Year: 1872

!


"Do you think, Amber Gray, that l am
going to approve either you or your work ?"
she, said, raspingly; "let me tell you that
/ shall never wear that dress. l would
rather die than wear any garment your
hands have touched, and 1 would not give
you another days work to save your life."


The white robe, fair and stainless enough
for an angel to wear, dropped slowly from
the limp cold hands of the grieved, insulted
girl. In her utter purity of heart and in
tegrity of purpose, no suspicion of the true
cause of this sudden outbreak dawned upon
her.


"Miss Winterglade," she said, with
gentle dignity, "your words and manner
surprise and distress me. If you are really
in earnest, and in your sober senses, tell
me, entreat you, what l have done to
cause you to denounce me with such in
tense, vehement bitterness"


Laura Winterglade would, no doubt,
have struck her in the face, had she dared,
but fortunately she did not dare. She
heard door open and shut, and the belief
that some one of the servants was near
restrained her from anything more blasting
than words.


You play injured innocence excellently
WELL" she said, tauntingly; "You haven't
the shadow of an idea, of course, what
you have done to make me despse you.
Perhaps indeed, you have such an over
whelming estimate of your attraction as to
imagine that hired you out of the street
to entertain my lovers in my absence"


Quick angry tears gathered on the firing
ing lashes of Amber Gray's beautiful eyes,
and scarlet bushes dyed her fair oval face.


"You are cruel and wicked Jealousy
is making you utterly unjust and unreason-
able should be deceiving, indeed, if !
pretended not to understand you. Your
fears are groundless. 1t is true that Mr..
Fay called while you were away, and came
through the parlor to ask me what time you
would probably return. He seated him
self unlimited on the sofa opposite, and
chatted pleasantly half an hour or more.
am ashamed to remember how cool and al
most uncivil l was to him."


"Do not seek to impose any of your
false-hoods upon me p said Miss Winter
glade, sternly. "This afternoon was not
the first time you have entertained him in
my absence. understand it all. You de-
pend upon your beauty to win you rich
husband. Let me enlighten you a little.
Aside from the income earned by his pro-
fession, Maxwell Fay has nothing. He is
an orphan, and has been for years. His
mother had no fortune, and supported her
son by teaching music until she married
the rich banker, Morris Vanstone, of this
city, and unless his stepson, whom he loves
nsesalliance, it is quite certain he will come
into possession of an immense property.
Now let me warn you. A greater tyrant-
q more relentless, cruel and unforgiving
man-than old Morris Vanstone does not
live. People say he grows more and more
unbearable every day. He had once
daughter the only child ever born to him !;
her mother, whom he idolized, died in Civ
ing her life. My mother knew her well,
and often speaks of the exquisite beauty of
the girl as she grew to womanhood. At
seventeen she married secretly, and her
father came near numbering her when cir
cumstances revealed the truth to him. 1t
was New Years eve, bitter cold, with n
northeast storm ahead. have heard the
old housekeeper who sometimes comes
here, tell the story, and she never tells it
without crying. Nobody ever knew who
Helen Vanstone married, for the old man
asked her no questions, and allowed her to
make no explanations. He just thrust her
down his doorsteps with bitter curse, and
from that day till this he never saw or
heard from her. Tell me, now, do you
think that Maxwell Fay, knowing the tenn
per of his adopted father, will ever be so
insane as to offer honorable marriage to
such as you?'


Miss Winterglade had remained stand
ing during her long recital, and at the last
sentence her scornful voice echoed mock
ingly among the shadows.


"You seem strongly impressed with
the idea that Mr.. Fay is in love with me-"
answered Amber Gray, hardly less scorn-
full she has, it is true, been very kind
TO me on several occasions when needed a
friend and win tell you now, what you
have never guessed, that knew him long
before came here to sew fory you. He is
the soul of honor, the truest Of gentlemen,
and the kindest of friends. But, believe