Year: 1876

to repent the step, for Mark had proved
to be steady and honorable, with rare
flashes of what was almost like genius
for business, if there can be such O
thing. He had risen steadily, until il
was quite understood that next year he
was to be partner in the large whole
sale and retail dry goods house Of Mer-
ton & Go. All things considered, he
would not have been such bad match
for Ida, only that knew that the child
did not really care about him, and there
was George breaking her prsud, patient
little heart for his sake, and nobody saw
it but one old woman, who had been
through it all herself and knew what il
meant. 1t was hard enough for her
sometimes, but she was not the kind to
| fret or bemoan herself.


OF course the young man was caught
by Ida's witcheries, for the little puss
was as fond of admiration as cat is of
sparrows, and spared no pains to fasci-
nate him. L wonder that the two girls
continued as good friends as they did ;
but think George saw that Ida was not
to blame, and was only acting out her
nature, in perfect ignorance of the dead
ly hurt which she was infictlng upon
her friend. For though George had
told her of her long, long friendship with
Mark Drayton when he was only poor,
struggling clerk, she had never told of
the looks and words and ways with
which he had won away her heart before
either of them knew it. Not that the
young man was dishonorable either.
She had been his only friend in those
days, you see. That was while her
widowed mother was still living and
George was living with her. 1t was
not until after her mother had died that
the girl came to live in Mr.. Merton's
house. Sympathy and friendship are
very sweet, and George had been patient,
tender and true, and the young man
had learned to think OF her as sister,
and perhaps to love her as something
more, but it all seemed so hopeless that
he never spoke. And then he met Ida,
and was dazzled and bewitched by her,
and so George was eclipsed for awhile
only for awhile, Ifelt sure, if he and
Ida could but be kept from committing
themselves until both had had time to
wake up from their foolish dream.


That evening, though, began to fear
that the rash young things would take
matters into their own hands. Mark al
ways did run about the house like tame
cat /; there were few evenings that did
not find them in our drawing room. No
doubt it was very good for the young
man, and kept him out of great deal of
mischief, but 1 could not help thinking
sometimes that he was not the only one
b. 10. hot 1o
ed all her witchery. Such a bright
sparkling little puss she was when she
chose 1t was not what she said that
was well enough in its way, but neither
remarkably wise or witty, but so en-
forced and pointed by droopings of the
long lasbes, and poutings of the red
lips, and flashing of the dark eyes, and
futterings of the little white hands, that
even an old woman like me couldn't help
forgetting for awhile what nonsense the
whole thing was, and be carried away
and captivated and fascinated in spite of
herself. And all the while my little
George sat there, with her pale face and
her gentle, quite ways and her quaint
little words, just the same as ever, for
anything they could see. And L fancied
now and then that there was quick
catching of her breath or a passing con-
traction of her pretty forehead-why,
perhaps it. was only my fancy. tried
to think so, at all events.


Presently they began to talk of the
opera, and Ida declared with her pretty
hands clasped, that she adored Nilsson.
Didn't Mr.. Drayton think she was just
divine2 And oh what would she give
to see her in "Faust"2 She never had
seen her in that, and was sure she must
be perfect Marguerite. Did Mr..
dayton know that that was the opera
for tomorrow night, and perhaps that
would be the last time it would be
given9


And Ida stopped, with her hands still
clasped and her eyes fixed on the young
man. 1 declare could have boxed her
pretty pink ears. George could not
have done it but then things that would
have seemed forward and unmaidenly in
other girls, in Ida seemed SO simple and
artless and unconscious that you could
not be disgusted with her.


OF course there was nothing for Mr..
Drayton to do but to say that he would
be delighted to escort her. / caught
one swift glance from Georgie's eyes,
and then 1 remembered that he was to
have taken her on that very evening 70
hear a celebrated pianist, who was set
ing the whole city wild but George
did not speak. Size was only friend
and a sister, and must learn to be quiet.
ly put aside when others claimed his
services. Perhaps the young mans
conscience smote him little, for he was
unusually gentle and attentive in his
ways to George that evening, and
heard him say,


"You know, George, that he will bt
here for some time, and any night vii
do for him, but Nilsson may not appeal
as Marguerite again." i.


ooh, yes, it is all right. 1 quite un
derstand," said George and if his eal
was not quick enough to detect the lit
tie culver in her voice. nor his eye sharl
enough to see the futter of her lip
though my old eyes and ears could per
ceive both, whose fault was that


Love is blind, they say; but calm
friendly indifference is blinder than an.
mole.


scarcely saw George the next day
but Ida was in and out, bright an'
bhthe as usual. When the evening cam
| 18th tl,o or,rlo xyara in the dra o room