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Show 1 HMfEHEIEESS. - TALE Or FACTORY LIFE IJT NEW ENGLAND. By Mujor Mit.Ninirl. CHAPTEH VI. CONTINCEO. "Never mind the pink, cousin Kate Bit down here, for I wish to sieak with you." Kate took a seat by hia aide as obediently obedient-ly as if she were a petted child, and with her gathered pansies In her hands, she looked confidingly up into the man's hand-come hand-come face and sbid : "Now, cousin, tell me what you want to Bay to me, anil while you are doing so I will arrange my flowers." He looked down at her with surprise. Pure and simple surprise. He couldn't understand and pood reason why the poor girl didn't understand herself. Another An-other girl, he thought, would instantly have known why she was invited to a irtn-thtete, irtn-thtete, in a lonely confervatory and would naturally have felt somewhat nervous, unless indeed she was a "girl of the period." pe-riod." and sensed of considerable ex-jierienre ex-jierienre in matters such as ho proposed to enter into. Cousin Walter was puzzled how to proceed. pro-ceed. Kate's coolness had entirely upset his plans of operation he stummered out at last "Well Kate I wanted to speak about about " "Almut v'int, Walter t You talk like A little school-boy now ay right out what you want, and if it is this bouquet. I will immediately arrange and give it to you!" "Was there ever such such impudence!" impu-dence!" thought tho vounir man did she ; that be waa a bad man and what hia rep. I station waa in the world. j Dntil of late, aba had carefully Avoided him. Would hardly speak to him had appeared to him a strong-minded and dignified dig-nified woman. Less than one month ago be was regally handsome the bloom of health bright upon ber rounded cheeka and its genial sparkle in her glorious eyes. To-day Heavens, what a change jle, weak, mentally and physically moving about at the beck and call of the woman she motit bad bated, as Walter knew pleased and friendly with those whom she had most detested all this to young Dillon Dil-lon was s puzzle of extraordinary intricacy, intrica-cy, and A puzzle which be determined to unravel not indeed to the interest of his unfortunate cousin but to satisfy bis own curiosity and to satisfy himself exactly ex-actly as to the nature of the ground on which he was standing. During these reflections the snadoii of a thought had passed through his mind; and, thouirh he would not look at it mentally men-tally still he was impressed with it he would allow it no place in his thoughts and he banished it, or thought ho did but it only became mixed up with other rubbish rub-bish in his mind it was there even if he did not see it and that thought waa " hardly think that girl u in her right mind?' There was the solution of the whole mystery. If he had accepted that thought and turned it overa few times in his mind, he might have accounted in some degree for the success if success it could be called of his peculiar courtship. Hut as I have said he cast the thought aside) wouldn't look at it for the simple reason that he feared to. iStill he deter- ber room) ana sent for Mrs. Varttam, however, and after an apparently vert pleasant conversation, announced nock to the surpriae of that lady, ber intention to dispose of ber paintings, and aaked Mrs. M. if she wouldn't make arrangements arrange-ments for the sale of them with.Awtll-known with.Awtll-known art firm on Tremont street, in Button, But-ton, who were jierxonally acquainted with Alias Dillon and thoroughly. apprecUied her ability. I Mrs. Markham was surprised and delighted de-lighted with the proposition. She tat now fully convinced that Kate was preparing pre-paring to assume the matrimonial yoke in earnest, and she readily assented to Kate's request to call on Mr. Black & y erly, and make such arrangement in Kate's interest as she deemed wise nd proier. ' Mrs. Markham, with the assistancj of Miss Dillon, who was not too ill to asjist in such pleasing laliors, selected ftim her extensive collections such worktjas would best suit the public taste, and j.ul them carried down stairs, and turned ier to Walter, who bad kindly volunteered to arrange and catalogue them, and take entire en-tire charge, in fact, of the whole business. Old Mr. Dillon his usual habit when pleased ruhlied his liony hands together, anil declared that Kate was the most a'Q-ei a'Q-ei 1 tie girl he had ever met with. j He declared the pictures would btlng enough at auction to pay all the wedding wed-ding exjienses and have a large balance besides. ' Walter too, was delighted with tho smooth manner in which his matrimonial bark was sailing; and he employed himself him-self with much energy and euthusiasm in the interest of his beautiful cousin. In a short time the pictures were properly prop-erly catalogued and forwanled to the art room of Messrs. Blake & Kverly, and a catalogue was issued, in which it was announced, an-nounced, that: "The gems enumerated here aro the production of a wealthy and accomplished mly amateur whose genius bids fair, at some future day, to produce a work of art worthy of our most eminent painters." In the meantime Kate kept closely to her room, even taking her meals there; only seldom walking in the grounds of the mansion or joining the family in the library. Walter at this time was always in great good humor. lie was very busy. For the first time in his life, jierbaps, lie bad something honest and honorable to engage his attention. He saw to the hanging of the pictures in tho art gallery, for he had considerable tasto in that direction; he attended to the advertisements; wrote criticisms for the papers, for which he paid so much per editorial line, and in a variety of ways, sought to enhance the value of the pictures so thev might command com-mand a good price at the forthcoming auction auc-tion sale. In this way he worked incessantly and to much advantage on behalf v Ins cousin. There was another interesting work going go-ing on besides at Windemere. Three or four seamstresses were constantly employed em-ployed on the trousseau of Miss Dillon; and invitations were being prepared, and a hundred and one other things were lie. mined to have a talk with his father and with Mrs. Markham, for, he said to himself, him-self, "if there i any mystery in this affair, anil I think there is, I am determined to know it, and who has a better right V Now this string1 of reflections indicates the mean and selfish nature of this man he didn't care the weight of a canary's feather for the interest of the fair girl whose life and happiness wus being so cruelly cru-elly plotted against what he cured for was securing the fortune of the girl, and that could only lie done by marriage; as for the girl herself, he didn t care the snap of his fingers about her. In purstianco of this determination he entered the library where his father was usually found after dinner, and at once Ojiened up the subject. "There is something about this engagement, engage-ment, father, that I cannot understand, some mystery I desire to have explained and for that matter, that I am determined determ-ined shall I explained. Tell me why it is that Kate would not accept me without the consent of pour hou.i-kreper she didn't seem to care a snap for your consent didn't even refer to it when I asked her to marry me and in fact treated tho whole affair more as a funny joke, than the solemn, and serious thing it should be." A grim smile came to the lips of the old man at his son's reference to the "solemnity "solemni-ty and seriousness" of the marriage engagement en-gagement the son saw it, and perhaps appreciated the humor of the thing but he continued gravely, nevertheless "A great change has also tuken place understand what he wished to say or did she not "anyway here she is throwing herself at my head and I'll catch her so here goes." "Well I'll tell you Kate, I've been thinking think-ing thinking " "And so have I Walter, and it is the most unprofitable thing a man or woman can do. If you will stop thinking, Walter, you will do much letter. Here, put that pink in your button-hole!" "Is this girl an idiot a fool, or or is is she just making fun of mo she looks innocent enough, but but I've my doubts. However, here goes again." "I've been thinking cousin of getting married. That's it!" "Well, why don't you Walterf You're old enough, I'm sure." "I want to marry you Kate! I love you!" "Vou want to marry me, cousin Walter; When I" "Whenever you will, Kate!" exclaimed the surprised young man, looking at the calm, beautiful fucein tho deepest wonder. won-der. "You must ask Mrs. Markham, cousin, and she will tell you when there! you will run hack and tell me the tune, so I may be ready." Walter Dillon was startled by this answer. an-swer. Was the girl madf What bad come over her I lie looked search ingly into her beautiful face but saw nothing there to indicate unsoundness of intellect her eyes were calmly gentle, though somewhat vacant in their expression, and a sweet confiding smile played about her li)s yes, she was all herself so he said. "Why see Mrs. Markhamt What has she to do with it I I'll see he" k "Hush, Walter, you musnt speak so ot Mrs. Markham. Rhe is my friend, and yon must treat het; with becoming respect. ..... ,.. 1 shall do nothing without Mrs. MarK- bam's consent." Cm this point poor Kate waa firm, and together the two lovers (?) left the conservatory conser-vatory and made their way to Mrs. M.'s dormitory, where, much to her astonishment, astonish-ment, the proposition of Walter Dillon was laid before her. To say that she was dumb with amazement, amaze-ment, would but illy express her feelings; but she congratulated Walter and his affl- anced on their engagement, and kissed Kate as she turned to leave the room. As for Walter, there was something about the whole affair which startled anil confounded him) what it was he could not tell but he often looked uneasily at Kate, as if seeking the solution of some mysterious problem. ' As for Kate herself, she took things ' quite coolly. She didn't seem to see anything. any-thing. 0,lruimtinmr at Mrtmmmnn ft Vvi 1 1 ing done preparatory to the great event. Indeed the whole household was busy and pleased, and never in his life had Mr. Dillon been so comfortable and contented. He was sin-prised at the smoothness with which everything was running, so much so that ho began to look upon himsclt as the promoter of all the 'happiness whh seemed to reign a Unit him. And so ho was, as he found afterwards to his cost. The day of the sale at length arrived, and the pictures went off merrily. "I tell you it was lively bidding, Kate," said Walter ,the next day, as ho placed the snug sum of seventeen hundred dollars dol-lars In her hand, "you might have sold a thousand pictures at the same rate." Kate received the money without a word and retired to hor own apartments. Mrs. Markham came in and congratulated congratu-lated her upon the success of the sale, and left upon her table a cup of tea and some toast and kindly kissed her good niirht. ,! TO BE CONTTXIJED. in that girl both m mind and body it is not natural now I am not going blindfolded blind-folded into this thing, and I want that understood un-derstood from the word go that girl is the neit thing to an idiot what is the cause of this audden transformation, and what , ,.dq6 itmen?"' .... - . "You shall bo gratified, Walter. You ask why the sudden change in the mental and physical appearance of Kate that is easily explained tho girl's food has been treated to that end by Mrs. Markham, with my content" I ' The library of the Dillon mansion was very spacious, and divided at the further end by a sliding door, which formed a cosy apartment for the use of any one inclined in-clined for reading, writing, or seclusion that door was partly drawn and any one wit hin.though concealed themselves,might both see and hear all that transpired in the adjoining part of the library. We give this explanation of the plan of the room, to show that here the author has a splendid chance to put Kate in hiding, and thus spring upon the reader a tragical denouement in the complete exposure of the matter, but gave herself away with the same unconcern that she would have tossed a withered flower into the gutter. All the rest of the afternoon the face of Martha Markham waa drawn and pale as ; If with pain and, for a part of the after- ! noon she was quietly cloeoted with the old gentleman. Kate fluttered about the house as usual, Hinging to herself, and looking like anything but an engaged young lady. Chatter VII. aUOWIKO WHAT A HANDY THING IT IS TO CLAVH AH ARTS-ROOM TO A LIBRARY. Miss Dillon went about the house, as was her habit of late, singing softly to herself. She didn't seem to comprehend the sudden sud-den change in her relations to the family of her uncle nor indeed seem to have the least idea that she was engaged to her cousin at all. While she went about with him, and they talked quietly together, the one single sin-gle subject in which he was most interested, interest-ed, to-wit, his marriage to the beautiful Kate, Walter could not bring her to speak of at all. She would say that that matter was in the hands of Mrs. Markham that Mrs. Markham would do all that wae necessary nec-essary in the premises, and that they muBii t further concern themselves about it. In the meantime poor Kate would permit per-mit no familiarities whatever the nearest approach that her cousin could come to a more affectionate understanding between them, was onco when he kissed her small wKIia liDn.l mvA Aven th.t ririvilecrA was our dramatic, persona. But such is not his intention Kate may or may not be there, and if she is, she seems capable of preserving pre-serving a very discreet silence. , "Walter Dillon was astounded at the revelation rev-elation of his father. This accounted for the extrarodinary conquest he had mode for a moment ho felt exceedingly foolish for the follow had really thought that he suave conversation, his general gontlo-nesB gontlo-nesB of demeanor, and his undoubted good looks had been the real cause of his wonderful won-derful triumph over the proud heart of the royally accomplished Kate Dillonl Instead, In-stead, his wonderful conquest was due solely to the science of pharmacopueia and the treacherous skill of a wicked housekeeper. house-keeper. The young man was astonished and disgusted. dis-gusted. Old Dillon knew exactly the direction of his son's thoughts,and from the twitching twitch-ing of his features, it was pretty evident that he keenly enjoyed his son's discomfiture. discom-fiture. Walter had not a word to say i it had been all worked in his interest. He knew that his ccftsin detested him and never of her own will would marry him j the more he turned it over ;n his mind, the more he was convinced that it was well and shrewdly done, and so, finally, he informed his father. "I was satisfied that your good senso would accept the situation, Walter; for I was thoroughly assured in my own mind that you would never gain that girl's consent con-sent by any legitimate means. You are very much indebted to Mrs. Markham. VTUllV 1. 1 1' , ' " " , - reluctantly granted him. - Walter, of course, vainly conjectured as to the cause of this strange conduct on the part of Kate ; but puzzle his head as he would aliout it, he could find no satisfactory satis-factory solution. But Kate's strange trust in Mrs. Mark-hum, Mark-hum, puzzled and annoyed bim more than auvthmg else. the idea of Martha having such power and influence over Kate was something so extraordinary that it bewildered bim. Such a system of courting and engagement engage-ment as he had gone through, did not seem very flattering to his pride. Kate had not even said "yes" to his suit but had incontinently turned him over to the housekeepei- yes, to the housekeeper at this stage of hia reflection, Walter Dillon Dil-lon gnashed bis teeth and the housekeeper house-keeper had given her consent! The housekeeper had accepted him for Katel Was there ever such a style of courting and acceptance before not not even in the wildest romance he ever read, v The more the young man reflected the firmer became his conclusion that there " was something .behind all this there was mystery somewhere. What caused this sudden change in Kate's manner toward him. She knew his whole record almost as well as he knew it himself. She knew v.. Shall I ring for her?" Walter signified his assent, and in a few moments the housekeeper appeared and gave Walter a full explanation of the manner man-ner in which she had treated Kate, but acknowledged that she had never anticipated antici-pated such complete success. She further informed him that if she should cease her method of treatment for two or three days, Kate would resume the full strength of her faculties, and in less than a week be as hearty and strong, and as royally dignified as ever. In the meantime she must still keep her in charge until after the marriage, which ought to take place as soon as possible. pos-sible. She was doing her part ; the trousseau trous-seau was almost ready, and she had no doubt that Miss Dillon would readily assent as-sent to anything she suggested. The convention concluded by setting Wednesday of the following week for the marriage of Walter Dillon and his cousin Kate. Chaptbb VIII. WHICH SHOWS THAT KATB WAS K0T THB "MTTLB FOOL" THB CONSPIRATORS TOOK ERR TO BB. The day following the explanations in the library Kate Dillon was too ill to leave |