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82 A DREADFUL TEMPTATION.
‘Yes, Xenie’s voice has been well trained,” she answer-
ed, carelessly ;
hear others.” . . .
“How will this please you?” he inquired, selecting a song
and Jaying it up before her.
She glanced atit and answered composedly :
Agwellas any. Iremember this song. I heard you
sing it with Xenie that summer.”
‘Yes, our voices went well together,” he answered, as
carelessly. . ‘I wish you would sing it with me now?”
“T cannot, but I will play it for you. Shall we begin
now?”
He was silent a moment, looking down at her. as she sat
there with down-drooped eyes, the gleam of the firelight
and gaslight sbining on the black braids of her hair and the
rich, warm-hued dress that was 60 Very, becoming to her
dark, bright beauty. .
Suddenly he saw something on the white hand that was
softly touching the piano keys. He took the slim fingers in
his before she was aware. ,
“Tet me see your ring,” he said. “ It looks familiar,
Ah, it is the one I gave you that winter when we——”
She threw back her head and looked at him with wide,
angry, black eyes.
“What do you mean?” she said imperiously. ‘‘ Are you
crazy, Mr. Templeton? It is the ring you gave Xenie, cer-
tainly, but not me!”
‘Tora, love,” said her mother’s voice from the sofa, in
mild reproval. _*t Do not be rude to Mr. Templeton.”
‘Mamma, I don’t mean to,” said Lora, without turning
her head; ‘‘ but he—he spoke as if I were Xenie.”
“TI beg your pardon, Miss Carroll,” said theoffender, with
a teasing look in his blue eyes, which she did not'see; ‘I
did not mean to offend, but do you know that in talking
with you, I constantly find myself under the impression —
that 1 am talking to your sister. Itis one effect of the
wonderful resemblance, I presume.”
‘Yes, I suppose so,” admitted Lora; “but,” she contin-
ed, in a tone of pretty, girlish pique, “‘I wish you would try
and recollect the difference. Iam two years younger than
my sister, remember, and so itis not a compliment to be
taken for a person older than myself!”
‘Of course not,” said Mr. Templeton, soothingly ; ‘‘ but it
was the ring, please remember, that led me into error this
time. You see, I gave it to——”
‘Yes, you gave it to Xenie,” broke in Lora, promptly
and coolly; ‘‘yes, I know that, but you see she was tired
of it, or rather she did not care for it any more—so she
gave it to me,”
“but Ido not care to sing, I would rather ©
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