Year: 1873

81 consider Amy Winthrope a CO.
quette," said Robert Leeson, decid-
edly.


tAnd 1 think you wrong her"
replied his brother George.


'TYou think so because you have
taken a silly fancy for her-yOu, q
boy of eighteen" said the other,
sarcastioally.


81 don't think l evincc q greater
amount of Stiffness than yourself
for you seem to have taken a fancy
to her also, and you are only year
older"


This seemed to nettle the elder
brother, who replied:


81 admit that l admire Amy Win
thrope; and now that you know my
L trust that you will have
the good sense to withdraw your
and not intrude your atten-
tions upon her any further"


"Amy does not seem to look upon
my attentions as an intrusion" said
George; "and as for your feelings,
I trust have proper re-
-
duct myself IN futnre as beat Ploasos
me.


The above conversation took
place ON the lawn before the Lesson
homestead, at Glen Cliff. a passer-
by would have readily conjectured
that a party of some kind was being
held within, for the house was
brilliantly Illuminated, and there
was music and dancing. 1t was q
merry party, the sixteenth birthday
of Amy Winthrope. Amy was an
orphan, a distant relative of Squire
Lessons, who had offered her q
home with the family.


Both the brothers loved Amy
and she had been the cause of many
a pettish quarrel between them
They were as different in appear
ance and disposition as two broth
ers could well be. Robert was tall
and dark and proud; while George
was fair and rather delicate, with
brown, curling hair and blue eyes,
Robert was dignified and quiet
while the merry laugh and spark
ling wit made George the life OF
society, and the central figure OF
every social gathering.


AS for Amy, it was a hard matter
for her to determine which of the
two she preferred. The truth is,
she was something of a coquette ;
or, rather, she had one particular
falling, which was an utter inability
TO refrain from falling in love with
every passably good-looking young
fellow she met. When Robert was
by her side, gazing down into her
face with his dark, passionate eyes,
she believed him to be the sole OBJ
iect Of her affections; and when
George was near, and she listened
to his flashes of wit and his merry
laugh, she really fancied him to be
the other half of her soul.


And thus matters had continued
for nearly a year, or ever since Amy
had come to reside with the Lee
sons. In reality, Amy seemed rath-
er to favor the elder brother, and il
was currently whispered that they
were positively engaged; and these
reports coming to Roberts ears, il
was but natural that he should look
upon the attentions of his youngeT
brother as an intrusion upon his
rights.


In view of what occurred on the
night in which my story opens, il
may not be improper just here to
give brief description of Glen
Cliff, or at least portion of it. The
Lesson property received the name
of Glen Cliff from the fact that the
dwelling was situated in the midst
of q beautiful glen, whose sloping
regularity was unbroken except by
a deep gorge or ravine, which eX-
tended across one corner of it; huge,
jagged rocks pierced the sides of the
gorge, and bubbling springs of crys-
tai water trIckled down among
them, forming considerable stream
at the bottom.


On the night in question a close
observer might have seen two
figures slowly promenading the
glen, near the cliff l have just de.
scribed. They were engaged il
earnest conversation, entirely un-
conscious of another form that ap-
peared to be dOgging their steps
When they paused upon the summit
of the cliff, the figure crouched
down behind tree near by.


"See how brightly the moon
shines, Amy" said George Leeson
to his companion. And as she turn
ed to look over her shoulder, he
caught her face in his hands, and
kissed it.


'cYou ought to be ashamed Of
yourself, George" she said, feign.
ing indignation. 81 am really an
gry. Just you do so again ~


EHypocrite ~ Missed the dark
form behind the tree.


'Don't dare me-" replied George
laughing. And then he put mis- arm
about her waist.


"Give me the right to kiss you
Amy" he said. 'Say that you love
nae. and one day viii be my wife,
shall be so proud Of you, for I know
no one on earth so good and pretty
Is you!"


The tall figure came out from the
dark shadow OF the tree, and stood
before theR in the moonlight.


aEObertH ~ was the slmultaneou;
ejaculation.


asEilain o. he exclaimed, CIsrins