? “ Don‘t understand what ‘3”

as our agent in; this matter i”

that supports her in the style m which she
lives. But she does not do my will for mon—
)! ,
“Whatfor, then f” - .
“ My dear. Stoll, you degask temble ques
tions; and the'worst' of It is, that I can’t
answer them,” said O’Connel, leasantly.
“You can if you want to ?” toll returned,
bluntly. ', , _
» “Exactly! but it happens that I don’t
want to,” and O’Connel laughed in the face;
of thebroker. i

 

 
   

 

.suppose, as she is living on our money, it

.r ms   . .3. r, .
e. , m» t macho... MWAMMWM.-.~.... w.....mm. w

love to her ‘2” Stoll said, coarsely.  
“Yes, there is one objection,”0’Connel
replied, quietly. »
“ And that is it"
. “Myself.” '
, 4‘ Eh)?" 
- g, _‘,‘ Thisvlad «that we speak of; to please
 . me, has con ascended to act the part ofa
 lure, to entrap the. bird whose; wingswe
wish to clip; at as surely as I stand here,
so surely would I kill the menu—save one
alone—who should dare to speak of love to
her.” The tone of O’ConnelWas icy cold,

Stoll looked astonished. _

v
t
I

felt sure that he would keep his word,
should the event happen, thathe alluded to.

.“ I suppose the one man is yourself, eh ?”
Stoll said, after a few moments’ silence. ,

“ Perhaps so,” replied O’Connel, carelessly.

“ We had better. make an early call-on
Miss Chauncv, so as to get there before
Montgomery,” said Tulip, changing the sub-
ject.  “If once he has a chance to explain
his reason for riding with this stranger, .we
will have a difficult task in inflaming the
girl against him.”

“That is a , ood thought l” exclaimed
O’Connel, quickIy. , - ~ «

“By the way, we got a little information
out of Mongomery this morning that may
prove useful to us,” said Stoll. I .

“ What is it?” asked‘O’Connel. _ 

“ Since the abrupt departure of Catlin, his
banker, he has lost faith in the Wall street
gentlemen, and hereafter, he says, he is
going to keep his bonds «r and like valuables
in a safe in his own room.” «

“That is information, indeed l” . cried
O'Conncl, quickly. "‘ A 'safe in his own
room, eh Wand for a moment O’Conncl was
silent, apparently in deep thbught. “If he
should, be robbed some fine night it would
be a heavy blow,” he said, breaking the
silence.

“ The three looked at each other.
3 « “ Can it be done?” asked Stoll, mys-
teriously. r

“ When three determined men, with plen-
ty of money, set about accomplishing any
possible object, the chances are ten to one
that they will succeec ,” replied O’Conncl,
ambiguously. ‘

“He must have quite a sum in Govern
ment bonds; or, at least, I know that he
did have,” said Tulip. ,

“I'll think it ‘over. First, we’ll detach
him from this avenue belle; then, our next
blow will be at his money,” O’Connel said,
quietly.

“ W’e’ll call upon Miss Chauncy about
two,” Tulip said. .

“You will call, then?” O’Conncl asked,
with a side glance into the face of the young
man.

“ Yes," Tulip replied, and asks spoke, he
detected the look of the other, and a slight
flush tinged his cheeks.

“I’ll meet you. here, then, about three,”
O’Connel said, and then they parted.

“ Poor, silly moth l” muttered O’Connel,
as he watched the two proceed up the street;
“he flutters around the garish flame, hoping
‘ against hope. Ah, Tulip Roche, Frances
; Chauncy is not for you! Another has
; marked her for his‘owu, and the chances
l are that he will win her.” Then, for a mo-
,menf, hewas silent. Busy thoughts were
in his brain. .

.“ By Jove l” he cried, suddenly, “in all
my desperate ventures never have I had
such smooth sailing as this has been. If
my course lies through the reefs and amid
the tempest, it is, seemingly, far in the fu—
ture.” '

Leaving O’Connel to his meditations, we
will follow Tulip and Stol‘l.

“ What a deuced mystery he makes about
this girl,” grumbled Stoll. .

“ I saw by his eye, the moment you spoke,
that you had touched upon adelicate sub—
ject,” said. Tulip. .

“What do you suppose is the nature of
the tie between them?’ .

“ He is either her lover or she is his wife,”
replied Tulip. “I guessed one of the two
the moment I saw the girl.”

“ And that is the reason that she is willing
to perform this service for him ‘3“

fl YES.”

“But, why does he make a mystery out
of it ‘2” '

“ That’s hard to say,” replied Tulip,
thoughtfully. “This O‘Connel is a strange
fellow; not an ordinary man in any sense
of the word. He, himself, is ‘a mystery.
We have known him some time, Herman,
yet what do we know of him ‘3” ~
. “Nothing l” answered Stoll, after think~
mg for a. moment. ' '

“Exactly; in saying ‘nothing ’. you have
only spoken the truth. We know that his
name is Lionel O‘Connel, or, at least, that
he says it is. lVe have no proof that it is
his name. And his occupation, a writer for
the press; yet he is not known to be actual—
ly connected with any newspaper. Then,
again, he alwzyshas plenty of moncy—”

\ “ And I never saw one of these newspaper
fellows that ever had any money, before,”
interrupted Stoll, in his coarse way.

. “ Well, Lan’t suppose that their salaries
are very large, save in some few exceptional
cases,” Tulip said; “ but this man, apparent—
ly, has plenty of money, and spends it as
_ freel “as if he were worth a million.”

;  “ donlt understand it E” Stoll exclaimed,

- with a shake of the head; _ r ,, .:

“Nor I,” Tulip. said:.- ‘5 This O’Connel
has a quderful tray ofugetting his friends
to tell himsall about themselves, and yet he
keeps his own ~=history concealed. You

. never hear him speak of~what he has done

 

 

   
    
 
   
    
    
   
   
   
   
  
   
  
  
   
    
    
    
    
  
    
  
    
  
    
  
   
   
    
  
    
   
 
 
  
  
  
     
   

in the past.”  , -
“Never!” , V - 2 ‘
‘f He’s a strange fellow.” r i r
: “A! smart  one, though. That idea of

driving the carriage, with Montgomery and

this French girl in it, past her house was a

' ‘ capital one.” . ‘ . ~

» “ Yes, and it now rests .withx us.tcolench;

the nail that he has driven,” Tulip said. : ‘

 

asked.8toll,suddbnly. ‘ , 

1M?

“ Why, how is it thatishe is willing to act
“ Ah, hat’s‘a secret,” returned O’Connel,

evasively. ,.“ The girl is not rich, of course ;_g
for it is the money of the League of Three-

“ Well, she is‘a deuced pretty woman._. I"

won’t be any harm if I take a fancy to make:

no trace of passion, and yet bothhishearers -

 

“ About what i” '
“ Why,- cur plot. Is, the League of Three
goingtp accomplish. the objectmthat they

 ‘f I; think so,_”-replied Tulip, quietly, but .a
gleam of fire was In his eyes as he spoke.

In imagination he saw An us Montgomg
cry, a broken manwruined a ike in fortune
and in mind. _ _. -~ 

Even the dayodream, of ven sauce was
sweet; what then would the res it . be? ,

, Such was the, question that Tulip Roche
asked himself.  - . _ - '

Herman Stoll was not thinking of venge-
ance; «his mind was filled with thoughts of

- the beautiful girl, who was. called th

. Countess of Epernay. -

The broker was trying. to, think of some
plan by means-of which he could discover
who and what she really was. , One of the
League wished to stab the chief of the Three.

 

QGIIAPTER XV.“ ‘ g
, , , a, Tnsusrmanr LIEJ 
Tomes-rid Stell Went tollinchq'
Then, lunch oven-they took their way to
the residencevofFranccs Chauncy. ., 
“ Don’t you feel a slight reluctance to call
upon. this , girl, after the way she has treated
you I?” asked, Stoll, as they approached the

“No,” replied Tulip, after hesitating for
'a moment, as if thinking the question over.
,“ Well, I don’t know; I think I should.”

“You donlt understand my feelings,”

Tulip said, slowly. “I love this rgirlgas I
have never-loved any other woman; I do
not think that she-is to blame in thematter.‘
Montgome is one of that kind of men
whom the worldcalls fascinating. He has
paid devoted attention tothe girl. Ido not
think that she really knows her own mind.»
She, does not understand what love really
is——,’  3,w: y .,,
“ My dear boy,” interrupted Stoll, ,“ I,
never-saw a woman yet that did. They
thinkthat theyrloye a fellow until another
one comes along, and then they suddenly
discover that, they likeNumber Two b .:ttcr
than Number One; then they likeNumber
Three better than Number Two, and so on
it goes, to the end of the chapter,”

“ My dear friend Stoll, I‘m sadly afraid that
your knowledge of women is limited, or else
you havebeeu unfortunate in your acquaint-
ance,” said Tulip, drylg. r »

Theirarrival at the hauncy mansion put
an end to. the conversation. ~ . g, _,

Entering the house, they were ushered in-
to the parlor.

In a few minutes Frances Chauncy step-
ped into the room.

The manner in which she greeted Tulip
showed signs of embarrassment.

“ We called, Miss Chauncy, to ask how
you have been since your return to the city,”
said Stoll.

“ Oh, quite well, thank you,” replied
Frances, with her sweetest smile.

If the blonde beauty was suffering from
an attack of the healmche,one would nev-
er have guessed it by lookingr'atiher face.

Her round, baby-like features were as
placid as eve;  lilo traces of emotion could
‘ ,8 full: ,“lue eyes. I
vc calle sooner, but I have
 doWn-t‘own, getting my

   
  
  

 

 

"‘ W'cll, what do: you  about it i’”; ;.

affairs in Orflgr,”f Said'tStoll.
“I expected: you,” Frances said, f‘ and I
have been _, really quite surprised that you,
Mr. Roche—such a near neighbor, too—-
haven’tcalled upon us before.”
“roman—like, She was not content to let _
the man a  whose suit she had repulsed. A
She wishe ,‘himisfi _
her shrine,although with her own lips she:
had told him that she was promised unto
another. T) v ' "
It is so hardfor some women to give up
their old levers, even When they are plighth
toanewonc.‘ \f T ‘  ‘.
“I beg ten thousand pardons f 
lect,” said quickly; “ but?
really,'made%n agnglc call since I
from‘fiewpdrt.” z ‘ ‘ “

  

The mangng said that a lover feeds on“! .7

air, and, liké‘ the chameleon, changes his»
color at turn of the wind, uttered. a truth.

The few simple words of Franceseéiiad
kindled new hope in the breast of Tulip.
“He again hoped to win the woman who al-
ready had broken faith with him, as if she
could be trusted a second time! But love
is a. madness that changes sensible men in—
to idiots. » , .

“Neither have I,” said Frances. “I sup-
pose, tlmugh, that the city and the people
look about the same as usua .’,’.

“ Oh, yes; quite the same,” replied ' Stoll,
y'hosc conversational powers were not bril-

iant. » . -

“ Have you seen anyof our friends late~
1y?” asked Frances, carelessly. ,

The tone did not deceive Tulip; his wits
were keen enough, except when love blind-
ed his eyes. ,

‘ He knew that-Frances Spoke in reference
to Angus Montgomery when she put. the ap-
parently careless question. - r

“ YES,” Tulip said. “ I met Mr. Mont-
gomery and Mr. O’Connel to-day. They
were just going for a drivein the Park.”

Frances’ eyes were cost down upon the
floor, and she tapped her little foot upon the
carpet softly.

There wasa question that she was Very
anxious to ask, and yet she did not know
how to word it. .

, Stoll saved her the trouble.

‘fgllidMontg-omeryand O’Connel have a
lady with them when you saw them ‘3".
Stoll asked. - ‘

It was the question that Frances wished
to put. ‘ -_  . ~

I f‘ Who was»thelady ?” Frances» asked,
andgrshe did notraise her eyes from the our-
pct as she put the question.

“ The Countess of Epernay.”

- f" A countess!" and Frances raised her
gaze-«from the floor. in astonishment.

5‘ Yes,” Tulip answered. , “ She, is the
daughter. of a-French count-who was killed
in this war now raging in Europe. Of
course she deesn’t:.pretend to any‘title here.
She is only plain Miss. Epernay. I believe
she intends tomake her future home in this
country.” L .3 ,

“ Yes, I‘ve heardall about her i" exclaim-
ed Stoll. .“ She is a most beautiful girl, and
hasturned. the heads of all the young men.”
; “‘ And who is the especial favorite—that
18, If she has any 1?” asked Frances; coldly ;,
yet there was a bright tinge of scarlet burn—E
ing in her cheeks. ; ., -

i “ Why, haven?t you heard ‘3" asked Stoll,
apparently greatly astonished. .. ,, ~

. “No,” :replied Frances. - ~ ‘ . :

: Then she-looked at Tulip; His eyes were
bent upon the licence. if he wished to avoid

her-glance». »   g » . , - I

By. Tulip’s manner, Frances guessed the

name thatchewas, aboutto hear. -

 will

is

 

 

 

 

 

 

, _ blood.

~ stinging notifies, or something  so "that

to bow in homage at I;

 
 
 
    

 

“Why, it‘s Montgomery, you know—Mr.
Angus, Montgomer. 31’ Stoll said. , “They
were out ridin in t e Bark tovether to-day.
MLO’COnnel inew the lady" n Paris,,und
he. ave MOntgomery' the introduction.” , -

rances was conscious that her .face was
betraying her. Shecould not conceal her
annoyance.  _ ,. 7 ._

The little white teeth almost met in the
scarlet lip, and their po'intstvere tinged with

Stoll had glanced, out ofithe window after
he had finished hiss gechmnd therefore her
agitation escaped hfgnotice, while Tulip
kept his eyes fixed upon‘the floor, as if he
did not wish to: yonjo ~ the triumph of .
hearing that therman-r-w 0 had supplanted
him had now forsaken the treasure he had 'g
so mils wow v   :5;      ‘ I .

In: heir Ehehiigt F,_jancsis; Qipimxiiy thanked ;
Tuliplfor'his éonsit eiatibn‘. ‘ She was grater
ful..for his mercy.    _   _ g , _

" ~One taunting ftbnfliiim Would have?
flushed her face with tears.)

“ I expeCti’the Wedding‘will be a grand af-
fair.” Stoll.~said, finding that'no one s oke.

“ The wedding 2” Frances. exclaimet ,svin a
voice that ,trembled in spite of her efforts to
appear unconcerned. , .

“ Yes, of edursea—‘grand affair—you know
——everybody is anxious for an invitation i".
cried Stoll, ibly. '

l , 

“ Indeed !g and Franceselevated her eye-
brotvs, She was beginning to .getvovcr the
emotions that led to tears and experience,
those that led to a oer. . , , . V ‘ .

" Yes, of course: it will be the wedding of
the season. I expect Tulip, here, will be the.
bridegroom’s best. man.” .

“ Is that ssible, Tulip ?”/askcd Frances.

Tulip nodded his head. He couldnot lie
as easily asthe broker; his education had
not been finished in Wall street.

“ Then there is no doubt about it ‘3" Fran-
ces said. > v

“ None in the world. She’s a beautiful
girl; lucky fellow, Montgomery, to secure
such a treasure,” said Stoll, who lied _with
ease and grace, the result of long experience
in the Stock Exchange.

“ When is the wedding to take place ‘3”
Frances’ usually mild blue eyes were flash-
ing with unwonted fire. ' . ~

“ Ah, I can’t tell you that. In fact, I
don’t believe, that it is fixed yet. Montgom—
ery doesn’t even wish that, the fact of the
engagement should be made public. Only
a few of his friends know of it. ‘ Of course,
when I said that everybody was anxious for
‘ an invitation, I meant everybody that knows
about it. In truth, I believe that Mont—
gomery denies the fact except- to a few inti-
mate fricnds, like Mr. Roche and myself.
Of course, seeing what we have seen of his
attention to the lady, he couldn‘t very well
deceive us,” and Stoll looked wise. _ '

“ It seems to me that it is very sudden,“
said Frances, thoughtfully.

“ Oh, yes i" cried Stoll ; “love at first
sight, you know—oyer head and ears.
Never saw a man so—if you’ll pardon the
expression-30 spoonv, in all my life i"

“ I hope maybe/1,1,1 be happy, for I have
always liked  Montgomery, I
mean,” said Frances, yainly striving to ap-

pear calm. ‘ . _ '
~ “Of course,“ Stoll, replied. “She’d: like
‘ bed, or E

 

 

to put red-hotecoals’. in his world,

won d make them deuced uncomfortable,” ‘
he mentally added ' » r I   a

“ Come, Herman, _ we mustabe, going,”
'said'Tulip;-rising. . '7 1  _; 

VIP: y call again, gentlemen,” 
 she acco   ied'them to the hall.
1,.” Of coumeMe‘igglited," ss’d; Stoll, gal-z-
?‘lantly. - '  ‘ ‘ ~ ,
“ And Talluysii will,th .; ,.« .

friend,” Frances.sa,1d,,m a' -

 
 
   

 

and she extehjdéq he; hand . ‘ 
Stoll was helfcway down  steps, 

.- V his back discreet-l,“   I I.

 
  
  
    
 

    

k.    
r - atedr gleaming,"-
“ Good—b .” ’V y,  ,  I _  g  'i _  _, , ,_. , .-

Then ulip closed-,3h‘efiborfind" Frances
was alone with her Sad'thoughts.

Slowly she returned to the parlor.

An album on the center-table caught her
e res. -

3 She opened it and from it- took a picture.
It was the likeness of Angus Montgomery. ’
. All the anger of her nature was roused- at
the sight of the handsomefsceof the man
who had proved false to her.

“Strange howfamiliar the face of that ,
girl, who was .with him in the carriage, was 
to me. She is the woman who has won, the
love—no not the love—~” and her lip curled,
“ but the fickle fancy of thisrman, whom I
thought I loved. Now I hate him l"

Frances stamped her foot, in anger, and
her fair brow was wrinkled by many an
ugly frown.

It was not strange that the face of the
woman, known as the Countess of Epernay,
was familiar to Frances. She had seen her
many a time. But, she never guessed that
the richly-dressed girl, attired in the hight
of fashion, who rode by the side of her
lover, was the humble music-teacher, Leone
Basque. _ g ’

Silks and laces work wondrous change in
(this world, sometimes. '

“Ande have felt his kisses on my lips,
and believed that he lovedme. I have given
upmy lips to him, freelymkisscd him as I
have never kissed any one else. Oh! I
could cry with shame and vexation when I.
think of it i” * _ ,

Frances paced up and down the, parlor,
half in tears, half in anger. _ ‘ -,

Then she halted and looked again
picture. -

“ I‘ll tear it to pieces 2’? she cried. ,

j“ No, Frances, don’t do that; give it to

~mel" said Agatha Chauncy, who had just
entered the room and overheard the Words
of her sister. ~ , ’ _.

“ You heard what I said ?" asked Frances,
with flaming eyes. _

C V s

 

   

at. the

“ Take his picture, then,” and she tossed
it contemptuously toward her. “I know
why you wish it! Iknow your secret!
You loveAngus Montgomery 2"

(To be continued—Coan in No. 49.)

DB. WM. ransom Tourism. ‘ x

A new, story by this favorite writer and most
graphic delineator of heart life, will soon be intro-
..duccd. It is aromanCc of New England Life, full of
passion, pathos, and that power which springs from
a strong motif. Dr. Turner-jg not a prolific'writer.
gsuch studentsofhuruan nature never 8.33.; Hence,
{what he writes "is like a carefully-painted,picture,
finished in allits parts and quite; perfect as a whole.
Readers may anticipate the publication of the new
aerial asa great pleasure in store for them.

 

 

 

come. ,

" it, I almost " piaclefaj fool cf myself, andwas

[ting better as fast as he bould, and every one
but himself could see it.

fore, I bought the estate at auction.”

. drel,” be though; “partly for my love of

' than having

pr Lo
 treettot‘h’ie ‘
sense

.or ‘Zmore : industrious “Woman. never lived;
couldn’t tell, tisepres‘ent abode offlie widow,

pffiessed of therhappyoknowledg ,sent her
1

   
 
   

A.  itself in a stragglnifgg lane, Placing a (lime
"irinaéfifhe child’s hand, it .hadggthe magic effect.

i playing in a corner, completed the scene.

child in the cradle, cried;

, dress, get up and try to soothethe mother’s
grief. I think the young lawyer must have

and, requested er to ive him the,history

sage. ,_ ‘  rden.
ailing“

“

believe that every thing wasdone honestly:-

  

Bought g1 Auction,

in: n. wnunonu.

 

“Two thousand dollars! “How did you
ever get such a paradise for so small a
sum ‘9”  y ; , , _
“Bought it at _ailction,sir,'bo1wl_it it at
auction, ’ replied Mr. Jones, rubbing Ills
hands together, with a low chucklc,.an’d-
then adding, as he observed his companions *
face, to be sure of his ground,“‘.1t all came
aboutthihway; ‘, ' . _

“ “ .10 Clark and I were great friends, and
the very day I 1 ersuadcd him ‘.to buy this
spot of land ‘1 ad ‘a‘strange idea that it
micrht yet be mine. 1N0 one knew as well,
as how he Worked day and night to finish
this lovely Cottage, or that theioverexertion
was what brouvht on his fatal disease. But
I was With lum, sir, to the last. Callged
night and morninggoing to work, to in-
quire for the slightest improvement wills
conditio‘ ‘, ,we}l knowing that it would never;

[But ‘one day, when he was very
weak,‘Jo;Said to “me:  ' ‘  . ‘

“ ‘ Don’t you think I ought to make a will,
Seth, to save the wife and little ones from.
being cheated, in case—«in case any thing
should happen f’" ' _ ' y

“ His voice trembled so, and he looked at
me so beseechingly that, would, you believe

goino" to tell‘him todo so, when I remem- ;
bered that no uncoverput, a, good thing in
my way; so I said fer him not to trOuble 
head with such nonsense, that he was get-

When I called
nextmorning he was dead.”

“Miserable dog 2”

“ Sir— ?” r .

y, “ Only a troublesome net that the Warm
evening has brought to ife,” explained the
gentleman; “pray .proceed,l am quite in»
forested.” ' y ‘ _ ,

“ As a younn‘ lawver I thought you might
be,” returned Illr. Jones, with a reflecting
face, “but really I don’t know as I have
any thing more to tell, except as I said be—

“ And what did the ninny of a widow do
with herself ‘5” ,, -

“ I can’t stay, but I think she went to live
in the city; some wretched place no doubt,
for I believe she came of a low family.”

“You could give no idea of the locality,
I so pose ?”

“ don’t think I could,” returned Mr.
Jones, his cunning eyes getting very small
and bright indeed.

The men parted, Seth Jones to feel a dis-
positidn for biting his own tongue, and Law-
rence Chester to muse as he sauntercd on in
the dusk, enjoying his cigar, how readily
people inferred a lawyer relished trickery,
no matter how base its nature.

’ “ I’d like to punish that miserable scoun-

justice, and to begin my practice the way I
intend to continue it. I never had a case
yet, but better make one than be idle.
Here goes it then, old boy 1” ,

He threw his cigar away, and, turning
abruptly. on This heel, retraced his steps and

 

prenentgy’iyas yinging the bell of the second
cottage rdm use one thatfhad been bought
for we thousand dollars. Could the lady
tell him where widow Clark had removed
to?  y _

'~ “3503’ she was "sorry to say-the young
such a dultivated v0ice———for
 but a few months there,
egg family of children very
_ ~ ‘ Wfor calling on her neigh-
bors. _  leshéitcll  fore Mrs. Clark‘
 V ‘  n ‘ ’_”ves, the third

Mrs. Cl,

    
   

, 

 

fonudvgto‘  111‘s. "Clark ycry well, and
d leaveto say that a sweeter tempered

' Maecommended him to tr  Num-
%0 forwarded" him to” -  l’ he being

 

,  boy to pbimtwout to the pdl‘sunsive
voice a poor, unprinted house, standing by

    

of making blind; . u , ‘ hrktantl r, without
even a common 9‘ 1‘ ' you,’1an£ the gen-
tleman was left” standing in the shadow.
The unusual warmth of the cvenin had
caused them .to set the door open, an thus
the scanty interior was revealed. By the
light of -a well—trimmed lamp, a little girl,
between twelve and thirteen years old, in a
black dress,lsat,crochcting. busily. A child
in a cradle gave vent to a sick, fretful cry,
when notkept in continual motion by the
little worker’s foot, and'two small boysfi

Observing a woman’s figure coming toward
the poor abode, the roung man drew back
so far into the sha ow that she went in
without observing him or knowing that he
followed her as far asthc darksome thresh-
old. The little girl looked up with patient,
questioning eyes, and the mother said, do-
spondingly; - ‘

“ Nofillabel, i didn’t get it, because they
were so busy preparing for a New Year’s
party to-morrow. They said they would
pay me Saturday night.” _ I

She tried to smile, and was about to turn
up the lamp a little brighter, when the

“' Mamma, me orange ?”
Fife, Jessy, no; poor momma got no mo-
nev. ' . ’ ~ I .
“ An‘ ain’t we going to have no supper?”
asked one of thedittle boys, disconsolately.
In vain did the patient widow try to
swallow and gulp; the great lump in her
throat grew bigger and bigger, till at last
she burst into slit of tears that shook her
chair with their vehemcnce. It was really
wonderful to see the little girl in the black

fallen in love with. her there and then, for
he stooped. .down, and gently slid some—
thing shining along thc floor to theirvery
feet, then another, andaanother, and then
got up again  ran away in a very unlaw—
yerlike manner;- stopping attire corner of
the lane to wipe his cyesand pretend it was
the wind; _ w .»   - , ‘ . x
TheNew Year’s morning brought Law-
rence Chesterzto. the widow’s door again,
but this time he, entered, and after impress-
ingthe Ilt‘l’de.CFOChEtflVOI‘keP—WhO was as
busy as though shellad never left off since

‘ 0

last night—With the sweetness of his tones,
he to the widow hehad reason to believe
she had been defrauded out of her property,

of how she be. pth [with the pretty cot-
Sirg’i she began, “I have tried to;

butwhen I remember that thejplacecost us
between five _;__,and;‘ six , thousand .dollurs, it

 

VPNSC‘MIM tilelovers-‘tof fiction.  ; » :

   

~ ‘ ‘ 

b

seems the poor children ought to have some
thing out of it,”  

“ ud‘voua‘have had: notlsng ‘a”

“Absolutely nothing, sin, I trusted cn-
tirelv to Seth Jones, and he advised me to
let him administer; to the estate, which I
did, and he made outan inventory of all we
possessed, and appraised every thin at a
third of its roper value, which I ogected
to, but he to d me» it Was all right, and I
blindly let him do every thing, as he would,
thinking he was 'such’a sincere friend. We
had a two-thousanddollar mortgage on the
cotta e, and the court orderedsthe estate to
be sofd, and Mrs‘Jones made all the arrange-
ments for the sale, setting the‘dny for the
third of last Febrhary. When it came,
there was a cutting storm ofsnow and elect,

and I wanted the. sale, postpones, but he .

would not hear of such a thing, and said I
would lose more thanhe coul  tell if I in-
sisted on it. As. might ‘;-be’ ekpficted, there
was not half a dozen :men .at-sthe sale, and
the place was knocked: down to Seth Jones
for just enough to pay the mortgage. I
sold my furniture to pay the funeral'ex-
penscs——-the doctor... with more than kind-
ness, forgave me his dues.”

“ You have all the papers connected with
this scandalous strain} presume?” .

L “ No, sir, I never saw one of them; they
are in Mr. Jones’ possession; but let me say,
if you are a laWyer, sir, that, with many
thanks to you, I must decline taking the
case into court, ‘for I have no means what-
ever for prosecuting it.” , , . , ‘

‘“ I am a laWyer, Ire. Clark, but so newly
arrived at that dignity that I have as yet
been troubled with no case whatever, but if
{you will allOw me to prosecute this rascal
for his fraudulent misstatements, I will bring
you out successful or ,never take another
case. In the event of failure I will pay the
costs myself, so you shall not be troubled
anyway. ,‘ J , . , ’ ' I

In spite, of this generous offer, Lawrence
Chester” had much ado to persuade the
widow , to prosecute the schcmmg Jones;
she, in common with man ' other amiable
people, regarding the law With more distrust
“than cenfidence. But, atlenvth, her reluc-
tant consent was ained, and than the young
lavs'ye'r set to wor { with the zest of a hungry
man on a finei'joint of juicy beef. ,

On being summoned, Seth Jones was
found to have made over the cottage to his
wife, but this did not save him any more
than the ablcst counsel he could obtain did;
for the. young lawyer besides having right
on his side, made such clear points, was so
eloquent of speech, that his fortune was
made from his first appearance in court as a
solicitor, and he was over afterward known
by the appellation ofsilver-tongued Chester.

The Order of the court was revoked, the
sale declared ‘null and void, hi,  Clark
made administratrix, and a lenient riend of
the lawyer found to take up the old mort~
gage and return the sale money- The costs
of the case, together with a heavy fine, fall-
ianr on the miserable Jones, he made his

‘ out from the court of justice with barely
\cnough to remove to another State, where,

if he did not entirely repent his treachery,
he never again dared to influence another
auction sale. '

The widow moved back to her pretty
cottage, wondering, with a few thankful
tears,lhow her poor things came to look 
well in it.

The lawyer, although not overburdened
with riches himself, was yet well connected,
and he so interested his friends in dire:
Clzu'k’swelfare, that she was obliged in a
short time to employ two young women to
help her in the work they sent her. Law~
rence was their constant visitor, and it came
very naturally after a time, when he asked
the widow toallow him, as a favor, to place
in her parlor an old piano, that greatly
cumbercd his office. How could Mrs. Clark
refuse a favor to sucha friend? She strong-
ly surmised that the piano never saw his
office, but she was a discreet widow, very
discreet, indeed! ,

The piano came, and with it, quite fro~
qucntly, young Chester himself, and it fell

out that patient little Mabel became his"

pupil so aptly that in three years she was
Willing and competent to take a few. young
scholars he brought her.

Ah, me! in those long, quiet evenings did
not the lawyer’s clear eyes teach the little
maiden, looking uppto him so trustingly
and innocent, something more than chords
and scales, more than major and minor
kevs ?

But he was an honorable man ; and, say-
ing to himself over and over again, “ She is
only a child, I must not take advantage of
her innocence,”he worked himself up to the
resolve of s ending two years in travel.
His flourishing business would permit it
now; so, when Mabel was sixteen, he took
himself off and gave her an opportunity of
forgetting him by not uttering a word of
the lagging steps that. carried him from her.
How anxiously he told off the days from
his self-inflicted exile, and with what eager-
ness he sprung up the little path to the cot-
tags when it was over, and met the beauti-
ful pale face, so full of welcome, yet afraid
to show its joy. , -

Of how he told her that his going away
was only a test to try her young love, and
of her happy tears; of how the mortgage
on the cottage had all been paid off with

her teaching and her mother’s sewing, I will

only say that one evening was not half long
enough to tell it in, nor was a week nor a
month long enough to acquaint the lover
with all the beautiful traits thefiwo years
had developed in his pretty Mabel; so he
concluded she must be his bride at once.
Her- mother urged him to wait till the
spring; but he said he must be married be-
fore the year was out, and on the night that.
six years ago, he first saw his 'darling’s face
so sweet andmild. So they were married
on NewYear‘s Eve, with great regoicings in
the pretty cottage, that was not bought at
auctionafter all. , w . .

 

Schools and Students
will find in the list of Besdle‘s Dime Publication:
books of great practical excellence. The Dim»: DIA<
moons and the Draw ,Sruxnns have won a National

celebrity. Their merits stand confessed by the ex-

traordinary dcmandd‘or them. » Teachers and pupils
alike commend them—Ahoy are so thoroughly avail
able and so uniformly good. Each little volume is
complete in itself, and gives, in. nest form, for ten
cents, what is usually sold for one dollar. Schools
and classes supplied at class ratesfltwelve for one.
dollar. Single copies ten cents. Semi for specimen
copy. ' -

. ' ‘ ~3 :..: 

“'e have, in preparation, soon to apmsrm ro-
numce from the vigorous pen of the popularly,
:Willinm, Mason Turner, dealing with Newsfingiand

life and  actor. It will add numbness-themati-
her of brillianls which it has been our‘pledeureuo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.”, , ..
tr .1?!

 

'Ffluh.

.3