The Mena weekly star., 1897-08-11

| sarcasm. You are too goodl What Miss Campbell wants, since you inquire, is to keep her niece single as long as possible, because while she is with her as chaperon, protector, guardian whatever you call her position, she en- 1 joys all the advantages of Emmeline's wealth, and has n handsome salary al- lowed by her guardian. When Emme- | line marries she will no longer need her aunts services, and that lady will retire to her native country village and small income"
 | But why does not Miss Emmeline as sert herself?"
 | My dear fellow, you do not remem- Der her-that is very evident. She is the most gentle, timid little woman who was ever under the thumb of a stronger one. She has been brought up so strictly, has had the habit of un- questioning obedience so drilled into her, that she will never rebel against authority. When l am near her, my will is the one to which she submits. | When 1 am away she is her aunts slave. But she will be of age in Oc- tober, and then she has promised to marry me-"
 Unless her aunt makes her marry some one else in the mean timer"
 I'm not afraid of that. My little girl loves me"
 There was a moment of silence, and then George, with terrific yawn, pro- posed drive, and the two gentlemen sauntered off to the stable. As they left the house the portiere between the library and parlor was lifted and a lady, or rather girl, of about 19, went hurriedly to the waste-paper basket, took out the crushed letter and sped up- stairs to her own room.
 Sol" she said to herself, as she fas- tened the door and sank into an arm chair. Sol he is engaged to Elm incline Campbelll That is why he has no eyes or ears for anyone elsei Elm incline Campbell! Why, she is not even pretty! A little tame milk-and-water babyl"
 It was very certain that such de- scription could never be used in de- scribing her own charms. Stella Marshall, at 10, was as superb speci- men of brunette beauty as could have been found, even in Spain. Motherless from infancy, she had been the spoiled darling of her father and brother George, and had grown up imperious as she was beautiful. with a will of iron that had but seldom been crossed. Convinced of the power of her beauty at an early age by the fatteries of serv- l ov,1 Sh baH ing pupil in showy accomplishments. and could sing, dance. dress to perfec- ton, follow out any fashionable pur- suit, and already had reigned as a so- ciety belle through one season.
 With her fathers well-known wealth and position in society, added to her suitors, but none had won even a pass ing thought until Harry Spencer came to visit her brother.
 It was the good or ill fortune, 1 will not say which, of that gentleman to win hearts he had no desire to touch, by a beauty of the artistic type, manner the perfection of graceful courtesy and a rare combination of manliness and tenderness, perfectly irresistible.
 Without one disloyal thought of Elm incline, he had given to Stella Marshall the courteous attention her position as the sister of his host had seemed to demand, and in the daily intercourse of family life had neglected no oppor- unity to repay his friends hospitality by being agreeable to his hostess. Georges accident had drawn Harry and Stella into still closer intimacy, as they both ministered to his comfort and tried to make the time that he was kept prisoner in his room less tedious. And Stella Marshall, in the month that had preceded the day when, for the first time, she heard of Harry Spencer's s engagement, had given him her whole hearts devotion, loving him in the pas sionate, uncontrolled strength that was characteristic of her. In all her life nothing had crossed her will in mat ters of any importance. and she had not for one instant doubted that she was winning the same devotion she had given. 1t reused her to fury to hear the quiet tenderness of Harry Spencer's voice, as he spoke of his betrothed, to know that all the efforts she had made to win his love had fallen upon heart already filled by another.
 And to know that this other love, this girl who had won the young law yer, was Emmeline Campbell, who had never been considered beauty, who had been always her own inferior in IF.. .I