The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-06-23
CONTINUED
CHAPTER XIV.

From the Albcmarle to Wallie's house
was not n long distance. but it had bc.
gun to snow. and the keen northrrly
wind drove the flakes straight into the
fares of the pedestrians and afforded
Wallie II COOL excuse FOR keeping his
mouth shut, or cgrning it only for molo.
syllable answers to the questions which
Ed from tir!c to time addressed to him
With all his pains he had undoubtedly
bunglcd the interview with the Russian
star-jnst ut the juncture. too. when he
wss beginning Ia entertain the best
hopes of success. How swiftly and ef.
ely she had turned the tables upon
him, What terrible versatility and self
command she had! With what wicked
roglishness had she fired that parting
tarnt at him about his motive in cs-
pousing her rivals cause! ".At any rate
I'm glad let her have the last wordr
stid Wallic TO himself: Int that was
somewhat cold comfort.
He left Ed in the drawing room and
went to 6nd Mrs. Cadwalader and
Beatrix. He sent the latter to her
brother ara remained in % Inference with
the former.
Beatrix cane softly inio the drawing
room and saw Edward standing near the
farther end of it with lbs back toward
her. She paused. and remained motion
less, gazing at him. Her heart went ou,
toward Fnim, and yet SHE shrank froY
him. She wished To lie in full sympathy
with him. but Mariana seemed to stand
betwee1, them. Foi when she had
learncG from Geoifret's letter TO WalEc
that Mariana was Eds companion she
had been forced tn the conclusion Tint
the relation between them must he ;a!l
unlawful one, and the circumstance that
Marana, rather than any other woman
should be the person holding this pnsi-
ton Gad affected her with a peculiar
horror. There seemed to be something
wantnnly repugnant in it. She might
have prevented herself from definitely
realizing the fact had stranger to her
self ibeen involved; but Marana,- she
had lived under her,name and occupied
her place so long ,as to make her feel
that she was in some way personally
mixed up in the catastrophe.
Ina few moments Ed turned ryglnd
and saw his sister.
The personal magnetism of eye ts eve
with those who ARE really dear to each
other overcomes- for the time being, all
scruples and recoilings. When, there
fore. her brother gave glad start, and
stepped toward Beatrix with mn inarticu-
lateexclamatiOn OF affection. she forgot
everything EXCEPT that he was her
brother. with whom she had spent her
childhood, who had cut his initials on
the banister of The old staircase, whose
white roses she had worn ON her bosom
until within the last few months, by
whose side she had ridden, and in whose
company she had ransacked the woods;
she found herself with her arms round
his neck, kissing him, smiling with wet
cheeks, and murmuring: Dear Ed. daar.
darling boy! Oh Lam so glad TO have
you as,ainr'
''Acw well you are looking. sis!' In.
said vi length, taking her by the elbows
and looking at her. She was. indeed
beautifully dressed, and her face was
rosy with the emotion of the moment.
and, passion aside, hacared more for her
the eyes TO discern the traces of fatigue
and anxiety on her face; it takes lover
to do that. When man looks at his sis
ter he thinks of the past; when he looks
at his mistress he THINKS of the present
and the fnture.
why, hut you're great swell now,
aren't yasaY' Ed continued laughingly.
His temperament varied quickly. and
without any moral reason, between e1-
tremes of depression and joviality. "a
had no idea my little sis was going 10
come out on the top of the heap this way.
l always said nobody ceuld beat yon
singing, though. and nobody can, though
Vera is perfect in her way. too"
"Vera?" she repeated, Slancing up
quickly.
"That's her name-Vera Mariana. All,
my dear, I've got heap to tell you about
her! By the way" he said. laughing,
'people here, | suppose, think you know
more about Mariana than any one else
Well, you do look little like her
that's what first made me look at her.
But want you TO know her; I'm certain
you'd take to each other. She's the dear
est woman in the world. and as gener-
ous and good as she is lovely"
"Good?' repeated Beatrix, whose face
during this speech had run through
gamut of expressions and now rested in
bewilderlnent.
"Good! l should think 3d. Do you
imagine I'd want you TO know her if she
wasn't everything a lady should be, and
great deal more? You ought to have
heard the way sailed into poor old dad
jnst now for calling her names, guess