The suburban citizen., 1900-08-25

er brother, as, with a slight bow to
Barbara, he walked away, the hound
keeping close beside him.
Dinner is ready, Barbara" said
CASTOR, gaiiy, giving her his arm. my
mother sent me to bring you"
She allowed him to lead her down
stairs, to where a brilliant company
was gathered about the glittering
board, but Clifford did not join them.
And all through that hour, while
dainty jest and brilliant repartee went
around with the coffee in her heart Of
hearts Barbara was brooding over the
dark, stern features of the elder son,
whose name was never mentioned un-
der that roof without a conscious
shrinking
A month later Clifford Anstruthers
stlll fingered at the Hall. 1t would be
hard to say why he fingered. He was
treated with cold courtesy by the old
lord and avoided by his brother.
But one in the great house was loyal
to him, except the servants, who would
stake their lives on the young mans
honor, and the great yellow hound
Caesar, who would obey his slightest
word,
And Barbara? No one knew her
heart. She scarcely knew it herself.
She was half frightened at the strange
power which Clifford Anstruthers be-
gan to have over her She fought
wildly against it; flirted desperately
with this one and that one; treated the
young man with coldness, sometimes
with positive rudeness, and went on
dreaming Of him the more by night
and thinking Of hi the more by day.
Barbara was twenty years old, and
very proud. She had great visions of
her future magnlfcence; so, when a
tiny whisper in her heart said that this
was love she rejected the idea with in
dignant scOrn, and plunged the deeper
into all the gay revelry at the Hall.
And on the night of the grand New
Year ball, CASTOR, carrying her away
to the conservatory, asked her to be his
wife.
Barbara had been walt2ing; she was
dizzy and confused, and hardly knew
what he was saying until he fell down
on his knees before her, and raised
her hands to his lips.
Stop she cried, snatching her
hands away "What is this you ask of
me-to be your wife? Impossible!
Forgive me, CASTOR, if l have seemed
to encourage you, but indeed do not
love you as / must love the man who
becomes my husband"
CASTOR Anstruthers arose to his feet
with an unpleasant glitter in his eyes.
You are our guest, Miss Barbara"
he said; 1T is not for me to give my
opinion of your course of action. How
ever, as l find you so often before my
brothers picture in the gallery, and
find thls'-here he threw pencil
sketch Of CliRord's head, which he had
snatched from his breast, into her lap
-"and find this where it has dropped
from your portfolio, l conclude that
while amusing yourself by a Irritation
with me you have really been falling
in love with Clifford, who, unfortu-
nately''-Oh, the snocring voice!-"is
not in position to marry"
There was n hasty movement behind
the tall cactus to the left Of them, and,
as Barbara arose, pale and trembling
with Indignation, Clifford Anstruthers
stepped forth with blazing eyes and
clencned fist, as though he would strike
his brother down.
But as CASTOR covered and paled-
with a deprecating gesture before his
brother, the mans passion died out
suddenly, the clenched fist loosened,
and he motioned CASTOR away.
"There-go" he saiC, with cold scorn.
60" with a curl OF the lip; you have
nothing to fear"
With last imploring look at Clifford
which was not lost upon Barbara, Gas
ton left them alone together
Clifford possessed himself of the
sketch-the unlucky sketch which Bar
bara was so sure OF having hidden
safely away-and was regarding it
| grayely.
She made a movement to pass him.
but he was in her way and she was
angry with herself for flushing 50
hotly when he looked up.
He smiled at her tendorly, a smile
that brought back the old wonderful
beauty TO his dark face, and Barbara's s
heart leapcd TO her throat.
A fierce longing to believe in his in
nocence assailed her as che stood there
before him, his gaze holding hers,
while softened and saddened through
the dusk fragrance about them came
the strains Of music from the ball
| room.
Each one was sure in that one fate.
full moment Of the others love.
With a dry sob the girl pushed him
aside with her trembling hands and
swept by him. But when she reached
the door and looked back and saw him
standing with bowed head, she re-
turned to his side and touched his arm
timidly.