Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-03-13

"Years ago, in a sort of secret way, we
were engaged. thought 1t very clever
then to induce man for whom / cared
nothing to believe that l loved him.
behaved horribly TO Edred Gawtrie. It
sickens me now TO think of how | led
him on TO certain limit, and then sim
ply laughed in his face"
Malcolm, staring straight into her face,
feels all his anger vanish.
"a very awful story" he comments, as
she finishes. "How lucky | never could
find out how it feels to be jealousl But
Marion, my darling, a recollection has
just crossed my mind which bears rather
oddly upon present affairs. | remember
that both father and mother specially said
they had not mentioned the names Of any
of our guests to you. In this case, your
putting forward the fact of Gawtrie's
presence as q reason for not appearing
Mt our table has a trihe of inconsistency,
l think" lie draws nearer and takes
both of her hands. "Ah, Marion, strang-
est of mysteriesl You must find some
be tier excuse"
She looks at him with cold eyes.
will go myself l will not let father go.
Does this satisfy youp
1t will not satisfy them. You must
both come, Marion"
AS she separates from Malcol.n that
day, it is with the halfshaped resolve
that she will go alone, and that
an excuse shall be made for her
father that must pique nobody, viz.
sudden illness-that excuse which can
shadow so many sins of omission.
Marion stands, little later, at the
door of the sitting-room, having left
her own, the lack of color within her face
making an utter ghastliness there.
Papa" che calls softly, while knocking
at the shut door; and her fathers voice
bids her enter.
Let us not follow her. For more than
an hour afterward the sounds of her sobs
may be heard in the silence of the outer
hail.
When Marion emerges from that room,
it is to go Immediately and write Malcolm
note In this note she positively
promises that her father and herself shall
dine at his house on Thursday.
The day of the dinner at length arrives.
Marion and the Major drive over in a
carriage of plain elegance, and cause, as
they enter Mrs. Hurst's rooms, quite a
little admiring buzz.
The Major is more the prince this even
ing than Mrs. Hurst has yet seen him.
The rooms are quite well peopled when
he and Marion appear. Two or three
male hands are held out to him almost
Immediately, by friends of former days,
and he hears cordial words spoken that
light his face with a sweet, rich smile.
Marion is listening to few sentences
from Mr.. Hurst, when voice at her elbow
makes her quickly turn, with vivid
little flush.
Good-evening, Miss Farrowe. l have
come to give you my ngratulations."
Her eyes are now full upon the pale,
handsome, oval face of Mr.. Edred Gawtrie.
And presently her hand is in the hand
that he is holding out for her. Good Mr..
Hurst takes the opportunity OF smiling
himself away.
To Marion this meeting is an intense
ANNOYANCE. Her eyes search the room
nerv0usly for Malcolm, while Edred
Gawtrie stands at her side, well dressed,
well bred, with the suspicion ofan amused
smile at the edges of his thin, pale lips.
has ha nd Mfn fndeeEd j. PB9SPFEG BaSh Re lie H he fo 9n9s
the Farrowes first entered it.
Presently Edred Gawtrie speaks again,
with a sly kind of suavity.
" trust that the present engagement
stands no chance whatever of missing
matrimonial consequences"
Marion's brows cloud.
II see you sneer," she bluutly retorts.
" | dare say l deserve it. But sneers will
do no good"
Just then, to her intense relief, Mr..
Hurst returns, offering his arm to take
her into dinner.
Malcolm now appears, and very soon
the large company move toward the din
"a groom, where is prepared rare ban.
quet, costly in all appointments, and
choice beyond expression in its many
dishes.
1t is not until Inner is about half over
that Malcolm notices a very strange eX
preston suddenly possesses itself of Ma
rion's face. This expression deepens ter
ribly before long. He pEZzles himseli
vainly about its cause.
AT last the banquet is ended, so far as
concerns the ladies' share of it, The la
dies leave the table. Marion has been in
the next room not more than minute
when Malcolm joins her.
ooh, am so glad you camel" she tells
him. "Won't you go out into the all
with me? My head seems bursting"
AtItuiull, iiC thllohOlbs AlNl liEh
shawl is on a near chair. Very soon sht
is on the piazza, having hold of his arm
I" | noticed that you looked unwell at din
ner," Malcolm tells her
She leans her head suddenly against hi
massive shoulder, with great sigh. &C
Malcolm" she means, quite family
show pity your
PITY me"
She lifts her head again. "Hush,
didn't know what l was saying. How
good this air is when ones head ache
like miner'
Malcolm tries to talk of brighter sub
jects.
They possibly spend twenty minutes
walking the piazza like this. Then Ma
rion suddenly interrupts a sentence o
Malcolm's by exclaiming:
"Let us go back into the house
You must join the gentlemen
and L" Here she stops, star
ing at a large French window, whicl
overlooks the piazza, and which they ar,
now just passing. "To what room doe
that window belong?"
"The dining-roOm.
She gives a slight excited cry, and hur
ries toward it, Malcolm following,
The blinds are tightly closed, but tn
windows have been left open, because o
the mild weather. Marion slowly open
one segment of blind until she can Sc
within the diningroom.
"Do you see them? asks Malcolm, a
her elbow. Do they show any signs Q
getting tiredg And is anybody tipsyr
"See for yourself" she answers him
In that vague light the face which sh
turns toward him is drawn livid, anguish
ful. Then she points toward the place i
the blind through which she has bee
looking. "See for yourselfw she rC
peats, with laugh; and the laugh is
little harsh, hollow sound.
Amazed, Malcolm leans forward an
looks into the room. Nearly all the me
are grouped about certain chair, o
which an almost incapable sitter is blur
ing forth some chOked incOherencies. ii
springs back from the window in his di
may
AT the same moment Marion hurries
his side. She points to the window wit
one hand; she lays another on his shou