Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-04-05
CHAPTER X-(Continued.)

CHAPTER X-(Continued)
$50 be it." says he, with an assumption
,f relief that is very well done. After
all. have worried myself, l dare say,
very unnecessarily. Let lis talk of some
hing else Miss Maliphant, for example,
with little glance at her. and pleasa mt
gmile. Nice girl, eh? l miss her"
"She went early this morning, did sheT
rays Joyce. scarcely knowing what to say.
Her lips feel a little dry; an agonized GER
sainty that she is slowly growing crimson
beneath his steady gaze brings the tears
to her eyes.
TOO early. I quite hoped to be up to
zee her off, but sleep had made its own of
me and / failed to wake. Such a good,
genuine girl! Universal favorite, don't
you think? Very honest. and very
breakin. into an apparently irrepressibie
laugh, ugly! All, we'll! now" with smil-
Ing self-condemnation. that's really a Lit.
tie too bad, isn't it?'
"A great deal too bad" says Joyce,
Eravely. II shouldn't speak of her so if
were your
But why, my dear girlT' with arched
brows, and little gesture of his hand
some hands. II allow her everything but
beauty. and surely it would be hypocrisy
10 mention that in tie same breath with
her"
1T isn't fair-it isn't sincere" says the
girl, almost passionately. do you think
I am ignorant of everything, that l did
not see you with her last night in the gar
den? Ohr' with touch of scorn that is
yet full of pain, you should not. You
should not, indeedr'
In an instant he grows confused. Some
thing in the lovely horror of her eyes ur'
does him. Only for an instant-after tha,
he turns the momentary confusion to good
account.
"Ah! you did see her, then, poor girlv
says he. We'll, I'm sorry about that fol
her sake"
why for her sakeg' still regarding him
with that charming disdain. For youl
own. perhaps, but why for hers?"
Beauclerk pauses; then rising suddenly
stands before her. Grief and gentle in
dignation sit upon his massive brow. HI
looks the very incarnation Of injured recti
tude.
do you know, Joyce, you have always
been ready to condemn, to misjudge me.
says he, in low, hurt tone. Il have of
ten noticed it, yet have failed to Under
| told myself last night and this mornini
that you were harboring unkindl,
thoughts toward me. You have not bee,
open with me, you have been wilfully Sc
cretive, and. believe me, that is a mistake
Candor, complete and perfect, is the onl!
great virtue that will steer one clea
through all the shoals and rocks of life
Be honest, above board, and, can assure
Fou, you will never regret it You accused
me just now of insincerity. Have yol
been sincereT
There is dead pause. He allows it Il
last long enough to make 1t dramatic ant
to convince himself he has impressed her
and then, with a very percepdble increas'
Of dignified pain in his voice, he goes on:
"I feel ought not to explain under thu
circumstances, but as it is to you'-heav.
emphasis, and second affected silence
"You have heard, perhaps. Of Miss Mall
plants cousin in India 2"
NO" says Joyce, after racking he
brain in vain for some memory Of thu
cousin in question. And, indeed, it woult
have been nothing short of a miracle i
she could have remembered anything
about that apochryphal person.
You will understand that l speak Il
you in the strictest confidence" say
Beauclerk, earnestly; II wouldn't for any
thing you could offer me, that 1t shoult
get back to that poor girls ears that
had been discussing her, and the mos
sacred feelings of her heart. Well, there
Is a cousin, and she-you may have no
hced that she and I were great friends?
Yes" says Joyce, whose heart is beat
ing now to suffocation. Oh! has she
wronged him? Is this vile, suspicion.
feeling within her one to be encouraged
is all this story of his, this simple ex
planation-false-false?
Il was, indeed, a sort of confidant Of
hers. Poor dear girl! it was a relief t.
her to talk to somebody"
There were Others"
But none here who knew him."
You knew him then? Is his name
Maliphant, too?" asks Joyce, ashamed Of
her cross-examination, yet driven to it by
some power beyond her control.
You mustn't ask me that" says Beau
clerk, playfully. There are some thing.
must keep even from you. Though yor
see | go very far to satisfy your unjus,
suspicious of me. You can, however. CUES:
good deal; you-saw her crying"
''She was not crying" says Joyce
slowly, little puzzled. Miss Maliphant
well pleased.
No! Not when you saw her? All! thai
must have been later then" with sigh
you see now l am betraying more thar
l should. However, 1 can depend upor
your silence. 1t will be small secret be
tween you and me-"
And Miss Maliphant," says Joyce, cold
ly. As for me, what is the secretT
You haven't understood? Not really
We'll, between you and me and the wall,
with delightful gayety, II think she give,
thought or two to that cousin. fancy.
whispering, "she is even inch? yor
know"
i don't" says Joyce, slowly, who i,
now longing to believe in him, and yet i.
he'd steadily backward by some strong
feeling
= u belieYe she is in love with him." say.
osaucerk. still in a mysterious whisper.
l shall say nothing, Of course" says
uoEce Why should I? 1t is nothing to
me: though I am sorry for her."
et as she says this doubt arises in heI
aiihd as to whether she need be sorry. II
suf suvfe cousin in India? Could that big
1Onf HVely girl. Who had come into the
c9nsefEatory with Beanclerk last night
WIN the light Of triumph in her eyes, be