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Show Ill -$l;o;i SiCig' or to :r.7. J - - i . . L ; : THE PATH OF TRUE LOVE. . . Under the bare old trees, a gr ay light changing: every resemblance of the past soft summer days, the two girts met unexpectedly. There wm a bit of the wild comniom of Dunsfleld, edged by a row of fine elms, which In summer lls-tened lls-tened to the love tales of youths and maiden: but In winter few troubled their ftoiftudft. Two mil from any habitation, it waa strange that this should be the selected walking: place of Nora Fitzgerald and her friend. IxXtle Maynes, neither of them a lover of black solitude, and neither expecting to meet tb other. There was embarrasament in the greeting. Nora's beautiful Irish lace colored as she recognised the bright, expressive countenance of her former school friend. "Nora! I did not know you were la the neighborhood !" "I am staying1 - at the .Browns." responded re-sponded the other. , "The Browns? Ah, I remember; one of the. girls waa at our achool -very heavy, very rich soap, wasn't it?". Lottie was little, lightly made, and with a fale so full of intelligence you forgave ite lack of beauty. She looked defiantly up into the good blue eyes of the lovely girl beside her, and something some-thing she saw there made the defiant look drop away, as she said uneasily: "I be your pardon, Nora. Are tfie reports we have heard true?" "Quite true." "It it seemed so impossible! Forgive me! I thought what we used to talk of at school would come to pass: and this instead of it! It la past believing. "You know nothing about iU" aald Nora, Quickly. "It is better not to pur-ne pur-ne the subject." And she would have passed on. but Lottie caught her hand. "Nora, wt have.been fast friends for years; do not let us part like this. I could not bear to think you fickle and mercenary." , There waa warm light shirrtng in Nora's face aa she said, gloomily: But you do think it. You believe all that is worst." "No, no, I don't! But when I knew you wished to marry your cousin In Limerick" "Hush!" cried the Irish girl, hastily. "I can't bear that yet." There was silence for a moment, then Lottie said timidly: "Will you come and see me, Nora, and talk it over?" "It is a settled thing-, Lottie, and needs no talking over. A good and worthy man is to be my husband soon very soon. I will see you whew 1 am married." Just then there came Jauntily along the path the figure of a middle-aged Irish gentleman. He wore a shooting suit and an air of general self-satisfaction. When he saw the two girls a wary look passed over his face. Nora turned as he approached, murmuring: "My father." A beaming, genial smile and a rich brogue answered: "A friend, me darlin', in these lonely parts? Introjuce me, I beg." . Forthwith Oapt. Fitzgerald waa made known to Miss Maynes. Instinctively Lottie disliked the man, and she knew Nora had no mother. "Do ye live near here?" inquired the Captain, insinuatingly. "Two miles off, and I want Nora to come and see me," said Lottie, quietly. "Indeed! and what a pleasure for her! But we are off to London almost immediately. imme-diately. After a certain event, though, my daughter will be here altogether," he pursued, smiling, "and sure ye ll be capital neighbors." Lottie Maynes bowed, but somehow felt It hard to speak. Capt. Fitzgerald glanced at his watch and turned to Nora. "Time to go back, child. Sure there are more charming ladies Invited to tea than any poor mortal man has a right to expect to see. Are you going to add to the galaxy. Miss Maynes?" A slight raising of the .eyebrows Lottie Lot-tie could not control aa she answered: "I am returning to Holm wood at once." Then her eyes rested llngering-ly llngering-ly on Nora aa they shook hands. "No time to call on us. Nora?" "Not yet." aaswered the girl. "We shall meet by-and-by." "Of coorse of cooree," responded the father, ralBtng bis hat, as his daughter slowly turned away with him. What a weary, plotting little brain was Lottie's aa she walked fast home to her mother, whose fine-featured, clever face shone across the costly china tea service as the girl entered. "At last, my dear! The tra . will b syrup with waiting for you." "Sorry, mother," said the young lady, throwing off her hat and Jacket. The Honorable Mrs. Mayne she was the daughter of a tory lord glanced sharply at the troubled young face opposite op-posite her at the table and asked anxiously: anx-iously: "What has happened, Lottie?" "Oh. mother! Poor Nora Fitzgerald is going to marry young Brown the soap-boiler. She is visiting his father and mother." i -Hare you seen her?" "Yes." A smile half sarrsstic half pitying paseed over the mother's face. "He Is very rich. Lottie. Her friends will count her fortunate!" "But," demurred Lottie, as she set down her cup and saucer with a little ring, "you saw. her at Brussels that beautiful, high-bred girl! And and mother, you have seen Brown." "Yes, I have seen Arthur Brown. He is a qaiet, honorable man. Why should you regret such an alliance?" Lottie laid her hands on her knees In sheer desperation. "Don't you see that Nora loves her cousin, Brian 0"Moore?" "No, my dear, I can't see what I don't know anything about. Probably If It was a boy and girl affection they will be better off as it is. Irish love matches are seldom prudent." "Oh, but mother dear you don't know anything yet." "Enlighten me. then." "Well. Nora's mother died two years ago. leaving eight children." "Poor thing"' "Nora was 1 then, arid she Is the eldest. eld-est. Her mother gave hor leave to marry Brian, and It was only when her father saw Mr. Brown would marry her that she and Brian were separated. I saw Mr. OMoore, once, but not k ppeak to, and It breaks my heart to think of Nora giving him up for Brown." "Hush, child! You are too fiery. Have you seen the father?", "Yes. today. He did not want Nora to be with me, I saw." Mrs. Maynes pondered for a few j mlnutm, and ended with a sigh. "There is nothing we can do, dear, i unless the girl asks us." Lottie Jumped up, radiant. "Dear little clever mother! You mean you will help her if she needs it!" "Not so fast, child! We have to hear Vhat she needs first. Dear me, snow is falling! Ring for the shutters to be closed and the fire to be made up." (Continued tomorrow.) |