The record-union., 1899-08-27


Miss Leven had been crying. But
she answered, without shadow of UNI
BRACE You know. Alice, that YOU can
always speak for me-"
Yes, our minds are quite Siamese in
that respect, are not they?" Miss Var
ney rejoined, laughing. You look cold,
Kitty. Come and get warm. 1 was
just telling Lucy how awfully pretty
you used to be-
There was a caress in her voice.
And 1 told Miss Varney that 1 could
see that for myself said the child,
with astounding duplicity. Butt am
so puzzled about him.
"How so?" asked both the widows at
once.
blind?''
Miss varney persisted in taking an
entirely humorous view of it all. "Ah,
you see she said. 'he had great deal
of choice. There were so many other
pretty and funny women in the world!
But Kitty and | are quite content with
what fate was good enough to fnete out
to us. One cannot have everything,
and there is no bitterness
Except the bitterness of DEATH Miss
I0E0u unexpectedly put IN, ana MISS
Varney stared at her.
And that is easier to bear in con-
cert, isn't it, Kitty?' she resumed, with
persistent cheerfulness. Good night,
dear little Lucy. Kitty looks tired.
Don't go and tell all D about the
two silly old women, but come and see
us again Soon."
Lucy Gray kissed them both, her
maid was summoned, she put on her
wraps and walked home. She thought
a good deal of what she heard, and the
sum of her reflections and her sympa-
thy for Miss Varney and Miss Leven
came to this-that their theory of life,
poetical as it was. was hardly satis-
factory. They are two dear, strange,
sweet women she thought to herself,
really and truly eccentric, I suppose;
but, as far as / am concerned, / shall
hope to have a whole man to myself
some day 1 am worldly I fear.
She took to thinking earnestly of the
man she was just beginning to care
for, and who had seemed lately as if
he were going to care for her. and de-
cided that nothing would induce her,
even if it never came off, to share
even his memory with another woman.
She was not called upon to do so In
a very few days her fate was decided.
and so imperious was the will of the
man who adored her. and wished to
have her all to himself, that the girl
of Is was married to him out of hand,
and taken away without even being
given time to communicate the news to
her two old friends in person.
Two distinct wedding presents-one
from Miss Varney and the other from
Miss Leven-folloWed her abroad, and
she was for the moment far too happy
and absorbed in her happiness to notice
that Miss Varney's letter was dated
from London, while Miss Levens gift
bore the postmark of a town in the
north of England When, later on, she
went back to her old home on a visit
| to her mother, she was told that the
interesting nenage of the little house
on the D road had been broken up,
and that the two ladies now lived
apart.
1t was not until long after, when she
had sought out and seen both Miss Le-
ven and. Miss Varney separately, that
she learned why, and that I'VE did not
quarrel, dear, but circumstances made
it impossible that we should live to-
gether any more"
Among other ''Siamese habits of the
two-to use Miss Varney's own fond,
foolish phrase-waS this one: They
carried each an absolutely duplicate
bunch of keys. These keys were OBJ
jects of beauty, chased and silvered,
and depending from silver chatelaines
of antique workmanship. On the night
that Lucy Gray left them the two ladies
sat a while in front of the fire before
retiring to their rooms for the night,
and Miss Varney's keys lay in her lap,
! catching the warm rays of the dying
! freight in their many faces.
How pretty gold light is on silver'"
she said, letting the keys play idly
through her fingers. They want re-
| dipping, though, 1 think"
80 do mine,' said the other, begin"
ming to handle hers. Let us have
them done. Shall send mine, or will
you?"
1T doesn't matter which," Miss Var
ney said. She began to pick up the keys
and tell them one by one "The book
case, the linen press, the storeroom, the
bureau-I can't remember what this key
|
| The face of the woman sitting oppo-
site to her suddenly became blanched
and gray with fear.
Alice she said, helplessly 1t was
| Miss Varney's Christian name.
well, Alice.' said the other woman
| impatiently, staring at her. Are you
not well, Kitty?'
NO. only am afraid that you have
somehow or other got hold of my
bunch" Miss Leven said, in far away
kind of voice.
We'll, and if I have? There is no
difference"
There is key on my bunch-an ex-
ira key
IAN extra key! I don't understand
you, or your agitation, Kitty
mo, dear. 1t is the key of little
desk that I have
II see," said the fiery Miss Varney.
| 'sYou have a secret, Kitty. Say no
more.'
She turned proud srofile to Miss
Leven, and put her hand on her heart
Dearest Alice, don't please take it
so seriously. 1t is nothing-no secret
merely the key of a little old desk of
| my mothers where I keep a few pa
pers'
Naturally. Papers that you do not
care to have me see!'' Miss Varney re-
Piled haughtily. There is no more to
be said. I should like the subject
dropped if you do not mind.'' She was
quivering all over.
"But can we go on living together?"