The Republican journal., 1901-09-19
thing of business; then she read it with

Archlo.
| They all started. Surprise had driven
away all the wistful WEAKNESS of her
manner; her eyes were shining, her
cheeks were red.
and who is ARCHER" asked Joseph
quickly.
| my cousin-my soldier cousin" said
| Bess. "He has got leave-he is coming
home-he has landedn'
! Mrs. Cox looked at her thoughtfully.
''Let me see," she said. Ibid meet
him at -wedding?"
| NO." answered Bess, a bright scar
let frightening the young eagerness in
! her face. HE sailed for India that
morning."
"Oh"
1--WE were brought up together, you
know" said she, turning to Dalcarres-
the only one who had asked nothing
''and l haven't seen him since. Pol
| ly-"
| Mrs. Cox was attentive.
you must stay with me while he is
! here, to-tO-"
,.o ITO play propriety," said Mrs. Cox.
Il shall be charmed" said Joseph,
calmly adding himself to the invitation
| There was a certain breathleSSnesS in
both their voices.
| John Gordon said goodnight soon,
his horse was brought round, and he
galloped away in the dark. Bess had
thanked him for coming in neighbor-
ly fashion to cheer them up, but her
eyes were still dazzled with that sur
prise.
| Joseph, having politely seen him to
door, returned to find that the other
two had retired. He was about to take
| up his own candle when he heard a
rustic of skirts above-MrS Cox forag-
ing for novel to read in bed She
paused on the stairs and then, believ-
| ing the coast clear, ventured "Oh!"
| She halted, caught IN her thick red
dressing gown, with her hair pinched up
in pins all around her head,-and the
rest left behind her,-ard she glared at
Joseph as one might at a serpent.
81 am exceedingly glad to see you"
he said. There was new civility in
his tone, or else horrid sarcasm. 1t
arrested her in her flight.
''Why," she asked
Because I think the time has come
for us to form an alliance
She looked at him sharply, and then,
suddenly, she sat down. They exchang-
ed glances of intelligence, in their eyes
an odd mixture of triumph and appre
henSion.
1--WE both know the terms,'' said
Joseph, 'of our late uncles will
Everything to his widow" answered
Mrs. Cox, promptly. until she mar
ried."
COR if she died." said Joseph, 'it
would go to the next of kim
looking guilty around.
He laughed sardonically.
Il was not suggesting that she should
die" he said. II only suggest she
should marry. By the terms of our
uncles will, if she marries again she
is to lose everything-and the money is
to come to an individual named in a
sealed envelope in the hand of the law
yers. Polly'-he paused meaningly-
''do you remember how the lawyer
looked in our direction when he came
to that? That individual must be either
you or |. He seemed to suspect as
much"
She nodded.
81 know that We were his only liv-
ing relations, and Ii remember a
speech he made to me, just before he
died.
81 remember something he said to
me; it was as good as promise"
Here there was brief revival of
greed and rivalry in their glance.
eve will sink that" said Joseph, re-
covering himself. Say that our pros
poets are equal; hadn't we better
all go ShareS?"
what do you mean" asked Mrs.
Cox SuspiciouSly. Had she not often
paused in her schemes, struck with
horror lest she might be contriving his
victory after all? She was sure-quite
sure-that hers was the hidden name:
but it might happen to be his
''Supposing we married" said Joseph.
at would not signify which of us was
the lucky person.
1t was an audacious proposal. Never
theless it was plain they could fight
better side by side, unhampered by a
passionate endeavor to thWart each
other.
Mrs. Cox thought an instant. Her
broad face, trimmed with its hard ring
of friZZing pins, might be unbeautiful;
but it was busineSslike.
Perhaps" she said
Then they plunged keenly into bust
ness.
What about Dalcarres?:" inquired
Joseph. docs he know"
Mrs. Cox's laugh was quick and shrill
81 only wish he didn't. Trust him."
she said. "He was shooting bears some
where when the gossip was about; but
| could guess the very month he went
to Edinburg and asked the lawyers
Joseph dropped his voice at the next
possibility.
"How about this Archie?"
Give heard of him. said Mrs. Cox.
Head over ears in love with her six
years ago. But they made her marry
the general--a sinful e"'-feeling-
ly. "He is headlong soldier, reckless,
imprudent; he will not care if she has
not penny
81 hope SO, said Joseph. "Are we
engaged"
"1t's fine place." said Archie; "a
fine place. Why, Bess, you're landed
lady"'
''You are changed" she said.
Tougher? Tanned? My dear girl
remember it's years and years
They ran up the steps hand in-hand-
girl and boy, as they made believe-and
all unaware of two watching them from
an unobtrusive outlook.
'You are not changed" said Archie
He was regarding her tenderly, as be-
came him after that long parting He
i