Year: 1874

handsome form to press kiss on the
red lips of her young sister; then Miss
Intestine swept out of the apartment, her
amber robes trailing behind her in a be-
wildering mass of lace and ruffies.


She was grandly beautiful. There was
no denying that; and dressmakers de.
lighted in nothing SO much as fitting her
perfect form; then every feature was
but a part of the grand master-work of
the whole. -.
Walter Barcley had looked once too
often into the misty depths of those
dark, fascinating eyes, and clasped too
closely the slender aristecratic fingers,
for his own peace of mind. With loves
quick intuition, he fancied that her face
frightened at his coming, and that her
sweet lips would fain have kept back all
good-byes.


He forgot, in the sweet dream that
love was forming, that his income was
very moderate, and would scarcely war.
rant the taking to himself that beautiful
creature he loved so much, to whom
poverty was a myth, and desire un.
granted thing unheard of.


As for a long line of distinguished
ancestors, such as the Courtenays and
Inestines boasted, he could claim moth.
ing. There was no blot or blame against
the good old Barcley name; but as fol
wealth, they had very little of it. Up
among the Vermont hills was farm OF
many acres, where good old-fashioned
couple lived peaceful and content, with
a daughter and her husband who were
only little less old-fashioned than
themselves; and they were Walters
people, and that was Walters home
and every letter that announced his
home coming was to them tidings OF
great JOY.


He thought of them very seriously
and tenderly before he sent that note to
Edith, whose answer was to be his veal
or his woe. His wife chow fondly he
said it, must honor those dear parents,
though their ways were not her ways
and, judging her love by his own, he
began to fancy how like queen she
would move among them, winning theil
love anew every day.


One of the little rosebuds in the beau
tiful bouquet that he sent her, was to
be worn in her hair at Mrs. Van Zandt's
party that night, if she would be to him
the woman above all others, and would
give him the right to cherish her as his
own wife.


Kind-hearted little Lutte cried ovel
it, and thought how willingly she would
have worn the bud and been his wife
had she been in Edith's place; bur
somehow things seem misplaced oftimei
in this lower world of ours, while people
too often work at cross purposes.


There was another note in the writing
desk that filed Lutte with surprise ant
alarm. 1t was an offer of marriage, like
the other, but although it was full o.
admiration and unwholesome fattery
and desire for the queenly Edith tc
grace his handsome home, there was nc
line that breathed of the tenderness thai
filed every word of Walters letter.


But with the letter came casket con
tanning those very rubies that became
Edith so well, and if she wore them ht
said he should consider her his prom
ised wife.


Edith was proud, and with her world
ly-wise mind she weighed the matter
well. On the one hand was peace, hap
piness, contentment and love that
passeth understanding, and on the other
princely home, magnificent surround
ings, an almost limitless fortune, a posi-
ton that all her associates would envy
and husband, handsome it rs true, bu
familiar with every vice under heaven
She knew that Walter, as far as in
teg1ity, uprightness and manliness went
was gold itself and the other was onl,
dross, Her womanliness and her heart
love pleaded for the simple rosebud tina
would give her to true heart that sh'
yearned for; but her ambition pointed
to the sparkling rubies glistening in th'
gas light on her velvet bed.


She took them up with dainty fingers
admired each dainty setting, and twinec
them in her hair, estimated their cos
while clasping the necklace about he
neck, saw reflected in the mirror he
own radiant image, and sacrificed hersel
on the altar of her ambition.


Walter searched eagerly for the rose
bud when Edith entered Mis-. Val
Zandt's parlors, but Ralph Havilan'
saw his rubies sparkling, and hastene'
to claim the 4ueenly girl, who woul'
grace his home so soon; and Waite
stole away with hopes blighted, and hi
heart heavily ladened.


Edith had no chance to retract he
promise had she desire to do so, O
which I am not at all certain, for Aun