The Democratic advocate., 1905-02-25

y
them bo,h. aud they had been uninten-
/ tioual listeners To the plan Of elopement,
/ each however, thinking that no enc elss,
I except the parties themselves, knew any
thing about IL
! Harry and BeFtie we're orphans and
had been adopted by their relatives when
/ quite young.
/ They had been acquainted nearly two
wears. BERTHE having finished her oduea-
i lion in the same town where Harry was
4 stndying law. bat their respective guar
7 dams bad net been informed of the fact
until about SIX months previous 20 the
opening of our story. when Mr.. Clifton
\ hought the house adjoining Mrs. Horton $
I Il was then that the young people sought
and gained their consent
BERTHE vas by far the mos; beautiful girl
{ for miles around. aud. after Harry went
back to his sadies, his uncle, bachelor
/ # 6ve and isrty. became 80 enamoured oi
E. her charms. that not withssanaing he knew
that his nephew vas her accepted lover
be actually proposed, and vas refused
He was - chagrinei by this refusal,
I that he resolved. Il be could no' po~ssSs
,hs little fairy himself. that his nephew
should not have her.
SO. be mustespl. Fizsng hastily, aud
I waIkiag rapidly towards his house, they
have taken their destiny in their owa hands
hare theys Well. well, that is just the
thing as lons A. knos anything about il !.
il wIil give me a better opportunity than
ever dreamed oF having Al my little
beauty yoa wiil b. tsiue at Lass, ! wiil see
that yoar lover does MT meet you, and
AZ seven o clock il will be- too dark for you
to tell the difeFeaoe between Harry Clif
ton cf twenty fve and Herbert Clifton Of
forty Eve EIa' hAl hal
Bat let as turn our a,scntian to Berthe :
aust.
She %As as though stunned ior httle
tine after Harry and BerEie had letl the
sumner house. and then seemed to realize
wha, she had beard she rose aud walked
wish quick, impatient step 70 the house.
She vas wiIow II about forty, below
the medium height. slight and delicate
hooking, and mas; a. Berries age have
very much Fs-embleA her, sho, rs the
way. vas her namesaks, and aS her SISTER,
BERTHE mother and herself m9rried
bgothers, their surname was also the same.
She entered the house, went directly To
her room, threw herself into low chair.
aud leaned her head on the table
'.Oh canno, give him up she mor-
INJURED loye him toe well
After ahSls she rose and laoked At
herself in the full length mirror.
Il should easily he mistaken for her AT
seven o clock 10 the evening she unused,
aud after We are married, he will son learn
10 love the Alberta Horton Of forty with
wealth beyond his most sangaine expecta-
tions, as well as he now does the pen
niless Bertie Horton Of nineteen
Berthe did not wake she next morning
until the sun shone brightly in her face
aud then, sprinsing up she made 4 hasty
toilet and tripped down stairs, for it was
some time past the usual breakfast hour.
Her aunt greeted her with lovely rally
on her tardiness, and was very pleasant
( during the meal
After breakfast Berthe tried in vain to
think of an excuse 70 20 over TO Minnie
Mller's $; her aunt had hardly allowed her
to leave the house alone since Harry came
home
She was making herself really unhappy
over it when Mrs Horton came in.
"Bertie dear, she exclaimed, don't you
want to 20 over to Minnie : today?
How Berries heart bounded, but she
answered indifferently
Il would like to 90 well enough, but
won you be lonely, aunt
mo indeed, returned Mrs. Horton
II will tell Hugh TO have the carriage
ready, and you can so as soon as you
like
BERTHE did not need any more urging,
but flew upstairs TO get ready Il Won
der what makes aunt SO pleasant this morn
ing, she mused? But, if she knew all,
wouldn' there be a storm.
And BERTHE shuddered at the thought
She was very particular about her toilet
wearing a rich blue silk, and putting care
fully in box white ribbons and sueh orna-
ments as she wished to wear in the even
ing; then throwing over her shoulders a
large waterproof cloak that entirely con
cealed her dress. and putting on her hat,
she ran downstairs, pausing at the dining
room door to say, merrily:
''Good bye aunt, pleasant day to you
Her aunt smiled and waved her hand,
but just as Berthe was stepping into the
carriage, she called from the window
"You need not trouble Minnie to bring
you back, as you sometimes do will send
the carriage for you !?
BERTHE nodded, and Hugh, hourishine
his whip, drove rapidly away
There, exclaimed Mrs, Horton, lean
} ing back in her chair, 81 am rid of her
for the day, and if she dares disobey me,
and come back before send the carriage,