TH ~ : ‘ : Gr aXs>> + sa enon > ,, i - g ee OSS OC SH Cok Sot eo® Voo Vacs Goo Sook Coo Sook O¥) a ~ 2S 210) + S a 9"G Es : AS nA sk ee x _ ——— + pe > C= \¢ a Oo) ‘ By THE “DUCHESS.” 4 + ah «; Author of “Lady Verner’s Flight,” “The Hoyden,” “Lady &is sb Patty,” “A Conquering Heroine,” Etc. a 45 “NS “# N\A \ A \ QOOMD KO QO? A “A “A <A WOOP \ 5 - n/N * ‘ 1S ev ‘ ow £4 Ow ee We’ we WN ; M1In OL UNG ulLeenon oy tne Late tPdini.’ CHA ER L “The nignt of the ball!’ A startled me . H | Jook springs imi Hilary's eyes. But in a Today, tis gay philosopher,’’ has | momengc she recovers herseiz, “The late yen UPON Wi rid with quite a charm- | train! Ten! He wit! be tea tired to go pgair. Its sighs are baimy, and its | anywhere.” miles frequent It is evidently in a | ‘He may wish to meet you.”’ gad and glorl “5 aoe, ” well it may ! ‘A girl he has never seen?’ , having just been highly decorated by ‘A girl he must either ma: irry, or lose hat splendid general, the sun, who mar- | £18, 000 a year.’ gals us through most of our happiest ‘What a detestable will!’ cries Hilary h iw is now shining _With all | springing to her feet, and eginning to his 2 G1 the to ; old fashioned | pace up and down the room. Iniquitous gindows 0! ee — oe ee il ; Tcall it. What on earth had I ever done “What a day: says Diana S sister, | to Aunt Charlotte that she should insist joking up from the pile of lilac calico } On bringing me into an affair of this lringon her knees. It is the kind of | kind? Why could she not choose some ~alico, both in color and texture, that | : " sen ateocint s in one’s mind with a ser- | other niece? Some other nephew and sant’s morning work—determined in its | eee who knew each other! : ghade, but pretty for all that, and striped; There would have been less wisdom ‘tle lines of dark violet running over there. People who know each other— the lighter ground. That’s generally fatal! Whe n strangers Yes—heavenly says Diana, whose | = there are possibilities. ’ sad name is Clifford. She speaks | ‘There are indeed, and very _unpleas- mther absently, as if finding it difficult | 47% ones. I feel certain,’’ stopping short to lift her mind from the making of the | t? Tegard her sister with an effective eye, ee mob-cap at which she is so diligent- ‘that Frederic Ker is the yi ry last man ir stitching The glance she gives up- | in the world I should ever care to ward, as if in answer to Hilary’s raptu- | ™@"y- a rous sigh, is purely mechanical, though hans ew ny have made up your she ate ntly wi shen it to be understood | ™ind beforehand— that she too acknowledges the heaven- gent glories that are lighting up the trim lawn out and are rendering the gar- den an earthly paradise. But in a second her eyes fall to her task again. “The idea of your wearing this!’’ says she, giving a contemptuous twirl to the delichtful little cap. ‘‘And that’’—with an equally contemptuous pointing of her forefinger to the lilac mass lying in Hil- ary’s lap—‘‘at the biggest fanc y- dress ball we have had here for ages, when at any moment you m ight be mistress of £18,000 a year. “At any moment I might not, says her sister with a little laugh. ‘‘ And even if I were the mistress of it, there would be a master too. That takes all the gilt off the ginger-bread. In the mean- time’—smoothing out the folds of the lilac skirt with a fond hand—‘‘I shall wear this. A housemaid’s dress is a fancy oe—for every one except the bona fide housemaid—and as it is inexpensive, and as pennies count, I have chosen it. Pro- side, also,’’ videntially, at a ball of this kind one ean he as bizarre, as eccentric, as one likes.*’ “Still,’’ says Diana, with a regretful sigh, and a swift glance at her lovely sister, ‘“‘T had always imagined you as—”’’ “Oh, I know,’’ with amused impa- tience. ‘*Joan of Arc.’’ “Certainly not,’’ indignantly. ‘As ‘Morning.’ You would have locked hautiful as ‘Morning.’ “I shall look divine as Sarah Jane,”’ sys Miss Burroughs, with calm _ convic- tion. She lifts the calico skirt with aintily careful fingers—it is as yet only tacked together—and regards it with an aniring eye. “Jim would have liked to give you mething better,’’ says Mrs. Clifford, leaning forwavd, with her elbows on her Knees and the cap between both her hands. Her tone is plaintive. ‘‘He says you are too absurd, too proud—”’ 1 earest brother-in-law in all the world,’ says Hilary, unreserved ‘That is why I am If and affection in her voice let him be the chicks for ‘What “Well. evar nin} me.’’ nonsense! bite ta thisis A mere cown— a& mere gown,too. And I’m sure it will suit me. Do vou know. Di.’ flinging down the half-finished dress and going to ng mirror let into one of the Walls, ‘‘last night an awful doubt arose in my mind I felt that the dress would suit me so admirably—so altogether—that I be; £an to think that perhaps I was to the mann rn—that Nature had meant me to be a real Sarah Jane.’’ She peers at herself in the glass, lean- ing a little forward. poised, as it were. on her toes, behind her back a clasped gives her and with her hands eo back. Ch olass very exquisite reflection—softly iling dark-blue-e yes, a mouth a little gizzic, tl, but tender too, and a strong, firm ; hin, a forehead low, broad, and fammest, and such hair!—hair that shines like } nished gold. Not the dead-gold hair we know of. nor thec rispy hair that hever ce, ms at rest. bug a ixture of Yoth these, looking always as if half an MMrago it had come out of a warm, SWey } and ‘ crowing brighter and brighter through the sun rays that have dried it “No, I don’t like it 1 ww,” gays she, turnir ft away, amd letting her slim figure {op once more into her lounging-chair. — When I have the cap and gown on, know I shall look the thing. Humiliat- Ng th u@ht!’’ on >won’t bea girl in tl room wav You, says Diana ffectionat 4 Ah! thats my saving clause!’’ wil- fully Misunderstanding her ‘* House “me ls w : lds w +a rare quantity. I expect I 1} . . “Aall iniqu [ shall perhaps e that “StOnishing thing at a incy ball—the “ly one of n kind in the room. I aa ‘ g , { L0re —solemniy— create a ation Chir “Y a will do that ar yway,’’ says Mrs. Q - she looks at her sister a little tseon tedly, ‘I’m sure I don’t know ¥ - . . Will all Say OF me. That I Wen t ‘ . . : “ik attire myself, and brought you as ' re] ’ eet . . 40 lind a Pri; " Your ”’ ' . ¢ — : : . Why, he’s found Says ie ge - : € foun : iy an “45 @iMOst sure to be at the Pag SLOW | “tell we net a tres pe lt you I mie hee py. Sea Yesterday, and she said "* VSOn-Mesee told her she expected i i ‘I haven't made up my mind about anything.’’ ‘Not to look at him.’’ You are wrong there. I’m dying look at him—from a distance ?’’ to ‘It is such # great deal of money to throw away,’’ says Mrs. Clifford with a sigh. ful. ‘*Who I’m_ going it away?’’ eries Hilary gayly. ‘‘Perhaps I am going to seize it. And perhaps it is he who will throw it away after all. He may not like me! He—may reject me! He—-”’ she turns once more to the mirror as if to gain support from it. ‘Immortal gods! what an awful thought!’’ says she. ‘I confess,’’ in a stricken tone, occurred to me before.’’ ‘Well, it meedn’t occur now,’’ says Diana, her fair, handsome face lighting. And you needn’t pretend you think it.’’ ‘*But it’s so serious, Di. If I refuse to Money with her is not too plenti- says to throw marry my cousin Frederic, or if he re- fuses to marry me, £18,000 a year goes to ‘The home for lost animals—the dogs.’ **Well, it is in your own hands.’’ **Don’t let us think of it till after this dance, anyway,’’ says Hilary. ‘‘We have a little breathing-space left us.”’ ‘Not if he is there!’’ ‘Oh, he can’t be! Coming by that late train!’ She lets her bands fall into her lap again, the needle sticking up in dangerous proximity to one of her pretty finge rs, and looks at her sister anxiousy. ‘‘If he should come to the dance, Di—of course,’’ with eager conviction, ‘‘he won't; but if he should, promise me you will not introduce me to him, or get any- one else to do it.’’ ‘But if he asks me?’’ **How can he! He doesn’t kn either. es ‘He could get an introduction. Mrs. Dyson-Moore might— ‘Not she. She will be taken up with herself and her admirers. Now promise.” ow you ‘‘Well, I promise. But is it wise? Ought you not to meet him at once, and—”’ ‘Marry him,’’ sarcastically. yen. 3 think not. I must have time. And, above ull things, I want to enjoy this dance.”’ ‘Mrs. McIntyre is giving ancther fancy ball the week later; you will have to meet him there." ‘Sufficient unto tl recklessly. ‘‘ And wh have left lon up my mind not to meet first ball, at all events.’’ Diana looks at her sister witha tain concern. *“‘I wish you would try to like him,’’ says she. ‘‘He means so much to you.”’ ‘*Exactly as much as I mean to him. Don’t look so forlorn,’’ with an irrepres- sible laugh. ‘‘I’m going to try and like him as hard as ever I can. Harder even, if it will please you. Do you suppose ! too cannot all the bonbons that are to Hilary »> may not have made at this xr before that? Mal? A him cer- see be got out of £18,000 a year?’’ **I believe you are as blind as a bat,’’ says Diana with some indignation. CHAPTER II. “I say, can’t you hurry upa bit you two girls?’’ cries Mr. Clifford from the hail below. ‘‘It’s a quarter to ten al- ready, and there are five miles to drite.’’ ‘*‘Coming! Coming!’’ calls Mrs. Clifford in a muffied tone from above. It is plain to her husband that she has something in her mouth. Can it be hair- pins? If so, experience has taught him that another good half-hour will not see her downstairs. She has elected to dress in Hilary’s room to-night, which is large and lofty, so that he cannot be sure r progress toward perfect ot now his he is a long-suffering man, but feelings overcome him. He springs up ! the stairs three steps at a time, and hav- ing beaten a lively tattoo on Hilary’s door bursts it unceremoniously open. ‘If you think,’’ begins he,‘‘that you ‘ll j and making a MAILY to give nim tne proven, ana cnen anxiously: ‘‘How am I looking, ‘Right down lovely!’ says is «a delightful husband: so delightful indeed that his wife has never fully realized how very mvch more comfortable she might be if Providence had only given him a little more money. **Oh, nonsense’’ says Jim?’ Jim, who says his wife, would-be-indignant grimace at him. all I ask?’’ But in truth she is looking all he said—a me vee, Marie Antoinette—in a gown made by her own clever fingers out of some old gow ns that had belonged little ‘“‘Am I passable—that’s coloring | had | ee | oe a” : 4 ae We. be . a i ed Rn cs POS a ia olf tn B: x 4 Pe tae set-up young man, or pout twenty- eight, with dark gray eyes and a very handsome head. | “I only arrived five minutes ago,’’ says | Ker, still looking rather amused. ‘‘I had wired to Mrs. Dyson-Moore to tell her not to trouble about me, but te go on to her @ance, and that, if I had the energy, I would follow her there. I knew I should have the energy. You will under- stand why.’’ ‘You wanted to see my sister?’ says Diana, regarding him closely. “Yes. The energy all lay in that. You | can imagine I had some curiosity.’’ } Mrs. Clifford would have answered this leading question to some of the dead and pone Clifford naturally enough, | a: ce ade — o- but that the light, almost quizzical char- |; dames when th fortune of their house ! Te ea. ek be 3 : | acter of his tone annnoys her. Was at its he&zht, Diana has the fingers | “an, ee eS Le 0 le ee ae : : She feels curiosity too,’’ says she, a Or @ reacy Worker, and has got herself | little coldi r i ; , le co - up to perfection, with very little ex. | ‘ rd pense. Great on _ y b ing impossible ‘‘Ah! But not so strong as mine. I cel i bie % Ss vit , with her and her husbnad at any time | vehbe cuxtulidt ic den dae aa ae 3 ’ $ e ‘ ' “ee a : of yr - 29 she has yet ie ae So far, to keep her | he ce he linly is not looking for you, ‘*it never ion. Asa rule | be there before ‘God Save he Queen,’ you—’”’ ‘Oh, there you are, Jim,’’ cries his wife thankfully, dropping pearls, like the angelic girl of old, out of her j inouth, in the shape of a little brooch. ‘Come here and settle this thing on my head, and put this brooch in at the side. Hilary is in such a hurry! Her cap had to be done all over again.”’ uses She pa self in touch with the world around her —on @ very limited income. matter always, but not impossible, when one is of acknowledged good birth in cne’s Own country, and has common | sense and cleverness. Hilary has helped her a good deal, t' ough not in any pecuniary sense, hay- ng a bare pittance of her own—suiflicient cnly to dress her But she has given much time and love tothe three chil- dren, and has been a source of comfort in many ways. She had come to the Cliffords on the death of her mother— that had left her entirely orphaned—and kad lived very happily with them a | caulin, uneventful existence, until three months ago, when a strange chance fell into her life. An old aunt had died and had left her enormous fortune to be equally divided between Hilary and a nephew (a cousin unknown to Hilary), that they should marry odd will had lifted the on the condition each other. This girl suddenly to , in spite of the insecurity of » whole thing, and the hateful condi- igh plane The “ bility hateful condition’’ in all Will be at this ball to-night. * * * * * * proba- ra art lowers be- The music is It is growing late. The ginning to droop a little. growing lower—more tender; the ball has come to that point where every one can safely declare that the evening has been a great success. The stewards have been indefatigable. They had looked after rybody. "Eve n Miss Boring, that old- established wallflower, has had one quad- rille. Somebody had basely manoeuvred Peter Kinsella into the position of her partner, much to the indignation of his aunt, old Miss Kinsella, who, like Satan, has been going to and fro all the evening, making herself most fearfully unpleasant She made a point of going into ail the sitting-out places un- der pretence of seeing that the lamp- shades are not taking fire—in reality to turn them up, and spoil all the pretty eve has fiirtations. Miss Kinsella is the village Tyrant—the Terror of the county. Closed doors and barred windows do not keep her out, and her tongue is as a sharp sword. She hasa fine, strong Irish brogue that ‘‘you could hang your hat on,’ as Jim said in a moment of and one great affection. Peter is the affection, and to see him exasperation— dancing with Miss Boring, ‘‘that dis- thracted ould maid, ’ as I regret to say has filled her rage. ‘‘Pether,’’ equipments as a she calls poor Miss Boring, withered breast with figged out in splendid red-haired Romeo, was surely worthy of a better fate! That he fled precipitately at the end of the quadrille gave his aunt sgmne small consolation. supper is over. So are the supper dances. ‘The usual programme has been again restored to its place. The fiddlers are in great form now, having been let loose one by one, to go into a room be- hind them, where an ample supper has been arranged by the committee for these most principal components of the even- Once more they are all in their p! prouder of mien than when they left, and eager to begin upon their instruments once more, Sweeter, wilder, shriller ring the notes. ing’s joys. 2CeS, They seem to carry all before them. The da cing is indeed at its height when Diz C] ifford, entering the ball-room wita old General Weekes, is accosted at the doorway by a small, very much_ be- painted and bedizened Amazon, whose petticoats are as neariy up to her knees us the laws of the Iand permit. She is quite a young woman and very pretty, and smiles at Diana out of two hand- some dancing eyes, thickly blackened about the lids, and with two lips as red she is fol- conspicu- meee can inate them. IeVY of young men, as ver m ] wed ] by ra ous among ‘a m1 is one, very tall and cark, who is looking rather intently at Mrs. Clifford. This young manis in plain clothes. ‘*Haven’t been able to get a word with you all the evening,’’ says Mrs. Dyson- Moore, in her excited, fast little way, and with a great deal of action. ‘‘Where have you been hiding yourself, and with whom? Better not ask that, I suppose. I want to introduce a friend to you.’ She gives a rapid glance over all her attendant swains, so rapid that Diana fails to know which among the crowd is the particular friend in question. **He’s staying with me, you know. Says he wants to meet you. Mutual acquaint- ances, I suppose?’’ Here she mutters hurriedly, ‘‘ Mr ——”’ (Diana cces not hear the name) ‘‘ Mrs. Clifford.’’ and storms away again, with her train no whit decreased, as during her pause with Diana she has managed to annex the old gercral. This @efection on the elderly warrior’s part leaves Diana alone, gazing blankly into the face of the tall young man in plain clothes, who is looking not a little umused. ‘*My name is Ker,’’ says he pleasantly, ‘‘Frederic Ker. We are cousins, I think.’’ Diana makes a little movement. The bolt has fallen then! This is the unwel- come suitor. This is Hilary’s fate. A second later she has sufficiently re- covered herself to acknowledge that, so far as appearance goes, Hilary’s fate is by no means to be despised. Frederic Ker, if not exactly an Adonis, is uncom- monly good-looking. He is a smart, well- A difficult | says Mrs. Cli into fiord, dropping the seat behind her. ‘Don’t be angry with me, taking a modest corner of gracefully | | says Ker, the lounge, and looking at her with beseeching eyes. **I would, believe me, be well out of all thie” ‘You mean——?”’ ‘That,’’ with extraordinary courage, | but the most perfect air—an air to dis- arm any one—‘‘it is detestable to me to see marriage with—’’ He hesitates. His eyes, however, are | perfec tly frank. Diana is conscious of the fact that she admires him. There certain- | ly is something honest about him. “Go on,’”’ says she. ‘‘I know. woman you do not love.’’ “With a woman Who does With a not love me! | That makes a stronger case.’’ | ‘I don’t know that. But,”’ says Diana | anxiously, ‘‘if there is no love on either side—for—any outsider—any third per- She breaks orf and looks at him earnestly. ‘‘You are heart-whole?”’ aakg she. son—’’ (To be continued. ) MESSAGE TO MEN, Proving that Tr _e Honesty and Trne Phi antre by Still Exist. If any man who is weak, nervous and debilitated, or who is suffering from any ofthe various troubles resulting from youthful! follv, excesses or overwoik, will take heart and write to me, I will send him confidentially and free of charge the plan pursued by which I was completely restored to perfect health and manhood, affer years of suffering from Nervous De- bility, Loss of Vigor and Organic Weak- ness, Ih ve nothing to seil, and therefore want no money, but as | know through my own experience how to sympathize with such sufferers, [am glad to be able to assist any fellow-beings toacure. I am well aware of the prevalence of quac mery for | myself was deceived and imposed upon until I nearly Jost faith in mank‘nd but I rejoice to say that Iam now perfecily wel, and happy once more and am desirons therefore to make this certain means of cure known toall. Ifyou will write to me you can rely upon being cured and the proud sat'sfaction of having been of great service toone in need. will be sufficient reward for my trouble. Absolute secrecy assured. Send 5c silver to cover portage and address Mr. Geo. G. Strong, North Roek wood, Mich. 135p&w. anette <eneetinnestio CHARLOTTETOWN -~- TO— Buy your tickets for Boston by the fast Steamer Halifax. W.W. CLARK, Ticket Agent KG... Cedar shingles Now landing from schooners ‘Jnjia Franklin.” ‘Mina Page,” “Mary Star of theSea,” and“‘Hare.? 1200 M Sawn Cedar Shingles, of the follow ng grades, viz.:— 200 M Fxtras. 200 M Clear, 520 M 2nd Clears, 196 MX Mo. ft. }OU M XXX White. 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