After All.

all calm thinking from the once methodical head of ^ TOrbew > RpB (! aper , and hei repulsion maddened him into a firmer resolve to win n & wni & pite of it . He , too , visited the Phanes occasionally , and he did not fail to observe thai Olivia still cherished the memory of Arthur Humberton ; and he made the most of this fact with Miss Cumberland , but it only forced her final decisioi that he must discontinue his lunatic and annoying addresses ; and in her angei

she stamped her muscular little foot , and said vehemently , " I hate you !" Why , she did not know ; but she was too annoyed and puzzled to considei at the moment . Sorrow for her conduct came afterwards , when too late . Of course Redtaper could go no further ; but in the bitterness of his soul , the anguish of his passion , he waited for something to "turn up" in the future . Perhaps Humberton would eventuallmarry Miss Phanea very

y , estimable young woman . Anyhow , he could only wait , like many others . Time wore on , but the horizon was still dark . Miss Phane was now said to be " engaged " to Mervyn Merrisslope , though her looks somewhat belied the statement . The latter gentleman knew only too well that such was not the case ; and though he was rich , he feared and envied Arthur Humberton ' s rapidly increasing prosperity . What turn would circumstances take ? If

only Humberton were away , he fancied he was master of Olivia ' s soul . She , indeed , was rather inclined to accept his advances , but not unless Humberton was entirely lost . At last an opportunity arrived , though Merrisslope was unaware of it until the last moment .

The " Crotchety Society " ( as the members had nicknamed it ) had decided to show themselves before the public in an opera composed by their leader , Arthur Humberton . The rehearsals were well on the way , and Arthur was taking the principal part , when the lady who played the heroine of the piece suddenl y failed them through an untoward accident , and they were at their wits' end to know how to supply the deficiency . Some of the members , however , proposed to invite Miss Cumberland to take the partif she would

con-, sent ; and at last it was agreed that she should be requested for this once onl y , Humberton foolishly , though reluctantly , consenting . She hardly knew what to do ; but , imagining that Arthur Humberton had been partially impelled to ask her through love ( and she could hardly see it in any other light ) , and unwilling to lose the opportunity , she consented . She thought , at any rate , her lot could be made no worse .

During the subsequent rehearsals , the mock reality of the scenes between Humberton and Miss Cumberland seemed full of real earnestness , especially to Redtaper , who was being devoured b y the " green-eyed monster . " Humberton felt Violet ' s influence again stealing over him , and he resisted it less than before , for was not Olivia now irretrievably lost to him ? No , not so . But she mi ght be very shortly , he argued ; though he resolved not to be tempted

until he was positively certain he could never regain her . Redtaper had some minor character in the opera , which in his jealousy he had almost "thrown up , " but he determined to drink the bitter cup and play the martyr , for more than one reason . He had arranged his plans a day or two before the performance , and he proceeded to put them into execution . He revealed the affair to Merrisslopewho looked the turn affairs had taken

, , upon as a favourable opportunity for advancing his own cause . He would take Olivia to see the opera , and show her how Humberton had at last forgotten her . Redtaper , for his part , hoped that something would happen to place him in a more hopeful position , or at least to remove a most formidable rival .

At last the long expected evening arrived . To more destinies than one much depended upon its decision . Through the influence and arrangement of Redtaper , Merrisslope and Miss Phane occupied an unseen situation behind the scenes . They gladly consented to the idea . The house was crowded , and the audience waxed enthusiastic as the opera proceeded . No hitch or flaw of