An Old Man's Darling

he depot. Mrs. Arnold, though she would gladly have cast the girl off, was too much afraid of the world's dictum to carry her wishes into

nterest. Of course her penniless condition now would make a great difference in the eyes of the fickle world of fashion, but still Mrs. Arnold knew that nothing could deprive Bonnibel of the prestige of birth and rank. The young mother who had died in giving her birth, had been one of the proud and well-born Arnolds. Her father, a gay and gall

there cold and weary. The mother and daughter touched her fingers carelessly, and offered frigid congratulations upon her

g

se," said Mrs. Arnold complacently to her daughter. "She has ch

e bright fire that burned on the

curls. Now with that new expression that has come into her face she looks like a haunting picture. One could not forget such a face. And mourning is perfectly becoming to her blonde complex

e, if that were possible, was a worse woman than her mother, and possessed an iron will. She w

to console th

o show the dimples that people used to call so distracting. There are few that would give her a second glance. Besides, what is beauty without wealth? You k

ise began to grow brighter at

t then, Felise, it is necessary to make that much concession to the opinion of the world. Ho

id Felise, brightening up, "I

the wife of the millionaire, Colonel Carlyle," Mrs.

uding over again; "but you need not

," asserted the w

dmire me very much; but since Bonnibel Vere has returned to flaunt her baby-beauty before h

e least apprehensive of danger, my dear, but since your fears take that direction he[Pg 29] s

afraid to take the leap. I cannot understand such dawdling on the part of o

y you marry," said her mother. "I have heard that he is very avaricious. It is a

n stinted all my life by the stepfather who hated me. Let me but becom

miring mother, "and I should be very proud of my daugh

uld marry the rich man whose wealth she coveted, and become a queen in society. She looked around her at the splendor and elegance of her mother's drawing-room with dissatisfaction, and resolved t

ought only of self, and felt not the first emotion of gratitude to the mother who had schemed and pla

soft locks of her mistress. She had been having a hasty chat with Miss Herbert's maid

ibel, languidly, "wh

illions. He have buried his two wives already, I hear, and Miss Herbert is l

o the maid whose loquacity was far ahead of her grammar. "I

ise, she have slapped Janet's mouth twice, and scolds her day in and day o

g

to discuss her superior's affairs so freely; she therefore dismissed the subject and

ed but few visitors and Bonnibel was glad that her recent illness was considered a sufficient pretext for denying herself to even these few. Some there were-a few old friends and one or two loving schoolmates-who refused to be denied and whom Bonnibel relucta

onjecture, but she was far from imputing foul play to anyone. The thought never entered her mind. She was too pure and innocent herself to suspect evil in others, and the overwhelming horror of her uncle's tragic death still brooded over her spirit to the utter exclusion of all other cares sa

papers had been excluded from her sight and the subject tabooed in her presence. She had forgotten the solemn charge of Felise Herbert and her mother that fatal night which she had so indignantly refuted. Now she was spared the knowledge that the malignity of the two women had succeeded in fixing the crime on the innocent head of the man she