The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-06

Marcir surveyed him with scornful
eyes.
"Why not be reasonable? Make her
your niece" she,suggested. bitterly.
"Niece?" He seemed TO turn the
question over in an open mind.
"That would be possible, anyhow.
Somebody migfS believe that-people
who didn't know as much about it as 1
do"
"ButI've no married sister, or brother
either. That makes il difficult"
"Oh, you could invent one. That
would be nothing to you"
Noel FORESTER assnmed a candid and
appealing smile.
"Tll do anything TO please you, Mrs.
Netthton," said he. "She shall be a
niece. IL you wish it. j agree that a
granddaughter lacks probability. But,
excuse me, would il suit you as well IL
made her my sister? For family rea-
sons IL would be more convenient to me
to have her sister"
"Oh, IL you like" said Marcia. 'But
there's little difficulty about the
names, isn't there?" She looked at
him in malicious triumph. He he'd for
gotten the names!
"Ab0ut the names? don't quite un-
derstand," he murmured. apologetical-
ly.
brothers and sisters generally have
the same surnalnes. You don't mean a
balf-sister?"
"Oh, no; my own sister, please. No
body eyer heard of my having a half
sister"
Really. you're little dense. You
see her name is Vincent and yours is
Forester"
A sudden light seemed 10 break in on
Noel Forester. He advanced step
nearer to Marcia, then after a little
pause he asked:
You're quite sure about the personal
grudge? You remember what you said
about it?"
81 really have nothing but pity for
you. But as for her"
That's all right; never mind her.
Well, YOU see--lo look a lit Ie more gen.
tie, Mrs. Nettleton, or 1 can't go on, 1
can't, indeed!"
I'm ready to listcn," Marcia declared.
"You see---in fact, when L inherited
Mere Park, took the name of For
roster. But Celeste kept her own
name" He looked rather as though he
him.
"Then you mean to say-?" cried
Marcia.
II mean to confess that she's my sis
ter, Mrs. Nettleton. i never said she
wasn't, you know. AS for Mrs. For
rcster, whom you were SO kind as TO ask
for, the maid thought you must mean
my mother, Mrs. Vincent. She's un-
happily an invalid, and hasn't been able
TO take Celeste about, SO she's not very
well known. I'm sure 1 hope you will
make her acquaintance, though"
Marcia had fallen into chair and was
regarding him with n helpless stare.
Was il true? Then calamity was avert
cd. But at what cost? How had they
dared To make such fool OF her? Noel
came TO the hearth-rug and stood look
Ing down at her.
Fred and Celeste are downstairs" he
observed. Fred brought us here.
Shall l ask them To come up? Fred
knows all about il now, you know"
Marcia made no answer. Presently,
however. she looked up and asked:
"Was il because / said Fred was my
husbapdP"
THAT put II into my head" He drew
up chair and sat down by her. Marcia
did not attempt TO avoid this proximity.
and then you were 80 gloriously sus-
picious," he went on. with a smile OF
"reminiscences. The blue room sug-
gcsted such terrible things to you.
didn't IL? Now, do you think you'd
have believed me IL I'd said Miss Vim
cent was my sister? And then-well,
Celeste has always been fond of pri-
vate theatricals." He glanced at her
for moment. "And then" he said;
but here he paused.
"Wcll, what then ?" asked Marcia.
He turned and looked her full in the
face. Che was flushed and she frowned,
but Il seemed 20 him that the line OF her
lips was not so set and rigid as IL had
been hitherto. He.smiled just little, in