Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-08-22

rouId conveniently spare from her three
'dolized boys was bestowed on him.
There Is no use in postponing the Wis
It., she declared for the tenth time. "lt
looks 80 extremely odd: it looks as if you
did not want to carry out the engage
ment."
Neither I do" muttercd her brother.
You don't know when you are well
OFF, said Annie. with decision. Its not
one young man in a thousand who has
your opportunities. A pretty girl and q
large fortune for the mere picking up.
You would be mad not to go to Barons-
ford, at least to see her. Time is get
ting on"
In the end her eloquent counsels pre-
vailed. and Miles sat down and wrote off
letter announcing his arrival for the
following day. "Strike while the iron
is hot" was Mrs. Curzou's maxim. The
resources Of Barousford were large. its
hospitality in old davs famous. 80 he
S aited Tor no reply. but turning his back
upon the attractions Of Folkestone, set
forth for Thornshire the next afternoon.
In three hours time he found himself on
the platform at Byford station, about
four miles from BarOnsford: and leaving
his portmanteau to follow. set out across
The fields, thinking be would make the
Did short cut and meet with familiar stiles
and pathways. But ten years had work
ed a change. He rambled about and lost
his way, and nearly an hour and a half
elapsed before the big red chimneys of
the house he sought were to be seen shyly
peepipg through the surrounding trees.
As he approached the gate all his
dreamy specu'ations and nervous fore
bodings vanished; his mind was galvan-
lied to sudden alertness as he noticed for
the first time the figure of a tall girl in
white standing on the drive beyond the
rees in the full light of the harvest moon.
She was young and slender, as well as
he could judge. Her head was bent for
ward in an attitude of listening and her
whole pose denoted eager expectation.
She was, without doubt. waiting for
somebody. Waiting for him? Impossi
BILE! The instant she heard his footsteps
and caught an outline of his figure, she
made a quick gesture of welcome. aud.
gathering up her dress, with one sudden
swoop came flying down to meet him
with the swiftness of a white sQuall.
He could now hear her running toward
him in the dark-for it was dark-her
hasty, high-heeled shoes spattering rap
idly over the gravel. Nearer, nearer,
| nearer they came. His heart beat fast
| sr even than when in dense and distant
Indian jungles be had heard the stealthy
tread of tiger creeping through the un-
1erwOOd and approaching the tree in
| which he was posted. She was at the
gate even sooner than he was. She had
| dashed it open with hurried hands, and
| almost before he could realize the fact,
her arms were round his neck.
He drew his head back with a jerk.
while she breathlessly exclaimed:
Il can hardly believe it! I've been
waiting for you for ages, and now you
lave really come. 1t seems too good to
| be true. But how funny and dignihed
you are. Let me have look at you,"
she painted, taking him by the arm and
iragging him toward the light.
To say that he was astOnished at this
reception but feebly conveys his feelings
The first shock over, and having success
| fully eluded her proffered kiss, his next
thought was his unhappy collar.
However, he yielded amiably enough to
her Establishments, and suffered himself
to be almost hauled into the full, search
ing white moonlight to be inspected.
As its first chaste CLEANS fell upon him,
his companion stopped, as IL she had been
shot, gazed into his face with an express
sion of agonized incredulity, dropped bis
arm with a kind of smothered exclama
tion, and fed up the avenue like an arrow
from q bow. He stared after her speed
ing figure in speeches. amazement till
she disappeared into the shrubbery and
vanished like the Maid Of the Mist. The
whole adventure had been SO sudden, and
had passed SO quickly. that it seemed Q
kind of dream. 1t could not be a ghost i
Another White Lady Of AveneiY But no;
that hug was certainly human.
There Is no use in my standing here
and staring like a stuck pig" he said to
| himself at last, having somewhat recov.
cred his mental equilibrium; 81 may as
well be moving on. and ten to one III
find the key to this riddle. It's certainly
| some girl who has mistaken me for her
lover; She was a lady by her voice. and
young. decidedly. BY Jove! she can run
bit. May De It's Miss Augusta; there
| are only two Of them"
Supposing 1t had been his young lady.
But, strange to say, this notion did not
please him at all; and, turning over this
very disagreeable idea in his own mind
| he reached the hall door. He was soon
! ushered into the drawing room, just five
| minutes before dinner-time, where he
|
evening, awaiting the gong, with her
hands lying idly in her lap. and an air Of
pleasant anticipation pervading her aqui-
| line features. Eight O'Clock was her ia
| vorite hour in all the twenty-four. Flo
| rian was lounging in a deep armchair,
| absorbed in yellow paper-backed French
| novel. Few aud evil were the books that
he read. Gussie was fitting about the
| nd
magazines. so it was not Gussie." OBJ
served the new arrival to himself, when
| ne had once more made acquaintance
with his Cousin Augusta. with her saucy
| black eyes and bewitching smiles.
This is quite an unexpected pleas
| ure." said Mrs. Brabazon. assuming her
very best company manners. 81 think It
| very nice of you, taking us unawares like
this, without any formality."
| "Unawares?" he echoed: did you not
| get my letter."
"Your letter will probably arrive here
| the day after tomorrow" said Florian
sarcastically. Don't you know that We
| live in the back woods here, and have no
second post? What did you put ON the
envelope? ByfordT'
YES"
Then that means that 1t stops in BY
ford postof1ce for twelve hours"
"You seem to be progressing since
was here last" said Miles, with a laugh.
glancing surreptitiously around In search
of another figure.
"Gussie, my DEAR" said Mrs. Braba-
zan, Interpreting the pause. with her
usual alertness Of understanding. "go and
tell Nokes to see about Q room at once.
and Brown 70 lay another plate. ana