The age-herald., 1900-05-06
..h Wrong RlOht6d..
 BY EVERARD RIDGELEY.

Niille am dDSenl
 'Yes, Horace, you may depend upon me; I will not go to the park with him or with any one else. Does that satisfy you, now?" And the last speaker looked up in the gentleman's face with smile whose exceeding sweetness had just that little touch of wilfulness which made it only the more attractive.
 They were standing by the piano, tho young lady and gentleman of whom I Write, and their whole attitude and eX- pression plainly indicated that some inti- mate relationship existed between them; and appearances were not at fault this time, for Cecilia Howard had been the be- trothed wife of Horace Nichols for the last three months.
 Cecilia Towards years lowered among their early twenties There was much that was sweet and lovely and of good report In her character. But Cecilia Howard had warm, quickly responsive heart, that most beautiful thing in woman. She was the only daughter of her widowed mother Who only escaped making an idol of her child and had been over-indugent with her; but Mrs Howard was a woman of good sense, and she had spared no pains or expense which her limited means all lowed in the education of her child Horace Nichols was the nephew of a bank president, who had adopted him into his own large family on the death of the poys parents and generously afforded him every advantage which he bestowed on his own half dozen boys. Horace was nat urally thoughtful and studious He had graduated at college, and because his un- cies penetration convinced him that he nad more force and capacity than any of ms own sons he had offered him lucra- tive and responsible position in the bank or which he was president Yes that answer more than satisfies ta1I to the question of his betrothed 'T am not exacting; I am quite satisfied that you snoulu go to the park. only not in company with this MT. Marshall. know, notwith- stahdlhg his gentlemanlilxe appearance and personal accomplishments that he is not man or sound moral principle-not a man or right heart or life And the one flower nave gathered to wear in my heart must not waste any of its sweetness or beauty on man like this onee
 Cecilia Howard looked up and hlushed q little betwixt her smiles, as what woman would not at such sweet fiattery? Then her thoughts touched something which troubled her
 what is it?' asked Horace Nicholls, reading her face.
 Oh I wish you weren't eoinp away, A week seems long time Horace and I shall be so lonely without you" The young man looked down on her be- lore he answered, with one of his rare sweet smiles, which it was evident from its mingled expression touched on many feelings; but the tenderness triumphed And whenever you feel lonely, darling remember that my heart answers to yours, Cecilia. The week looks very long to me | now"
 She thanked him with a smile, half shy, half fond, and altogether sweet It was very hard to leave her; Horace Nichols face bore witness to this as he looked at his watch.
 He drew Cecilia to him, and his last speech. solemn and tender. was scarcely audible: Goodbye, darling, and remember your pron,ise.''
 Three days had passed; the cold white flannel of winter had rolled thick over the earth. But on the fourth day the low, sullen clouds were swept away by the triumphant sunshine.
 "Everybody was out that day" so said Helen. the cousin of Cecilia Howard, pretty, kindly, frivolous girl she came in just before lunch. Cecilia, I've come for you," said the young lady, bestowing her cape and huff on one-half of the sofa and herself on the other, land I shan't have any denial. You're to go to the park with me this afternoon
 The day was certainly attractive, and three indoors had prepared Cecelia to relish a walk Then like most young ladies, she
  ment of skating, and would have entered eagerly into her cousins proposition, if it had not been for the remembrance of her promise to her betrothed. And this ylem> ory held her back.
 4'There is no use to urge me- Helen" she | said with quiet determination, and yet with a little lurking regret in her tones, which prevented her cousin from abandon 1 ing the matter. l cannot go out this after noon; I have good and sufficient reasons for it.''
 What are they, Cecelia2" l Cecelia hesitated a moment and then,
 thinking the best way was to meet her cousin in her own straightforward fashion, ] answered, quietly:
 q promised Horace that I wouldn't go to
 the Park while he was away"
 "I thought so.' There was a very faint
 curl of the lip which said vastly more than,
 with all her freedom of spech and manner, | Helen Eustis would have ventured on. | Dear me, I'm thankful I'm not engaged l young lady, if I should in consequence
 have to be shut up like nun in convent
 '"There goes the. lunch-bell. Say you'll come Come, now. Horace will not say a
 word, I'll wager a new pair of gloves.
 Shall you be always just so careful and
 obedient, my little cousin? What a model
 wife you will make!' The speaker had | come over to her cousins side now, and
 was strolSing her hair, and her smile was
 very bright one, only 1t concealed sev- | eral things.
 Well, I'll go, beleve,' was the audi
 ble conclusion of Cecilias meditations, the
 burden of which was that if Horace was
 there he would certainly approve of her
 doing so; and yet it was singular that she
 had to repeat this so many times to her self in order to satisfy her own mind.
 '"Theres a darling" and Helen kissed
 her cousin, and there was a flash of tri-
 umph in her eyes.
 Great was the surprise and consterna-
 tion of Cecilia Howard when, three-quar-
 ters of an hour later she entered the par
 Tor of her cousins residence, and Mr. Mar
 shall rose up from the sofa, with couple
 of his most graceful bows to the ladies.
 Helens surprise was well acted. 'Is it
 possible, MT. Marshall? Who expected to l find you here, and to what or whom are | we indebted for the peasure?"
 ''We are to have the pleasure of your
 company, Miss Howard?" said George
 Marshall, as she restored Cecilia the hand
 kerchief which had fallen from her hand | to the floor.
 TT haven't quite decided" rejoined Cecilia, as she received the handkerchief.