Evening star., 1899-12-02

WnIle went INSIDE Tor MISS BfanuOn. AS
l entered the house clock struck two clat-
tering strokes. And to think" / exclaimed
absently, that l dned with Flo last night
at g.
The statement bore in upon me no i'm
preston of the truth after L had made ii.
but it startled Miss Brandon to hear me
talking to myself. so told her had asked
If she was feeling any stronger 1t seemed
human to retain her confidence in my
ity my own faith in it was SO badly shaken.
And now you're off," cried Mrs Brown,
joyfully, a few minutes later. az | cracked
the whip over the back of Cousin Johns
nag.
And, as matter of fact, we were off even
as she said 1.-THE horse off the road, strad-
ding about with its foot through an ash
barrel. and l off the seat. with my tobog
gan cap off my head and filed to the brfm
with snow.
Both women screamed of course. l
picked myself up seized the horse by the
bit, forced him to kick himself loose from
the barrel, and then we really were on,
with but one more brief delay. while l
pressed into the half-froZen fingers of Mrs.
Brown a third bill, sufficiently large to
cover the loss of our outfit should it never
return to her.
Mrs. Brown had assured US that for sew
eral miles the road could be travelled blind
folded. You see, you got clean off the
trail. tumblin' down that canyon" she had
explained, irritabiy, AN have got to feel
your way back to the main travelled path.
But just go slow. an give the critter the
lines, an you can't run into nothin' else"
And as it was perfectly black overhead,
and not much better under foot and the
lines must inevitably burst under the slight
est pressure. there seemed nothing for it
but to put our united fates into the keeping
of the animals instincts.
Covering and shrinking, l silently whip
ped my chilled fingers and stamped on my
hardening toes, knowing all the time that
l ought to be one of the most wretched
creatures living, yet conscious of sneak
ing delight i'll my false position, rascaliy
plaa when the soft sleeve next
brushed my icy hand, which had nothing
to do with my physica, comfort in touching
something warm. / think that l would have
bt en- content to drive on that way all night,
not speaking at all but sitting there half
frozen and wholly irrational, dreaming
foolish dreams. But suddenly down went
the curtain with crash upon perfulned
knight and smiling lady, and up it rose on
ne, the married man, the trusty doctor.
OH my companion burst out suddenly,
turning her face toward me, though in that
Eight | could see nothing of it but white
bur, II am sure no father could have been
kinder to me than you have been tonight,
and that too, without knowing my story.
Why don't you ask me about myself?'
Swallowing the father like quinine
which has stuck in the throat, | suggested
family that there had been no time, but
no sooner did my voice break the silence
tEan she stopped me with nervous start.
Il wonder why | don't like to talk with
you SO well in the dark" she said uneasiiy.
Il haven't seen your poor face really, it's
been done up so: but somehow when | can't
see your bandages you seem so different.
Your voice is sol don't know what you'd
call it, but it seems so changed
I'm getting a cold in my head" l said
firmly. l could not bear the sudden trem-
bling in her voice
She should not fear me if I had to go
down to the grave and live there in her
memory old fellow with full-grown
gir,s dependent on him. ooh. lis that it?
How funny she exclaimed with a relieved
laugh. But now [ going to tell you
all about myself" and she settled down
for narrative with delightful little futter
which brought her warm garments brush
ing against my chilled limbs like some
thing living.
Just as you think best I murmured,
though l felt morally certain that if she
should confess that the whole escapade
was planned in fit of rage because the
proper kind of stuff for an evening gown
had been denied her / should swear she
was justified
You see she began with a little sigh.
1t all came about through that horrid
will of DaDa's.''
OH l said vacantly.
Yes, she went on with relish, land don't
you think wills are nearly always horrid?
They re made, you know, mostly when peo-
pie are sick and not quite right in their
heads, and then how is any one to be ar
gued with after he is dead and gone? Oh,
head severely.
They certainly do stir up great deal
of 1-l-feeiing," L stammered, seeing that
she expected me to say something
And papa was so awfullv good and all
mat, that he couldn't be got to see that
others weren't all like him." she went on
hutrledly. SO, when his heart got to act
ing so queer, he just made his Will leaving
me and my property all in uncle's hands,
tor mamma had been dead ever so long
and then he died that night and it's ali
gone wrong ever since, ard l presume I've
had about as dry a time of it as almost
anybody You can think #
Dry! l exclaimed: it was really the
hrst word that had caught my attention I
gave the will less than no thought at ALL
What had ranch or two, mere or less, to
do with such eyes as hers?
Yes, dry she repe ated. firmly, "for, YOU
see there was another funny thing about
this will that | haven't mentioned vet and
that's the reason L came to be brought up
in convent
In convent" repeated, feebly
Yes, in a convent" she said ira agically,
taking my horror for granted. "Perfectly
horrid, wasn't it? But of course as | was
to marry whom | pleased that was about
the only safe place for them to put me- l
wouldn't be likely to want to marry
priest, now would | ?"
Il should rather think not.' I exclaimed,
with unnecessary energy, completely
reused. What do you mean by marrying
any you pleased? l don't in the least
understand you"
Il think, myself, that that is tho funny
part Of It," she cried. amiably evidently
pleaSed with my growing interest, "and
don't wonder you are surprised but, you
see, papa had had such a dreadful time of
1t getting mamma-something or ether was
the matter with some land that belonged to
their grandfathers-that ii had given him a
hobby about people being crossed in love
ana that's how it came about that he put
such queer thing in his will.
Il was to marry whom / pleased, and If
| did marry, L was to have my property
and use 1t as [ pleased; but If [ didn't
marry, Uncle Hobart was to take care of
me, and all my money, until / was twenty
one, and that's going to be next week.
Next week; 50 soon!'' I cried in surprise
for the wonder of her flight, when escape
was so near, almost formed itself into
words upon my lips
Soon, soon"' she cried. and now with
real anger in her voice. though not, l
felt, against me. 1T may seem soon to
you, but it will be just six days too late
and then all my years of horrid old dresses
in the convent, no parties, nor jewels. nor
anything nice, will be for nothing for I
must either marry Cousin Harold at the
end of this week. or Uncle Rupert will sell
my mines before l can come of age and
then deny l ever had any, or will
claim that they are the ones that turned
out badly, though they weren't mine ut
all, but his. Yes, she cried, defiantly
facing me. 81 don't deny that 1 have lis
tened at key holes. and pried into letters