Year: 1873

NolGuSE Suo uOI GilS UcSu u
Laura every entered the common
dining-room; and at dinner, the
only meal to which they came


their seat was at another t;l
bio, at a remote end of the dining,
room. They received privileged
visitors in their own parlor, and
were set down by the inmates OF
the house as distant, unsocial and
repellant. What chance was there
for the comm encement Of an &C,
qnaintancc ? Mason WAS Gcsper,
ately, madly in love with the girl,
but the hauteur Of the mother kept
him effectualIy at distance.


In the fair Laura there was
such a sweet Inconsistencies Of
her own superiority, such child,
like humility, mingled with the
graceful pride of woman, as COM
pletei tho fascination her beauty
had begun. Her admircr saw her
occasionally at the concert or at
the opera, and to him she was the
soul of music. lie met her walk
ing, sometimes; but the mother
vouchsafed him the most distant
bow Of recognition. Laura was
looking down but now and then
the image Of her blue eyes would
be suddenly lifted, disclosing a
world Of witching, to be quickly
yelled again. The evidence Of this
consciousness famed Guys love
| continually into a brighter famo,
! and caused him to revolve various
expedients to secure the enjoy
ment Of her society.


He thought Of painting her pic
turc and sending it as q present
to her mother; or Of offering his
services to teach the beautiful girl
Italian. Next day he heard that q
! darkvisaged whiskcred fellow had
been hired for the last, ,and he wish
ed him in the dungeons Of Spill
berg.


The first sparkling foam Of the
cup had been quatfed; beneath was
that which bewilders the brain
and steals away the senses.


Guy had been reading one night
until past midnight, when he
heard a carriage stop in the street.
before the door. The bell rang
not very gently. After a short
pause it was again rung. He felt
a tinge Of sympathy for the late
conner; for the night was piercing
cold, and the wind came in boarse
blasts, rattling the window.panes,
and sending > Chill through the
bones. He glanced around his
snug-room, with its. crimson chlntz-
covered sofa, and the glow of i
coal fire thrown on the Venetian
rug, suggestive ofideas Of comfort,
and thought how hard it must be
for the man waiter to be called
out Of his bed at such an hour.


Again and again, and yet again,
sounded the bell; each time with
u more prolonged and angry pull,
as if the applicant at the door,
with exhausted patience, was re-
solved to take the place by storm.
A thought darted like lightning
through Guys brain. He had seen
Miss Dc Peyster IN full dress that
evening, passing with her mother
through the hall. They must have
gone to o party and returned late.
He sprang to the window and
threw it open. 1t was too dark to
distinguish objects, but hc heard
distinctly the shrill, complaining
tone Of Laura's mother.


BY good luck Mason was still
dressed, and he lost not an instant.
.Snatching up the light he has
tened down two flights OF stairs
to the front door. His heart beat
his breath came quickly. He
felt that the crisis of his life was
at hand. He would meet her face
to face no would render her a
service that demanded acknowl-
cdgmcnt, and might open for him
vista of happiness. He seized
the knob of the door, aAd with
trembling hands unlocked and
opened it. There was rush Of
wind and the light was extin-
guished.


"You sleep like a night-watcher,
fellow!' cried the angry voice OF
Mrs. De Pcyster, as she pushed
her way in. "To keep us stand-
ing half an hour in the cold; we
might have caught our death !
You deserve to loose your place.
| shall make complaint Of you in
the morning"


She went on with rustling of
silk and velvet. The daughters
martIc brushed the young man
lightly as she passed, and her
gloved fingers pressed something
into his hand.


Guy could not utter word.
His breath seemed to forsake
him, and his silly bashfulness
chained him to the spot. Ho stood
there till the ladies had gone up
stairs, grasping in his hand what
the lovely girl had placed in it.
Could it be a note? 1t felt like a
soft paper. AS soon as his self
possession returned, he ran up