The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-09-23

ACVCA AuO" WAclucI Sic Is Scuu1uS VI
not; but, somehow, she has worked
havoc with so many hearts that can't
help feeling it must be her fault as well
as their misfortune. I didn't tell you
about it before because know you dis.
like Helen, and have lingering fond
ness for her in spite of the way she has
treated me. And didn't want to give
you fresh cause for abusing her."
II should certainly be sorry to have q
brother of mine entangled with Helen
Ambrose. What does Jack think OF
her?"
20, infatuated, of course, like every
man who sets eyes on that wonderful
face. He came home very badly under
the SPELL"
II am surprised at that. Youknow I
never could see anything so very: re.
markable in Helen. Besides, if anyone
could take care of himself in such cir.
cumstances. should have said that
person was your brother jack
II can't altogether agree with you
I admit that Jack is not susceptible, but
there isn't a doubt that Helen is des-
perately fascinating. AS Jack says
there is certain subtlety about her
that sets her apart from the ordinary
run of frank English girls. He com
plains that we are all so pitiably OBJ
vious. She is exactly the girl to at
tract him. Is that your new jacket?"
"Yes; how do you like it? Good fit,
isn't it?' said Muriel, with complais-
ance, and added, caustical1y, returning
to the subject of Helen: Its my opin-
ion she's so subtle that she deceives
herself as well as everybody else."
"Perhaps. Well, the idea is that Mrs.
Ambrose has some mysterious COM
plant, and has come up to town to see
a specialist. Jack is utilized to select
him, and to give advice about private
hospitals, nurses, and so FORTH"
"And who is to pay the doctors bill %
"Ah, that's the point. 1t will be rather
awkward for Jack if they do anything
shady. They seem to be living pretty
extravagantly, too. They've taken a
flat in Ashley Gardens, which is odd in
people supposed to be reduced to an in
come of 6 $50 year,
There was moments pause. Then
Grace began again, impressively: "Do
you know, Muriel, never had any &C.
tual reason for distrusting Helen, but
it's most curious fact that, when
Jack came back from Scotland full of
her. found that she had never even
told him she knew me nor mentioned
that she had been at the college,"
"And haven't you told him?"
mo. I thought would wait and see
what turn things were going to take"
Muriel sighed. Before the CONVEX
sation could be resumed thunder of
applause broke out, Lady Halle ap-
peared upon the platform, followed by
the rest of the quartette, and the con-
cert began.
Week by week watched the develop
ment of Jacks and Helen's story. Week
by week grew more puzzled. There
was some mystery about Helen Am
brose that was difficult to fathom. Mon
day nights eavesdropping became an
enthralling occupations; the "curtain
raiser' in weekly installments of duo
logue was anticipated by me as eagerly
as were the classic delights of the con-
certs to which it lent strange and ro-
mantle associations.
"Poor Jack!" exclaimed Grace one
evening a few weeks after the fore
going conversation had taken place.
HE is looking perfectly wretched."
"Have you told him yet that Helen
is the friend you used to stay with near
Peatburn?" asked Muriel.
mo; and she has never disclosed our
friendship, though, of course, she must
know that Jack is my brother
"She is extraordinary"
"When she ceased writing to me I
wondered whether she meant to drop
me entirely, as found she had dropped
all her other student friends one by
one. And now it is pretty clear that
that is her intention. She seems to have
given up all idea of the profession, too,
in spite of needing money so desperate
ly, as they must with all this expense.
Fancy, Jack has never heard her sing,
although he is continually at their fiat
didn't even know she had a voice"
"Really? What does it all. mean?"
ut makes me simply boil with indig-
nation to think of that girl, who three
years ago was the rising star among
singers, envied by every girl at the
college and idolized by every man
in the place, calmly chucking the
whole thing. With such career be-
fore her! Just think, not only that mar
velous voice, but such brilliance, too, in
other ways, and that irresistible, mag
netic personality"
''Well, you know, I never could feel
that"
$50 you say. But you never came di-
rectly under her influence"
'Tm glad to say l didn't. But I was
the only girl in the Students home of
whom that can be said. preferred not
to sell my soul to witch. I'm glad
you see through her at last. You and I
should never have become such friends
if Helen Ambrose had not retired from
the scene. I couldn't stand you when
you were always raving about her."
me rave! That was nothing. You
should hear Jack"
II hope he does it in less faulty Eng
lish than you do
"Oh, pray, dear, spare me the peda-
gogue. It's years since I left school.
Here comes the quartette. It's Schu-
bert's Death and the Maiden If you
have shred of soul left in your school,
mistress body you'll forget that you
ever gave a grammar lesson in your
life"
For my own part, since those days, I
never hear the sad, solemn melody that