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Show A V h4 7 I A Novel civ ij s ' Pirti-tm 2 I TQj J JtjF. rjJoeldaailfifCarr'J 3 g Corrrlght, 13:3. by Joel Chandler Harris.) 3 (CHAPTER XIII. Continued.) Eugenia Claiborne declared that Nan had acted more demurely In the closet than she could have done. If. Instead of Gabriel, Paul Tomlin had come spying on the radicals xkhere she was. "I don't see how you could help saying something. some-thing. If I had been.ln your place, and P,aul had come in there, I should certainly cer-tainly have said something V him. If only to let him know that J was as patriotic as he was." Miss Eugenia had grand Ideas about patriotism. "Oh,, if it had been Paul instead of Gabriel, I would have made "myself known," said Nan; "But Gabriel" This conversation occurred while Nan was visiting Eugenia, and In the course thereof, Nan was given to understand that her friend thought a good deal of Paul Tomlin. As soon as Nan grasped the idea that Eugenia was trying to convey there never was a girl more obtuse in love matters she became profuse pro-fuse in her praise of Paul, who was really a very clever young man and very agreeable, entirely unlike Silas Tomlin, his father. " If Eugenia thought that Kan would exchange confidences with her, she was sadly mistaken. Nan had a horror of falling is love, and when the name of Gabriel was mentioned by- her friend, she made many scornful allusions to that youngster. "But you know. Nan, that you think more of Gabriel than you do of any other 'young man," said Eugenia. I knew the moment I saw you together the first time that you were fond of him and when I was told by some one that you were to marry Mr. Bethune, I laughed at them." "I'm glad you did," replied Nan. "I care no more for Frank Bethune than for Gabriel." "Well, you "have been acting as If you hate GabrieL" aucfirested Euesrenla. would marry a man unless he wore a red sash over his shoulder." "When I was a child," remarked Eugenia. Eu-genia. "I always eald I would like to marry 'a pirate a man with a long black beard, a handkerchief tied around his head to keep his hair out of hU eyes, and a shining sword in one band and a pistol in the other." . . "Oh. did your' cried Nan. "Lets talk about it. I am beginning to be very old. and I want to talk about things that make me feel young again." But they were not to talk about their childish ideals that day, or a knock came on the door, and Margaret Gaither was announced. She came in dignified and sad. Her face was pale, and there was a weary look in her eyes, a wistful expression, as if she desired very much i to be able to be happy along with the rest of the people around her. The two girls greeted her very cordially. cor-dially. Both were fond of her. She could be lively enough on occasion, and there was a certain refinement of manner man-ner about her that they both tried to emulate. , "I beard Nan -was here, she said, with a beautiful smile, "and I thought I would run over and see you both together. to-gether. "That Is a fine compliment for me, Eugenia declared. . "Miss Jealousy!" retorted Margaret, "you know I am over here two or three times a week. But I wish you were Jealous." she added with a sigh. "I think I should be perfectly happy if some one loved me weU enough to be Jealous." ' "You ought to be very happy without aU that," said Nan. "Yes, I know I should be; but suppose you were in my shoes, would you be happy? See what I am absolutely dependent de-pendent on those, who, not so very long ago, .were entire strangers. Oh, don't think I am ungrateful." she cried in an- "Oh, I don't like him half as well as I did when we were playfellows. I think he's changed a great deal. His grandmother grand-mother says he's timid, but to me it looks more Uke conceit. No child," Nan went on with an affectation of great gravity; "the man that I marry must be somebody. "Then I'm afraid you'll have to move away from this town, or remain an old maid," said the other. "Or it may be that Gabriel will make a great man. He and Paul belong to a debating society so-ciety here in town, and Paul says that Gabriel can make as good a speech as any one he ever heard. They invited some of the older men not long ago, and mother heard Mr. Tomlin say that Ga brlel would make a great orator some day. So you see he is already getting to be famous." "But will he ever wear a red feather In his hat and a red sash over his ehoulderT" inquired Nan gravely. 'You know I've always said that I never swer to a gesture of protest from Nan. "I would make any sacrifice for them I would do anything but you see how it Is. I can do nothing; I am perfectly helpless. There never was another woman wo-man like Aunt Fanny. And, oh, I love her! But if I could get away and become be-come Independent, and in some way pay them back for all they have done for me, and for all they hope to do; I'd be the happiest girl in the world." "I think I know how you feel," said Nan. with a quick apprehension of the situation; "but if I were in your place, and couldn't help myself, I wouldn't let it trouble me much." "Very well said." Mrs. Clalrborne remarked, re-marked, as she entered the room. "And how is Margaret?" she inquired, kissing that blushing maiden on the cheek. f'l am quite well. I thank you. but I'd be a good deal better if I thought you hadn't heard my foolish talk." (To be Continued.) |