The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-03-25

her lips. with soft sigh OF happiness.
1t smelled Of vlolcts and was addressed
In a hand she recognized. ITO Her"
There was no mystery about It ut ali:
1t had fallen unperceived to the floor
when she had taken out the flowers,
kneeling on the hearth rug she broke
the SEMI The two OF three thin pages
were closely covered with writing. At
The end her daZed eyes saw Yours.
yours only. yours always. r. c." and
then she turned again sick and faint TO
the beginning. My own dear Madse."
So Nellie's fragile bubble OF bliss
was shattered: her dream had ended rs
suddenly as It began. Fool! fool!"
she cried. and wrung her hands In an
agony of shame. ~ might have known
there was some mistake. Poor silly fool
that l ami" She hid her hot face In the
chair cushions. How could she ever look
at any one again? 1t seemed to her
that the world would point its most
coHtcmptuous finger at such vanity and
simplicity. Madge's gay. mockIng laugh
rang prophetically in her ears. How
long she ltnelt there. forlorI, crushed,
she never knew. It seemed 10 her that
hours passed before knock at the
door brought her hastily TO her feet.
She smoothed her tumbled hair. and
looked about her DULY. who Is it,"
IT'S I, Madge. want to borrow your
old pink fan. May come in?"
"Onc moment-wait!" Nellie seized
the vioIets desperately. and hurried
them back into their nest OF tissue pa
per. Then she dropped in the note. and
tied on the cover with It's satin ribbon.
MadSe meanwhile keeping up Il merry
tapping on the panels OF the door, by
way OF accompaniment TO the tune she
was humming. When the handle turn
ed, In she rushed. radiant In pinlc and
silver. with Il wreath of roses In her
bright chestnut curis. At sight OF Mel
lie she started back; then her saucy
laughter rang out.
you dear old thing. you'll be the
death Of me! What does this mean?
Are you coming out all over, again?
Has mother seen her latest dcbutante
daughter"
Nellie tried to smile, but her lips
trembled. Madge saw that and Won
dcrcd. for her sisters feelings We're
hardened. and not easily hurt. Then
she changed her tone and went on serI-
ously.
You've turned out splendid butter
fly. Nell: there never was anything so
smart and becoming. Where's the fan?
o, smell ilowcrs,"
Conscious and embarrassed, the elder
girl held out the box. Willie brought
this to me by mistake. l was just going
to take II to you"
"To me? How do you know It's mine?
There r. no address,"
For once Ncllic's cheeks wore deep
or damask than her sisters as she an
swercd: willie said Mr.. Graham left
It."
Their eyes met. The bright blue ones
that had never seen anything but sun
shine In the world We're puzzled by the
dimncss OF the othcrg-hnd then MndgC
threw her arms lmpctGously round Nell
lies neck, Whispering. "Oh, ! am so
happy, nellie dear. acknowledgements
IL Robert Graham left Il, but what he
did mean 1t for me-" She quite forgot
the fan, and with final hug that
threatened TO wreck the eldest Miss
Hopkins dazzling toilet seized the box
and nuttcred away down the long corrl-
dor.
Late at night, when the last sounds of
rcvclry had died away and the great
house grew still, Nellie was broodInE
again over the IRE. too Wide awake TO
sleep with n tumut OF thoughts in her
heart. For the third time that day she
heard gentle tapping Mt her door. She
opened 1t. Little Buttons stood there
pale and tired. "Oh. Miss Nellc!" he
whispered. don't you want to keep
your valentine? I found II Just now IN
the library. 1t brought you luck. didn't
It? You looked like queen. and |
knew you we're the hapricst lady at the
ball"
He held out n handful OF vioicts, limp.
crushed and faded.
Good night. Miss Nellie"
Nellie walked back to her old place.
The faint, broken fragrance of tho flow
crs filled the air. She knew the dim re-
ccsscd window In the library where
Mudgc and Robert Graham had been