Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-15

brer in her fingers, while her eyes wandered
meditatively around the pretty floral domain with
out.
Mrs Moore, already seated before the urn, was
reading the letters and notes she had found be-
side her plate
Dear mel" she cried out to her daughter, "Sir
Frederick can't come today. How vexatious"
And the next minute she added, in lower tone
half to herself, Strange too" Then again. a
little fractiously she raised her voice: "Do you
hear, Nina? Here is a note from Sir Frederick
saying he is compelled to leave the Darrells' and
go up to London this morning, so that he cannot
join us in excursion to Waveleigh Woods"
Cant he, reay?" Nina said, in a tone that
scarcely implied much regret. However she pres
entity added Poor man! What dismal ex-
change! Instead of Waveleigh Woods on this
Ideal spring morning, London pavements and a
smoky fog I'm sorry for him."
HE doesn't say when he expects to return,
either" pursued Mrs Moore, refectively; ''but no
doubt he will hurry back as soon as he can We
had better put off our drive for day or two, at
any rate"
Nina turned around vivaciously enough at this
"Oh you don't mean It, dear, with sunshine
IKE this smiling you in the face! Why If you
VIII only just look out for minute Here's day
SO lovely that 1t really must have taken a whole
year to make 1t as perfect, that it is useless
TO expect such another for at least twelve months
to come. And Waveleigh, of all places in this
world, should be seen on such day of days Put
on our excursion? No, you never could have the
heart to do it, mother dear"
you are too impetuous, Nina" Mrs Moore
SAID, coldly; you speak in such an exaggerated
way. Come breakfast waits"
The rebuked daughter left her window. and sat
down very soberly. No remarks were exchanged
lot some minutes. The thrushs persistent echo
or himself, the blackbird's variously tender i'm
provlsatons the larks occasional CAROL all went
on outside and reached the ears and the heart
or one of the inmates of the ROOM at least And
the soft spring clouds foated over the skv and
met and parted again. and sailed away toward
the gray horizon at the northeast and the sun
shine came through them in bursts and gushes of
raulance that would not have been half so beauti
fu without those intervals of tender shadow Rnt
now Inherently to different intelligences appear
the same phenomena!
don't know what you by a fine day.
Nlna her mother broke the silence by saving
10 me 1t looks an extremely doubtful morning
Inc sky is all over clouds, and there is heavy
mass over Ide Hill that is omnous of storm to
my thinking
"Only the wind is blowing directly toaoard that
bank of clouds, mamma, not from it. It is south
west wind, you know"
Exactly; the very quarter from which we must
expect rain. 1t will be wet afternoon take my
word for It,"
Indeed, indeed, mother, the morning is beyond
suspicion. Showers must always be looked for in
tnls beloved capricfous month; but showers will
only make everything look ten times lovelier di-
rectly afterward oh, don't say we are to be dis
appointed of our treat! Let us go to Waveleigh
please, please, PLEAsE!"
Nina began calmly enough, but her eagerness
carried her away, may see before she had
done. she was an enthusiastic young person, and
conventional restraints never had power over her
tor long together. Now she left her seat crouched
down beside her mother, threw her arms round
that lady's neck, and looked into her face with
appealing eyes and coaxing smile that might
well have been supposed Irresistible Rnt some