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iCOfTBIAHT, BOBECT B CHAPTER XIIL I (Continued.) "Oh. come now, Dick, dear, don't be j jealous and tly into a passion in a < breath!" said the girl, laughing, as she clasped her hands upon his arm and lifted her face nearer his. "Just because I happen to speak of a man, too! You needn't be jealous of him, 1 assure you. You wouldn't be, either, if you knew. I told you once, but men are so forgetful. Beatrice!" She turned aside for a moment, touching the arm of a girl near her. "Don't tell Alecia?it would only annoy her?but look behind you, down toward the end of the platform. John Winthrop himself! Just suppose they go on our eteamer? What will we ao;Beatrice Field, with the old flash In her eyes and new color in her cheeks, obeyed Kathryu's direction. A curve of scorn cauie upon her lips. She drew herself up haughtily, answering her friend. "There is no doubt of its being John ."Wiuthrop," she said coldly. "One could uot easily forget him, Kathryn? especially with our reason for remembrance. If he goes on our steamerwell. if he goes on our steamer?I may be wicked, but I cannot help it?I hope that the boat will sink in midocean, even though we sink too! There! You look horrified, Mr. Chester, but I cannot help It. That man over there Isn't fit to live! He killed Alecia's husband just as truly as though he had used pistol or knife! Can you blame me for hating him? To think of the sorrow she has endured because of him!" "Who is he?" persisted Kathryn*3 lover in an undertone, as Beatrice turned away to hide from them the i passion of her face. And the woman listening bent near- : er still, holding her breath lest she ! fail to hear, clutching about her shiv- j ering form, the folds of her long, dis- j guising mantle. The eyes behind the ; ?'1 rrlrkurinc nnrl hpr lins i iiiica % en " tic .? *"t)i -v- ?x were parted, the white teeth set close Within. i "Who is he?" repeated Kathrvn, innocent of any wrong intention, in her strong words to her friend, lifting her indignant eyes to his. He had drawn ! her back to his side, and they were quite alone in the midst of the crowd. "Have you forgotten so soon, Dick, dear? Before I marry you you must learn to be patriotic and defend my friends, you know. Who Is he? Why." she turned her head as though she feared some breath of wind might spread the news to the ears of the man In the distance, her bright face peeping out beside her lover's shoulder like a flower, "he is the John Winthrop in the Palmer Earle case'agalnst Alecia's husband. He just the same oo mnr/lnrn/1 him rAll lrnnw!" - *V. "Oh!" said her lover, his face darkening as though reflecting the girl's In-, dlgnation. ."Yes, I remember, Kate! Deuce take him! If I come across him I'll remind him of that too!" But who of them all noticed the woman who stood almost .touching them, shivering In her heavy mantle as though she were very cold or stricken by some violent disease? pS'Vl" _____ jtj _ CHAPTEK XIV. ' - > - ^ , OX THE "ZINGABA" AGAIN. The Babylon stage rumbled out of Fire Island avenue upon the dock and paused for the passengers to alight. The Zingara lifted and fell upon the waves at the pier. The horse car was hurrying down to meet the boat, and those passengers from the stage made haste to board the little steamer and choose their scats. Miss Boss Catherwood, yet boarding j at the Surf Hotel, came across upon j the steamer to meet the friends, who, j returning from Europe some three weeks previously, had also engaged board at the Surf, because Alecia jeemed desirous to be near the sea aud among the old scenes of her happiness. Miss Catherwood was so iuipatient for the steamer to reach the iiock that Lane Leland, beside her, of "course, declared that it was all he could do to prevent her from jumping overboard and attempting to swim to land. But then Mr. Leland took occasion tc tease Miss Catherwood, ivhpnpvor onnortunitv offered, to re pay her for her many cruelties to him, the most unkind of all these being her utter disregard of his happiness by refusing to marry him before the next November. "There they are!" cried Miss Catherwood, excitedly, clasping her hands around her lover's arm with the tiniest, most delicious pressure, and then reaching forward to drag Alecia up on deck, her pretty face glowing with delight. "Oh, Mrs. Graham! You dead, dear, darling thing! How well you look?but then you always are well! You don't know how I have simply lived on your letters! They were so delightful. I have them all? every one? and, ohL how jealous. Lane 2 NodcI. KATE LUDLUM., unnsb's Soss. 1893.1 i> o.' you! I l;aow lio is nshaint '1 of ii himself. but ho would r.ot ncknowlttl.70 tii:: i: you urajr.;o?l him about tied to liia In t Is of wild horses, as those horrid 1:1011 in the old times used to do! But I don't believe I could have lived without your letters, you dear!" "I can scarcely credit that," said Alecia. smiling brightly upon the small chatterbox with the warm heart, "when you so easily forget our compact of calling me just simple Alecia. But 'Just Little Me' could not fail to be sweet with her sweet heart. Tou don't know how much you are to be congratulated. Mr. Leland, in having secured Bess to yourself." "Oh. but I don't feel at all secure." said Lane Lelaiul, laughing. "No one over could feel secure in relation to Bess, Mrs. Graham. But you are looking well, and it is good to have you back again. Of course you had a good time abroad?" "Of course they did!" retorted Bess, scornfully. "Don't ask such commonplace questions, Lane. Everybody iroes abroad nowadays, and everybody has a good time, though they wouldn't tell you so for worlds. It is such a horrid fashion to be too languid to enjoy anything. I simply cannot be fashionable to that extent, and I'll not try to. As tnough fashion shall tell me what I shall like and what I shall set aside! It's aosurd. I am able to think for my own self, and approve of myself, and like what. I want to. Nevertheless you did have a lovely time, girls', and Paris was the same old dear, and the shops made your hearts ache?If you have any hearts left? and you have come back to the Surf to rest and get yourselves comfortably Americanized before next winter. It is so nice to have you?every one of you! As for Cora, why, I shall get jealous of her right away, because she has already begun to flirt with Lane, having 110 one better. You heartless coquette! Weren't you wicked enough before you went to Paris, that you must come back crammed full of side glances and sly smiles and wicked, wicked dimples? As though anybody could help falling inextricably in love with you without them! Of course, you lost your heart to one of those horrid foreign creatures: it would be Just like you to do it, only I won't acknowledge you if you did. That's run down to the ground so low that I am almost ashamed to accuse you of it, you poor dear!" She paused for breath, laughing with them at her own volubility, but so happy that, like a pleased child, she must vent her feelings in many words and innumerable little loving pats and dimpling smiles and flashes from under her curled black lashes. For Miss Bess Catherwood was as wicked as of old, with her pretty, betT'ifniyinp' vrnva. that won her friends in spite of their professed scorn of her frivolity. Then pray don't accuse me of it, Bess," said Cora, easily, a strange deepening of her color and drooping of the silken lashes, "for I come back to you with Just as whole a heart as I went away. I could not do anything else, you Unpw, bping patriotic, though I nfust confess that" dear, lovely, gay Paris almost won me over. We had two such winters there, Bess Catherwood!" "And Corienhe had so many admirers!" added Beatrice, laughing. "It was quite wicked to tear her away. There was a regular mob down at the station to see us away?to see her away. Even the Parisian beauties had to acknowledge that an American can have eyes and lips and color. Oh, I heard lots of little stage whispers and by-plays, you know! I always do. It's my vocation, I think, lint Paris was delightful, of course." "And even the sen-sickness couldn't I alarm you!" added Corn, wickedly. Beatrice laughed. Iier eyes were brilliantly black now, glancing along the water toward the island in the distance. Her thoughts traveled more swiftly than the steamer, knowing who would meet her there. "Yes." she said, "even the ocean sickens Cora, though I was ill but one day. Lots of the passengers were incliued to be homesick. I can tell you. and wish that they had never been tempted away from land. Poor T- * !? Fsneel.illv tilings: 11 >viis (miuviivi ? v after Katbryn's cruelty to Dick Chester! He tried so patiently to win her over to remaining In Rome, you know. But even the sea-sickness wouldn't daunt her. She would he married in America, she said, or nowhere; so, of course, poor Dick chose the least of these evils." "And Marlon is to be married in October!" said Bess, reflectively, speaking rather shyly, because she stood considerably in awe of Marion's calm, immovable natureand ironical speech. "And Althea came home with her fceart. too: and Bee and Frances. I am so clad to know that not one of you sold your hearts for a coronet or a jewel in the hair. I snould so have jlospisod you. though 1 wouldn't. Maybe, have tohl you so. Lane says I a:u always telling people mean things, but I only say the truth, and if that's mean. I don't make it so." Ah'cia smiled kindly upon the pretty, brightly colon d face beside her. laying her hand over the small hand on the railing. 4 UaIa wno nrmiie'tnlr ho?1 lit! fill 111 her dove-gray dress anil delicate bonnet of lace. Every, hing abuot her seemed infused with her personality and became parts of herself. Her friends sometimes said that things turned to perfect womanliness from mere contact with her. But Alecia always smiled at this lavish praise from her friends. Iler sunny hair under the dainty bonnet was touched to spun gold as the sunlight fell upon it from across the water, but her eyes were still of their oid even violet blue. The smile upon her face was almost the old smile, for an instant dazzling her friends. Even strangers upon the boat watched her with fascination. "And little Boss is to be married in November." said Alecia. softly. "I nnt fnv omlcq v.-hon T lvml th sweet heart under the naughty eyes that old summer. Three years ago, little Bess?think of itl That is a long time to keep your lover waiting." The lovely color mounted even to the girl's dark hair, and touched the soft lace at her throat. The wide, black eyes were shy, now lifted to her friend. They spoke each to the other, and no one else heard. "But I wanted to he very, very sure," said the pretty child-woman shyly, "that I really did care only for him, Alecia, and he for me; because," who could resist those sweet, pleading eyes or the trembling red mouth or that hint of a dimple about the lips, "everybody said I was too thoughtless^ you know, to care for any one for long, and I wouldn't for anything marry Lane if I wouldn't love him always, for it would make me so unhap.... fl.inl.lni, T mot" hnvn L-or.t him j?.> , iuiuoiub >?' ?? * ???... x from loving some one else. An then, too." the light in Alecia's eyes was very tender now, "I couldn't bear to think of being married without you to tell me you were glad, you dear, sweet thing! And so I just told Lane how I felt, and when I came to you. lie said that he was willing to wait for that as well as I. So you see we do truiv love you, Mrs. Graham. I could not help loving you, you know," a flutter along the tender words, a flicker of intense light in the sweet, wide lifted eyes, "after your kind words to just little me the day you went away, when you ought not to even have thought of me in your own terrible trouble. But you don't know how I love you for it, dear Mrs. Graham?you don't know!" ! "If I helped you at all, Bess, dear," said Alecla, gently, the light in her eyes that her friends cared to see, "it makes me happy to know it. The warm heart under your naughty words made me fear a heartache later 1 u aIIsvyttasI fn r>/\rr\a fn tha UUll'KS 11 H CI C anuti cu IV X.V/UIV ?V vmv sunlight. Sunshine as well as tears, dear. And you are sure now that you do love Lane, and will not keep him from loving some one else, by and The wide, black eyes searching the tender face found only love in the questioning, and gave frank answer, as Bess Catherwood must always give Alecia Graham. "I am so sure," she said, simply and sweetly, a new note in the pretty voice, as there was a new touch upon her face, "that I would go right on loving him always, Mrs. Graham, though I should navel* see him again in all the world!" A Iiasn as or pain sirut-s uauaa .mcia's face, but it was pone so swiftly that the tender eyes uplifted dared not think that it had been there as silence fell between them. And Lauc Leland, laughing and chatting with the rest of the party?for the old summer party was there, with the addition of the Fields?saw this vanishing flash on the beautiful woman's face, and for an instant the laughter died upon his lips at the intensity of its pain. "Are all our old friends at the Surf, Mr. Leland?" Althea was questioning, with great assumed indifference. She knew that George Priestly was there, lint- whv should she betray her heart? "All of the old party,"' Lane answered, smiling, a gleam of laughter deepening in his eyes, "excepting Miss Armitnge. Miss Armitage that was, I mean, of course, for she is married, you know. She was married the day that Graham died. Strange, wasn't it? Oh, yes; and the Grants are not out, either! Little Miss Grant is another that's gone off into matrimony! She married Palmer Earle's nephew, Harry Earle. A good, solid fellow, too! Got plenty of 'spot cash' be- i sides, which makes liitu irresistible. Miss Anita was a nice little thing, , though. They are happy the story says?regular home bodies, you know, and entertain only their friends. But Miss Bradley and her sister are there, of course. Evidently, Miss Clara decided to brave the thunder rather than Uncle Hallett's wrath! We've had some pretty tough showers, too, f N* f * ' by the way, but nothing as bad ai that one three years ago. That wai horrible, wasn't it? And you ough to hear them talk about Graham They say that he acted the perfee hero down on the shore." "That was like Harold," said Fran cos. softly. "lie could not have lieipei being brave." "You know I wasn't vri.h thern.' added Lane, a slight smile chasing th< shadow from his face, lvmeniberiu; wicked Miss Catherwood's cutiiuj; speech upon the stairs, "llut .vol ought to hear the fellows tell about it It's as good as a play. Palmer Eai.t came mighty near going under, too tnat time, lie can maim 1113 iuc-ij star for getting off with a whole skin I wouldn't care to run so near the Black River." "Did Harold save him, too?" asked Beatrice, bitterly. "It would have been his way to do even that. 1 aaven't forgiven that hateful man yc , Mr. Leland." "I think we all feel rather squeam ish toward him, Miss Beatrice," said Lane, gravely. "Of course, he fol lowed a perfectly justiiiable code ol action, but we all expected him tc yield a little for the sake of the mac with whom he was dealing. He was the only one so hard. But he brags of having no soft spot in his heart, and perhaps that is the cause." "And Harold didn't save him, then?" persisted Beatrice, with strange pertinacity. "I have always half believed that he liid. It would be so like him!" (To be contlrued.) J..H. WEDDir HARP^ 29 &. Trade Street We are leaders in our business prepared to supply the requirci We sell Syracuse Steel Beam | THE > MERg I* | *ne AMbKicAn xyivji>? i | is commended by Statesmei others prominent in the w< nation in sifting the actual news h tation of current events in their |u freedom from daily-paper sensati want to know what the world is d< to judge from the letters seceive comprehensive, and labor saving timely contributions on importai writers. Its reviews of other mi I work. It is profusely illustrated. 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