CHAPTER XXI (Continued.)

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 141, 13 February 1886, Page 6

CHAPTER XXI (Continued.)

"Rich, I am delighted with her," Miss Waldemer said, when they were on the street, and she took his arm to walk to the corner, where they were to take a car. "I am almost tempted to say sho is the sweetest girl in the world." "She will even compare favourably with Miss Campbell, will she not ?" Rich asked roguishly. " You bold boy ! do you mean to tell me that you have seen through that little scheme of mine ?" she demanded, in astonishment, for sho had fondly imagined that no one had suspected he* plans matrimonial. " From the outset, Aunt Audrey," Rich answered, laughing heartily, "and I do not blame you either, while I am not sure but you would have succeedod if -I -had not met Annie ; for, next to her, I admire Miss Grace more than any other young 'ady whom I have ever met. She will make a splendid wife for some man with plenty of money and one who has a taste for society ; but for the quiet lite which I prefer to lead, I think she may not be quite so well suited as Ann ? e." " I believe you are right," Miss Waldemar said, thoughtfully, " but if you should take both of these girls into the same society, you would find that one would have as many admirers as the other. Grace's style is splendid, but there is a sweet attractiveness about Annie Noble that is perfectly irresistible. Now,' Rich," she went on, in a determined tone, "I shall not let that child go on working for her living with all her might. She has a will of hor own, as we have seen tonight, and ■we have no right to -interfere with it beyond a certain point. We will let her stay her two weeks out, as she has planned to do, at Lord and -Taylors ; then the week that she has laid oat for herself, we will insist sho spend ft With us in a little visit, after which she jetvn " go to Mrs Campbell, but with an understanding bet ween that lady and mysolf which shall tend to make her life a very different .onefrom what it has beon " "I had been thinking of some such arrangment myself," Rich returned. "If we can enlist Mrs Campbells sympathies, and she •will take her in as a sort of companion for Grrace, and perhaps to do some light sewing, just to preserve her independence, it will be a pleaßant change, while itwill throw around her the safeguard of a home. I believe thjat the two girls would enjoy each other, while, by the end of another year I hope to be in a situation to give her the protection of my name and care." Miss Waldemar was in full sympathy with all this, though she feared that whet; Grace Campbell should come to know that Rich had learned to love another, it might make some difference in her hitherto bright and happy life, for she believed that she had already begun to yield him her own affections. So Annie Noble kept bravely on for two weeks longer in her tread-mill life ; but there was no more drudgery about ifc. Life had suddenly grown rose-coloured for her, while everybody wondered at the new brightness and beauty which had come upon her. Rich arranged to meet her every day as she came from her work, and attended her to her own door. He had the right now to do this, and he would allow her to run nojisk of being annoyed as sho had been in-tthe past. And co the days flew by on golden wings, and the lovers were all in all to, each other and happily unconscious of a skulking form which dogged their footsteps at a distance, watching them with wrathful eyes and a smouldering ire, which only waited an opportunity to dash the cup of happiness from their lips,