The Morris County chronicle., 1908-05-19

A0SA~0@0SA 0%A Ga 0SA 90 G00
fectation. what is the use of teas
ing me?" and she ran away.
She was tired and heated, for till
the last moment she had been help
ing the cook, and as she passed a
mirror she glanced into it rather tear
fully, to see if she did look so very
dowdy. She saw sweet flushed
little face, with pretty curly hair, and
soft faded India muslin gown, and
she made herself look charming with
two bunches of fresh primroses be-
fore she went downstairs; but she
felt humbled to the dust. She had
not spirit enough to rise under
Janet's words, and it seemed to her
that she had well been named by her
brothers Cenerentola.
The dinner went off very we'll. Col
onel Curtis was allowed the priv
ilege of taking in his bride, and de-
voted himself exclusively to her.
The Grimwood people were old and
friendly neighbors. Tola sat among
them, and they left her in peace. To
them she was but little insignificant
girl, hardly out of the schoolroom
yet. Mrs. Grimes was resplendent in
a ruby satin gown; Reggie gave him
self up to waiting on her. In the
evening he hung over the piano,
where she sat for long time, play
ing music of the frivolous order.
Sparkling Dewdrops,' Birds at
Even" etc. Then when one of the
young ladies from Grimwood took
her place, he invited her to come to
hiS mothers sitting-room to see the
only picture of any value the house
possessed. a family portrait by Sir
Joshua.
The music was in full force, every
one was busy, and Tola, finding her.
self at liberty, stole away into a quiet
corner of the room, and sat leaning
back, giving herself up to fatigue
and anxious thoughts. Where was
Arthur? What could he be doing?
She was sitting thus, rather behind
a screen, when a figure interposed
between her and the lamps, and Mr..
Irvine Joined her.
"Is anything the matter?" he said,
sitting down beside her and speaking
with great kindness. 81 do not want
to be officious, Miss Denstone, but
cannot help seeing that something is
troubling you very much. My moth
er has seen it, too, from her win
dow. She sees it as you pass"
1T is very kind of her." said Tola,
in trembling voice. "And, after
all, if l tell you, you may laugh at
me as all the others do.
II cannot help being uneasy about
Arthur. He has been away nearly a
month and / have not had one line
from him. 1t is very foolish, 1 have
no doubt, but / cannot help it,
Not one line from him." repeated
Mr.. Irving. rs he in the habit of
writing regularly"
Il don't think he ever missed writ
ing to me, at least every other day,
for years." she answered. "There has
always been SO much to do and settle
between us and it became a habit.
ventured to write to Uncle Alfred,
and he laughed and wrote me a kind
little letter warning me that that sort
of thing could not go on, but the
same time he wrote to Goucy, to his
old French friend where Arthur went,
and asked him to forward the letter,
and no answer has come"
THAT is very mysterious" said
Mr.. Irvine. Either the letters have
gone wrong in the post, or your
bother must have left the place. Was
he likely to stay there?"
HE went there with the fullest
intention of doing So" answered
Tola; but cannot help thinking that
he must be ill, something must have
happened to him out there, and 1
must confess that it makes me fool
ishly anxious" and she tried to smile
bravely.
II see. OF course it does; but
there may be some good reason of
which we know nothing and cannot
even conjecture. What address did
he give for you to write to him?"
"The Post Office at Goucy."
WELL" said Mr.. Irvine, 'if you
will allow me, I will tomorrow tele-
graph to that Poste-Restante and ask
if the letters you have written have
been claimed. If I send a return
paid telegram we shall hear all about
it,"
ooh! thank you more than can
COW cold T0Io uorn,Iv 0sII0,.y x,arx,
good you are"
'If can be of any service to you, ;"
he said, earnestly, "it is the greatest
pleasure of my life"
1T will be such relief to do or
try something" said Tola. II dare
say it is very silly to be so anxious"
Il should not be so anxious" he
said. "Only it is as we'll to find out"
Then he turned the subject, and
began to tell her that he was then
preparing to take his annual holiday,
and that he proposed this year to go
to Spain, where he had never been.
Il would have stopped for your
sisters marriage" he said, ''but as it
is to take place at Plumtree, and the
Bishop is to be there, l thought /
should not be missed. and it is the
only time / can get away, for my sis
ter-in-law can come to stay with my
mother. There was another piece of
news 1 wanted to tell you also, but
it only concerns myself. / have been
offered another living"
Poor little Tola's heart gave a
great throb which drove the color