The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-06-12

was fascinating when she chose. thu
she would choose now, l was wei
aware. She never took the trouble l.
try to deceive mo-
Ned Thornton is just the sort O
. man whom l think would like to mar
ry,' she told me frankly, "and he i
not my cousin, even though you claim
him as yours"
Ihus 1T came to pass that | had to
LOOK on ana see her play her game.
She did 1T so cleverly that she hurt me.
Aunt Thornton blocked it now and
then, but Hyla was so adroit that even
she could do little to hinder. Most
masterly of all was the manner in
which she cOntrivcd to keep Ned and
mo apart. | wandered il he noticed
that; it seemed TO me that he need not
have submitted unless he wished and
my heart was very sore because he did.
AS for me, | was at my worst, stff
and self-conscious; IIyla could always
make me show to disadvantage; never
had she exercised that power as now.
Wrctchcd and miserable, ] tried to
make up my mind to the inevitable
worst, to act as if l did not care, and
occupy myself with the admirers who
courted my fathers daughter, but il
was hard, and knew that l betrayed
myself sometimes, so | rctrcated farth-
cr and farther into my shell, which was
exactly what Ilyla wished.
The end came one day, unexpected
ly.
l sat in an alcovc in the library, be-
hind heavy curtain, trying to read,
when ] heard lIyla and Ned enter the
room. They were talking, hut | saw
no reason why | should make my
presence known.
So you have noticed how quiet and
unsOciable Anne is" lIyla sal il, in her
sweetest and most regrctful tones.
" Is it possible you don't know why?
1t is quite an open secret. The poor
child is breaking her heart over Jack
Duncombc."
"That fellow" exclaimed Ned.
Exactly. Thele is no accounting
for tastes, and he and Anne have been
playmates from babyhood. And,
really, Jack isn't half bad, besides that
he has q rich uncle in Australia who is
sure to leal him n fortune some day.
| don't think Anne cares for the
money, but she is obstinate enough to
be spurrcd by opposition; Of course
Uncle Douglas and Auntie won't hear
of it. But Anne will be of age next
year, and then she can, and will do as
she pleascs."
Up to this point had renamed
silent, too amazed to speak, now
sprang out and confronted her.
10
not one word Of truth in all that
rigamarolc.'
For one moment Iyla was stag
gcred; then she smiled sweetly.
Am | really mistaken? How glad
dear Auntic will bel"
Her audacity fairly took my breath
away; gave her Il look, and turned tc
Ned, indignant.
"And | think you believed hcrl"
said.
"l didn't" he replied, "o,uy Miss
| llyla was quite positive, AMI you have
been 80 distant in your manner lately,
that could not ask you some questions
| wished. You seem to have totally for
cotton the promise you made me six
years ago. have remembered"
felt myself turn crimson.
Hyla looked from one of us TO the
other, and saw that she mad iosi.
| /" If you two want TO talk about old
times, l'll go and write some letters
that weigh heavily on my conscicnce,"
and she left AZ gracefully as thoug
there had been no struggle and no
defeat.
| Ned and were married the next
spring. Jack Duncombe's uncle died
soon afterwards. The fortune which
he left his nephew surpassed all OK.
Z pectations, and !tyla is now Mrs
Il Duncomhe.