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Show ....... I ! . , . ' ! - ij . w - ---v , . .w.,HWnnnH-------'-A- CHAPTER XXVII. Continued. "I don't think I can tell you, Xan; you would consider me a fool; and I want to keep your good opinion. Eut I can teif you art of my trouV.es. He wants :me to marry Frafccis CethuneT' '' "I'll never believe that." said Kan, decisively. de-cisively. "Pid he say that he wanted ; yoa to marry Francis JBethune?" The "he" in this case was Pulaski Tomlin. ; "Well, he didn't insist on It; he's too kind for that. But Francis has been comfr.3 here very often, till our friends I m blue gave him a much needed rest, and I suppose I must have been going around looking somewhat gloomy; yoa ! know how I am I can't be gay; and then he asked me what the trouble was, and finally he said that Francis would make me a good husband. Why, I could have killed myself! Think of me, in this- house, and occupying the position I do-r . Such heat ad fury Nan had never ' ieen her friend display before. "Why, Margaretr she cried, "yoir don't know what yotr are sayiTig. Why, tf he or ( Aunt Fanny could hear you. they would be perfectly miserable. I 5on't see how you can feel that way.'" 'I "No, you don't, and I hope you never wilir exclaimed Margaret- "Nobody knows how I feet If I could, I would telf you but I can t, I can't!" "Margaret." said Nan. in a most serious se-rious tone, "has he or Aunt Fanny ever treated you unkindly?" Nan was prepared pre-pared to hear the worst. "Unkindly!" cried Margaret, bursting info tears; "oh, I wish they would! I wish' they would treat me as I deserve to be treated. Oh, ff he would treat fne cruelly, to do-something to 'wound my feelings, I would biese? him." . "Come home With me, Margaret, cried Nan. "Iaybe the change would do you good." "I thank you. Nan. Tow are as gpood as -you can be; you are almost as good as the people here) but I can't go. I can't leave .this house for any length of time ontll I leave It for good. Id be wild to get back; my misery fascinates me; I hate it and hug it." "I am sure that I- don't understand you at aO," said Nan, in a tone of de- "No, and you never wm." Margaret affirmed. "To understand you would have to feel as I flo. and I hope you may be spared that experience all the flay of your life." . After swhileJan decided that Margaret Marga-ret would be more comfortable if she were atone, and so he bade her friend good-bye and went downstairs, where She found Miss Fanny awaiting her, somewhat impatiently. "Well, .what is the trouble, . chndT' she asked. " ' Nan shook her head. "I dorft know, Aunt Fanny, and I don't believe ha knows herself." ' "But didn't she rlveyoii some Wnt some Ir.ti.T.ition? Pu!aski is In a terri-. bie state cf mind about her, and I airs' con.i r-ra.t!y worrk-J myself. We Ioveh her Ju.-t as much as if she were our own and yet we can't p to her and make a, serious eort to ciiscover what is worry- ins her. t he is proud and sensitive, anc2 ' we have to be very careful. Oh. I hope we have clone nothing to wound the-ehflTs the-ehflTs feellrgs!" "It isn't that," replied Nan. "I askedi her, and she said that you treated her too kindly." "Well," sighed Miss Fanny. "If she won't confide in us she'll have to bear! her troubles alone. It is a plty bur sometimes it is best.'" And then there came a knock on-thf". door, and it was so sudden and unexV pected ttiat Nan gave a Jump. c 1 I ; CIIAPTEIt XiVUX ! ri;'U i ' -i J3ri3alfcln rinds His Daughter. . Dey's a gentleman out there wr says he wanter see Miss Bridalbin, said the houseglrl who had gone to 'door. "I- tol him they wan't no sech lady here, but he says they is. It'thaf 1 there Mr. BorinV the girl went on. "an" I didn't know If you'd let-hlm go In th parlor.", . "Tes, ask him into the parlor.' said . Mis Fanny,- "and then go upe fairs and' teli Miss Margaret that someone wants-to wants-to see her." "Oh, yessum!" said the houseglrl with-a with-a laugh-; "it's Miss Marg'ret; I clean for got her yuther name." "The rascal certainly has Impudence,!!, remarked Miss Fanny. "Pulaski should- -know about this." Whereupon she rm- mediatery called Neighbor Tomlin out of the Horary, and he came into the roora, Just as Margaret came downstars. "Wait on moment. Margaret," hi", said. "It ay be well for me to- see what this man wants unless" Ha' paused. "Do you know this Boring?" "No; I have heard f him. I haver never seen htm that I know of. -I "Then I'll See him first," said Neighs bor-Totnltn. He went into the parlor and those who were listening heard a subdkied murmur of voices. "What is toot business with Miss BrI- dalbirf" Neighbor TotnHn asked; lg- mxinc the proffered) hand of the vi- ItOT. . : ."I am her father." s!eigtor tomlin stood staring at the man as if he wers dased. - Bridalbln'si ' face bore the unmistakable marks of alcoholism, al-coholism, and hw evidently prepared; himsslf for this interview by touching the bottle for he held himself with ar swagger. - . Neighbor Tomliti said not. a word in? reply to the man declaration. Ht looked, at him, and turned and went back lnt, t thexrttting-coom where he had left th v others. f To Ba ConttmMd Tomorrow. ' ' t |