Year: 1872

CHAPTER |.


"A letter for We, Miss Granger" and
Bridget laid it ON the table beside the
young lady, and went away.


Edith took it up and a bright blush suf-
fused her cheek as she recognized the
handwriting of its address. She opened
it with a little flutter Of Joyous expecta-
|tion, and glanced about the room in pleas
ed recognition of the fact that she was
alone


The bushes deepened on her cheek, a
beautiful smile played about her mouth.
and the sweet brown eyes filled with glad,
grateful tears, as she read.


She had read it all once and again, eve.
ry word was engraven on her heart; yet
she would read it many more times ere
she grew weary of the pleasant task.


'And he loves me-asks me to be his
wife, she murmured, folding and press
ing it to her heart. "How strange, when
Belle is so much more beautiful and at
tractive in every way than I. All! am
surely the happiest girl in the land


She sat musing for some minutes-the,
glad, sweet smile still playing about her
mouth, the love light yet shining in her
eyes--then turning to her writing desk
and selecting tiny sheet of delicately
tinted and perfumed note paper and en-
velope to match, she wrote a few lines on
the one, and an address on the other. She
looked fixedly at the latter for a moment.
then threw it aside and directed a second
with more care. Her hand had trembled
a little in writing the address on the first.


"Miss" said Bridget, again appearing,
this time with card, ''there's a lady in
the parlor askin' to see yen


Thank you. say that will be down in
moment" Edith answered; and as the
door closed on the servant she began q
careful perusal of what she had written.
She would not for the world that he should
find in it the smallest mistake, and she
would satisfy herself that it was not lack
ing in proper maidenly reserve, nor yet
too cold and formal.


This done it was quickly folded and
put into the second envelope, and that
sealed and stamped.


She had been writing to home friends
and others, and little pile of letters, all
ready for the post, lay on the table beside
her desk. With smile and blush this
was slipped in among them. Then the
other, to which it was an answer, received
another, though hasty perusal, was again
pressed to her heart, and the next instant
had found a resting place within the
bosom of her pretty morning dress. 1t
was tar too precious to be exposed to the
gaze of others.


A glance in the mirror to see that moth
ing was amiss with her toilet. and Edith
tripped lightly down the stairs and into
! the paror, where fashionable young
lady friend somewhat impatiently awaited
her coming.


The call was allowed TO become rather
untashionably long, it being one of fare
well: for Edith was to leave that night for
her distant Western home in Chicago.
Then another call, and another succeeded,
till she grew restless with the thought OF
the importance that her letters should go
by the next mail, and the fear that they
would be too late for 1t.


All! though she knew il not, worse con-
sequences than that were to result from
her unwilling detention in the parlor.
Fearing that her delay had already ex-
hausted the patience of her caller. she had
| hurried from her room without gathering
up her papers, or closing her writing-desk.
| And thus Belle Stanton found it on her re-
turn from some errands, for herself and
her guest, on which she had gone out very
soon after breakfast.


From Bridget, who admitted her Belle
learned that Miss Granger was in the par
lor, detained there by callers, and that she
! had also received a city letter.
! At this last piece of intelligence Bellies
face paed and flushed and paled again.
Gould it have been from him pn she
muttered as she;hurried up the stairs, un-
tremendously opened the door of her
friends room. and walked in.


One hasty glance around showed her
the open desk, the pile of letters by Its
side, and that no one was there to watch
her movements. With quick but cautious
step she drew near the table; and taking
up the letters, she eagerly scrutinized the
address upon each. Her great black eyes
flashed, her white teeth were firmly set
and she half stamped her foot with rage
as she read upon one the words, ''Walter
Maynard, Esq, No., Walnut Street,
City," traced in Edith's delicate and grace
ful chirography.


''Yes, it was from him, and this is her
answer. Oh! if only dared open and
read it Has she accepted him +! fsnaw
of course she has; what woman IN ner
senses would be fool enough to reject such
an offer? Wretch could crush her, to
think she should steal from me the very
one the only one of my admirers that
cared TO win. Father and mother ought
TO have had more sense than to bring her
here; and for such a long visit. Yet, who


would have dreamed that she, with her
plain face and simple ways, could have
cut me out-!"


And Miss Stanton glanced admiringly