The record-union., 1898-04-12

though from the dim background of the
past figure separated itself from
crowd OF shadows and became clothed
With the live tints Of flesh and blood.
For moment he lost count of time
1t was his sister-the sister Of his
youth, the sister he had loved, then
neglected and forgotten-who was un-
del going insult and humiliation and
4. inyoluntarily he held out protective
arms. Then memory came back TO him
and he realized the truth. Not her, but
her child, the little girl he remembered
TO have held once on his knee. He
could recall the touch of that brown
hair against his cheek. And as he
saw her now in her distress he was
shaken with passion of anger and pity.
lie would discover himself to the two
women and claim her-she was his
and carry her off from all this wret-
che0ness. And he took a step forward.
Blinded by his emotion he had for Il
moment lost sight OF his ambitions
but only for the moment. The slight
noise produced by his movement among
the bushes caused the Countess to turn
her head in his direction, and he
shrank back, appalled, by a sudden fear
Of detection. There flashed before his
imagination that woman's look of dis
dain at the revelation of his connection
with d semi-nursemaid his lost pres
tige among the rest of the party, ell
the uncomfortable consequences of a
family reconciliation. His arms drop
ped at his sides, and he crept back to
his seat opposite the white lilac; but,
for him, all the beauty had faded from
the April day. He could hear the rustic
of the Countess dress across the grass
as she went to take her place at tn"
tea table on the terrace, and the quick
step Of the nursery governess hurrying
back to her neglected duties till such
time as she was free to go and cry he;'
heart out in the solitude of her attic.
The habit of long years had been too
strong for him; he had let the moment
20.
After all, he told himself, sitting
crouched up with misery on the garden
seat it was possible he was mistaken.
He had met before with extraordinary
cases of resemblance. Only, for his
peace of minds sake, he must never
hear her name He must leave the
place that eVening-as soon as possible.
He knew that letters would have ar
rived for him by the afternoon post. He
would pretend to find in these some
thing that would require his immediate
presence in town. Only to be gone! to
be gone. And he rose and hurried
back to the house at a feverish pace.
avoiding the terrace and reaching the
hall, where he expected to find his let
tppC bv ci6a entrance
A few minutes later he appeared
with an open letter in his hand, among
the party in front of the house, and
going up to his hostess, informed her.
with some incoherence, of the necessity
for his departure.
1T is too bad of you, Mr.. Homer
sham The punishment for such de-
sertiOn should be loss of afternoon tea.
But I'm a forgiving creature, and here
is some of my best brew. by way of
stirrup cup. I will send for the dog
cart You will just catch the 6:30.'
And the Countess handed him a cup
of tea with one of her most alluring
smiles. But her eyes rested curiously
on the gray, drawn face of the man
who tried, with dry lips, to give her
back an answering smile as, with a
shaking hand he took the cup from
her.-Katharine Sylvester in The
Sketch -