The Bassett Claim

i Copyright by American Press Associ&tion. 1 [ CONTINUED. ] "Bub your lamp, Mr. Aladdin!" sne exclaimed. "It's time the genie was making tho opera hooae and the singers and players." "Jim!'' said Aladdin gravely, "are thí carriages ready?" "Waiting, sir!" was the response. "Why, I didn't see him rub itt" exclaiined Sophia. The lieutenant put up his pack of cardi with a shrng of comic despair. "I confessl can't compete," be said. The party now drew on their wraps and coats sñd, leaving Jim on guard in the car, crosaed the tracks to the hack stand where, sure enough, two fine carriagi; wwe waiting their pleasure; and, entering theiii, the visitors were soon poi-down before the theatre, and joined thö-öuong -who were pressing in. "ijootat those poor common peopJe crowfing and pastnog aroand the box office," said MsBfiopto, wöh tip tiltai nasB. "I ünak yon. are real generóos, WMrn to k these peopie in at any price." ■'Oh, a brilliant audience is part of a good play, explained Stevens. "Those are aH toy peopíe. I ordered 3,000 from theigenie." "Oh, I forgot," observad the abashed Sophia. "That ia such a perfect imitatáon of a doorkeeper on ahead," remarked Mr. Qtrire dryly, "that just to keep up the fllusion Td hand him some tickets." "Oh,certainly; if it would please you," replied Stevens, and after a fantastieincantation he produced them. "Here they are," he exclaimed. "Now - open sesame!" And in they all went very merrily. The group were but niedy seated when tho leader of the orchestra tapped and íaised 1Sb owi magie wand, and at tne stunmons another and a nobler magic carne, the witchcraft of genius, themagic of the soul shining through expressive art, binding the soft, fresh heartB, sweetly disturbed, in a fairy spell. "Don't rub for anything more, please," exclaimed Miss Sophia when it was over. "I've got all I can hold; anything more would only run over and be wasted." "Well, yo might get us home," interpoeed Windward. "It's late, and ifs a littíe f ar to walk." "As you please," said Aladdin. So, when they got to the street again, they found the carriages duly in waiting, and were driven back in them to the palace on the siding; and very warm and bright and snug it was that bleak, black winter's night. Jim was on hand, of course, and to complete their happiness a midnight banquet on the sideboard awaited spoliation. Yes, all were happy, and yet just one member of the party might have been happier - Jhe lieutenant, who did not quite líke the sudden popularity of Stevens with the ladies. As a department drudge, reserved and a trine sour in manner and negativo in his virtnes, he was not a person to be much considered, but as Aladdin with a genie at bis elbow, the case was altered. For some reason Stevens, he had observed, had brightened np notably within the past few days, and now, to the quick eye of a rival, he was pushing a dangerously aggressive campaign for Miss Bassett's favor. He was intímate with her brother yid they might have an understanding. As to the mother he could not teil; she treated them both politely and kindly, and so she did everybody. "However," mused the lieutenant, "I think the girl herself likes ine best, and that, after all, ia the main thing." Nevertheless he was veied to see Stevens taking advantage of bis opportunities as host in charge to pay Florence the most open and partial attentions - particularly as the young lady seemed pleased and made no effort to discourage or avoid him. Thus he was concerned, but he was not alarmed till they had started for home and were comfortably settled down for the ride: tbat was the trouble, the part of the group in which he took such a particular interest were entirely too comfortable. Ostensibly the party had divided in halves, Windward and his sister, attended by Stevens, ensconced in a semi-retired apartment, whüe Mr. Quire was in a distant corner wedged in by Mrs. Bassett and Mias Sophia; but the lieutenant noticed that Windward was given to excursions, and finally, to his anxiety, young Mr. Bassett lef t his sister to an entirely unprotected tete-a-tete and joined the group in the corner. Mr. Quire didn't like it, but he found it difflcult to get out of his corner. Mis9 Sophia was in garrulous good spirits and the Bassetts, mother and son, were both in their happiest mood, and delightful company. The lièutenant's instincts were not far wrong, for in the recess Stevens and Florence Bawsett were having a serious and important conversation. "Windward tells me," said Stevens, "that he thinks of going back to New York." "Indeed!" replied Floy. "I hadn't heard of that. Why, I shall be very sorry." "So shall I," responded Stevens, beginning to feel faint. "I can't bear to think of you all leaving. Life will be very dull." "Not for Aladdin!" said Floy, archly. "That was a happy idea of yoors," he replied. "I really feel as if I was almost infairyland." And then in earnest and graphic phrase he told the story of his life- its poverty, struggles, reverses, hopes and failures. till now, as by veritable magic, a path to honor and' wealth lay open. It was an interesting tale, and it had an attentive listener, although he spoke of neither antres vast or anthropophagi. "If my genie only keeps good," said Stevens, in conclusión, "I believe I've got a splendid chance." "So do I," assented Floy. And then there was an awkward pauso ■'■Whüt au ':it -resting night thía has been," saúl át veiis, finally. "Very," s.ul Floy, softly! Then another pause. "I wish," gasped Stevens, "that you'd give me one of those roses to remember it by- I've kept the last one yon gave me five years!" Floy raiseil her gentle eyes inquiringly, but loweretl them qnickly again under his gaze. "How so?" she asked. "Why, I saved one from the bonquet you threw me at the graduation. Please, Miss Bassett; I liope my genie isn't going to fail me now!" She sniiled rather faintly and seemed ill at ease, though not offended, and for a moment she hesitated. Then she plucked the choicest bud from the cluster at her waist and handed it, a little nervously and with heightened color, to her companion. "Thank you," he exclaimed, oagerly. "I'll keep it, never fear, and I can conjure with this charm if with anything." "Why, Mr. StevensT said Floy, looking down. "Yes, there's magie in it," he went on, desperately; the honr of f ate had come. "I'm not much now, bnt 111 be Afatktin if you'll be the Princess. Yes, if my Hfe can have the magie of your love Fu be anything!" "Oh, dear!" exclaimed Floy with a startled look across the car to the Jarger group. "This is sach a serióos matter, you know!" "Serioosl I gness it is!" said Stesens, all in a tremble. "It's all I care for m life!" ■ Here there was another pause, a very short one, but long if we count-time by heart throbs. "Please let me hope," then saüíStevens. "Only that. I can wait; PD do anything; only I must hope." She raised her eyes at this and looked kindly and sweetly at her lover. "Do you love me so much?" she said, wistfully. "Let me prove it; only let me prove it." 'I dont mind," she said, shyly. 'Tm so glad I can hope," he said, husküy. "If you had said 'No' I Tjelieve Fd have gone back and qnietiy stepped off the platform and called it an accident." "Oh, don't!" cried Floy, nervously touching tos arm an&glancing up-quickly into his buming eyes. She feit him tremble. "He loves me," she thought. "He would do it." Her modest eyes drooped; but too late. She had quafïed the potkm, the inf ection had been exchanged; and that instant the match was made in heaven. Jast at this precious moment - that had theref ore come not a jat too xhj - the lieutenant, resüess and inwardry fretting, wound up abroptry a good story he had been telling, and, on some excuse, broke loose and sauntered forward to the apartment. Floy saw, or feit, him coming, and her hand feil back to her side, after a touch, a pressoro, just the faintest possible, bat wbich-sent fhe blood thrilling through every vein in her lovers body, and when Mr. Qnire came up they were agreeing that in certain passages the orchestra had been too lond for the voices. "Don't yon think so, Mr. Qnire?" said Floy calmly, moving so as to let the castaway mariner find a seat beskle her. "Yes, perhaps," he said, though to teil the truth, Mr. Quire had not thought much about it. And now the other friends strolled up and the talk grew general, while the train toldoffthe miles to the journey's end. It was well toward the break of day when, tired and yet wakeful, the group finally separated in the entry, safe at home, for a snatch of rest till morning. "Such a splendid time, Aladdinf ' said Floy, with a meaning smile. "Ishould say so!" said Sophia. "Yes, asplendid time," repeated Windward, when the two friends were upstaira and alone. "She Iets me hope," was Stevens' reply, as he sank into a chair. "What- have you spoken?" exclaimed Windward. "Hnsh! Yes; and she Iets me hope." "My dear fellow, I wish you joy!" cried Windward, clasptng warmly his friend's extended hand. "Yes; I can't teil how I feel," said Stevens. ''I am happy, and I am stronger, purer, better every way; but I feel older, and life is more important and serious. K I was a woman I believe ] should be cryingi" Floy was. CHAPTER XXVni. ELIXIR VITE. When Louise reached her chamber- hers now by grace, not right - her fortitude gave way, and the honr that followed was the most f orlorn and miserable in her Ufe. Ah, how rich that life had been in friends and fortunes and true bappiness; and now to have its ilhisions dispelled- truth was bitter indeed! She ran it all throuah; its eirlish delights, its firet flush of womanhood's dawn, the early trinmphLr and the black bar of sorrow that feil athwartthem and that yet brought such rich mercies in ite shadows; the dear stranger she had loved and monmed as a mother, the gentle Uncle Torn, her first and best friend, and the later days when life grew so serkras yet .so blessed even in moments of angnish. aa step by step she led back to vnrue ana soberness and peace the one man she loved and honored in the wide world. How it comforted her to think, at snch a time as this, that the Mndness of strangers toward an orphan had thos come back in inercy and benefit to their door! It sent a beam of joy to her soul to see now that in the providence of God she had repaid the debt laid npon her by ber ministry to one in need of the help of a woman's smile and praise and morning and evening kiss. Yes, by God's appointment and by bis grace she had saved her uncle - or, if not now her uncle, her dearest and only friend. It hail been a hard task; it had taxed every womanly resource, had tested her Christian faith, but Col. McArdle was now rgain a good, trne man. And this to her lonely soul, seeking to fis its place and errand in the world, was explanation enough of God's design in her career, and brought her peace. And how beautiful was her victory! What a change these later years had seen in a character that won praise and affection even at its worst! How noble he had grown, and how thougbtful, tender and fond! Her wish was law, her standard were his; she ruled his will and life. Of late she had noted this completed conqnest, and the afiectionate reverence of his bearing toward her that sprang from the harmony of their souls; bat now her ever ready axplanaüons vanishod. So far from being nezt of km, no ties of bkod joiaed them; and in the eoknel'seyea none had ever joined tbem. Why, tben, that growing interest, that yictorioustinöriencti, that scznpntons-attenükm, that deference and kimmess, that wistfni teodemeas thai liBlMii ■! times in,-öwee.mjsteriDosiayejseS? A spirit wbispered the "secret 'in her soul. "It is eiplained," she said; and then, at last, the tearsame, bnt theyüowed softíy and easüy and cansed no pain. And now with this clew she followed her Ufe through again, and all seemed veiy clear. "He loves me," ehe tbought, "and has foryeara It ia love, not friendship, that has saved him. But I am not to know it - for my sake. The disparity in onr years, our relations, the pain of disclosnre, my einbarrassment, the claim it would give him, the danger of gratitude speaking for love - all these reasons ehut his iron lips; and, because he is truly magnanimous, he will carry his secret with him to the grave, unless" tOSCLUDKD IN OCE NKXT.