The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-25

| find 1t pleasant returned Hugh. "You
too are one OF Mrs. Thurston's summer
| household, l suppose?"
Yes" with a smile. you see. I am
| a distant relative of Mrs. Thurston's,
| then Miss Wayne Is my cousin. and
| exercises Kind OF cousinly guardian
| ship over me, which no doubt Is very
| necessary"
$50 YOU are Miss Wayne's consn'
do not remember hearing Mr.. Cram
| ston mention you. l did not expect
| to have the pleasure of meeting any
| ladies but Mrs. Thurston and Miss
| Wayne"
How unkind of Mr.. Cranston not to
| prepare you for this meeting. l had,
UP to date. regarded Mr. Cranston as
| one of my very best friends. but to ig-
more me so utterly looks like down
right, intentional neglect"
You have not given me the pleas-
rue of knowing your name" said
Hugh. both amused and pleased with
his pretty driver.
"Oh. I'm Wayne, too" she an
swered, laughingly. Ethel Estelle
Wayne variously nicknamed, as you
will observe later on
Two Ethel Waynes! Here was q
real surprise for Colewood. Why had
Cranston not mentioned that strange
fact to him? If the Ethel Wayne re-
ferred to in the will was only half as
animated and generally captivating as
the one by his side, Hugh thought it
might be an easy matter after all
to obey that condition which had so
vexed him.
Colewood received Il cordial well
come at Mrs. Thurston's pleasant
home. He found Miss Wayne to be a
tall. dignified girl of about twenty
three, with coal black hair and deep
gray eyes. She was as unlike her lit
tle merry hearted cousin as it was
possible to be. Yes. Hugh decided,
she was just such a woman as his ec-
centric aunt would be likely to select
as the wife of her heir.
In the weeks which followed
Hugh's arrival he saw a great deal of
of Miss Wayne. although much of her
time was divided between her taste
for literature and in demonstrating
against the innocent pranks of her
cOunsir.
1t did not require a long time for
the young man to realize that he
could never love Miss Wayne as the
man should love the girl whom he in
tends to marry. He made another i'm
portant discovery-that his life would
be a failure without the little cousin
to furnish daily sunshine and wifelt
cheer for his own home. He resolved
to let Miss Wayne have one-half of
his aunt's estates and the orphan
asylum the other.
Having so decided Hugh set out for
a stroll along the river. feeling more
manly for his resolve. He came sud-
denly upon little figure in white,
reading. in a little vney nook by the
river side.
Wait. Estellc," he called, for she
had started to run away. II shall
leave tomorrow. and I have some-
thing to say to you which you must
hear
I'D be sorry to have you leave us
with any burden on your mind" she
said.
1T is needless for me to tell you
why it was arranged for me to meee
Miss Wayne here he said. unheeding
her light words. You know, sup
pose
Some slight idea | believe" she
returned, lingering her book.
well. | may as we'll tell you that
the condition in my late aunt's will
can never be fulfilled
And why not"'
Because | love another passionate-
ly. oh. Estelle! Can, you not see how
tenderly. how ardently | love you?
Without you ! shall make a failure of
life. Won't you show mercy, IIs
telle""
"Oh. Hugh: Would you marry Il
poor girl when you have a chance to
win a dignified bride and retain those
princely estates?' she asked.
Yes darling. ! prefer you with love
in a cottage to the wealthiest woman
with all the estates in the world"
Rash statement, young man.
1T is true. Do not torture me long.
er. t,stele. Can you not love me a
little?"
NO. not little, but very much
He would have caught her to his
breast, but she eluded his arms, cry
ing:
"Oh. there's Uncle Cranston." and
she rushed forward to greet the little
lawyer, who had approached them un
seen.
"Ir is useless for me to ignore fact"
said Mr.. Cranston pleasantly. II did
not mean to overhcar your conversa-
ton, but I arrived unexpectedly, and
thought I'd hunt up my sprite here
and surprise her, | see YOU under
stand each other pretty clearly"
Yes, sin" said Hugh bravely. Il
have decided to enjoy love in cot
tage with this dear girl rather than
keep the estates with Miss Wayne"
fll
Sood.'
And Mr.. CranSton broke into
hearty laugh, in which the girl finally
Joined him.
"Wil you have the goodness to ex-
plain what amuses you so much in my
statement?" asked Hugh not a little
nettled.
Pardon me, Colewood, but really
YOU are the victim of you own blum
der"
SIR returned Hugh
"Of course not" and the lawyer
laughed again. This sprite, whom
YOU took to be the unimportant little
cousin, is in reality the Ethel Wayne
referred to in your aunt's will. did
not tell you that there We're two Ethels,
50 while she was driving you over
here you jumped to the conclusion that
Miss Wayne at the house was the
Ethel. You see | have been told all
about your amusing mistake. Ethel
would not explain her real identity
with the girl whom your aunt had Sc
lected for you, and as the other ladies
believed you knew, YOU have remained
the victim of your own mistake
Six months later the condition nf