
that there must come a time when this
would happen on your side or mine"-
she laughed again as she said this
land l always wondered how it would
feel if were to be first, you know, and
had to tell you, just as if you were real
~ my brother. | often wondered how |
should do it or how you'd do it if you
were first. never thought you'd think
OF keeping such thing secret And
I've watched you, You know, and seen
1t growing and wondered why you new
er uttered word. l should have told
you what l guessed the other night at
Torquay-the night the mother wrote
us those most ridiculously mistaken let
ters-only, if you remember, Mrs. De
Witt came out and stopped us in the
middle And, after all, you can't make
an opportunity for that sort of conf.
dence. 1t has TO come naturally"
He listened to her closely, comparing
the unusual manner with her custom
airy calm reserve, and he got much near
er to the real state Of her feelings than
had her father. 1t hurt him, but he
showed no sign of this in his manner,
seeming to fail III with her humor.
shes a good little soul, the little
woman" he answered, "but she does
put her foot in it sometimes. wish
now l had told you about this, Beryl.
hope you'll get on with Lola.
a chill seemed TO touch the girls
heart at the sound of the name, but she
answered quickly and with warmth
Il hope so. We've not seen so much
of one another lately as we used to, but
She II be nearer when she's at the man
or. How is Lady Walcote?'
'She is coming over to see you today
some time, think. She saw Lola the
day before yesterday, you know. She
went to Mosscombe, to Mrs. Villyers. "
Il am glad she has given way, Jaf-
fray, said Beryl pleasantly. "Of course
! know what she thought. 1t would |
have been a great pain to her and to
you if she had not been able to do what |
you wish. l am very glad. A"
Il find every ones awfully good"
returned Sir Jaffray, and then Beryl led |
away the talk to other subjects, striving
hard to make her cousin believe that, so
far as she herself was concerned, she
was not anything but perfectly pleased
at the news
But she said not one word in praise
of Lola or one which could lead him
to believe that she liked the woman he |
had chosen for his wife or thought he |
had chosen wisely and we'll.
Strangely enough, he was really anx-
ious to get some such expression from
her, and he staid longer than he would |
otherwise have done in the endeavor,
but he failed, and the failure disap-
pointed and irritated him.
He tried to be vexed with her i'm his
thoughts, but he only succeeded in feel
ing dissatisfied, and he could not shake
OIL the impression that in some way it
was an i'll omen not to have Beryl's
good word.
Throughout the time that followed
Beryl did her utmost to mislead others
as to her real opinions. Lady Walcote
came to see her, aud she went to the
manor just as usual, and even the close
and loving intimacy which existed be-
tween the two women never led Beryl
to say a word other than that she had
always tried to carry out the arrange
ment for the sake Of the family inter
ests, but that it was relief TO her to
have an end put to it, Lady Walcote at
first questioned this and made her
doubts plain enoagh, but Beryl held TO
her position and in the end prevailed.
What did more than anything else,
however, to make the girls real feel.
ings difficult 10 understand was her at
titude toward Lola herself. She acted
precisely as she might have done had
there never been any idea that she her
self should marry Sir Jaffray, and she
bore herself toward Lola as though the
latter, by her engagement to the baron
et, had become a member of the inner
circle of the family and was therefore
10 be treated as an intimate.
She was neither so cordial at first
hat people could think she was seeking
20 hide any modification under that
oyer nor 50 distant as to suggest hos