Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1877-05-05

| MyId OOTuOu 1OuuQ uerSelI l0anln2
on MIR. Clayton's arm, flushed and
breathless from a waltz.
cit looks so delightfully."- cool and
deserted in yonder conservatory, :"
said Myra, lifting her heaven-blue
eyes to her cavaliers face. "Do let
us 60 there for few minutes!'
| Mr.. Clayton cast rather a wistful
glance toward that particular quarter
of the room where Helen Forester
had been sitting minute or two be-
fore.
"Oh, I know what you are think
ing about" said Myra artlessly. "It
is of Helen that I want te speak to
you. Here is a delicious spot among
the ferns and tropical grasses, and
there s fountain hidden somewhere
here, for I can feel the freshness and
GOODNESS of the spray"
Yes, said Mr.. Clayton, q little
absently.
"About Miss Forester?
"Ohw said Myra, sweetly. "Yes,
l am going to speak of dear Helen's
engagement.
"Miss Forrester's engagement"
Rupert's face had grown pale as
marble i'll the silvery wax lights that
alone illumined the conservatory.
Yes; didn't you know it? To
gentleman in Liverpool. But dear
Helen is like all others girl" s"-with a
light, ripping laugh" she likes to
break as many hearts as possible"
I think, Miss Gordon, you must
be misinformed," said Clayton, hur-
riedly.
"No I'm not" said Myra, with a
little aromatic sigh. "Look here"
And she drew from her pocket the
; fragment of a letter that Helen had
written at her dictation that morning.
II found it lying on her desk"
said she. "Of course you know Hell
ems curious, angular writing? and
I really think, Mr. Clayton" with a
sympathetic quiver in her voice
that-that it is wrong to mislead
noble heart like yours! Oh, Mr..
Clayton, if I were in Helen's place
But what have said?'.'
And Myra sank back on her seat
with a very perfect imitation of
blush.
Miss Gordon" faltered the be-
wildered listener, "isiL possible"
"Yes," futtered Myra, not so en-
tirely obscured behind the pocket
handkerchief, but that she was able
to stealthily observe the face of Ru-
pert Clayton. 4 love you; I can
appreciate your noble nature, if Helen
cannot. Do not despiss me for what
I have said. Indeed, indeed, can
not help it!'
Despise you?"
Rupert Clayton was silent second
or two, then he took Myra's hand in
his.
"Myra, I cannot promise to be a
very enthusiastic lover; but if you
care to accept me, I will do my best
to be true and faithful husband to
you"
1t was a cold wooing enough, to
say the truth, for Rupert Clayton
cared little just then whether he lived
or died.
The words written in Helen's hand
seemed to burn in upon his brain.
If she was false, the whole world
seemed out of joint.
I But Myra cared little for that. She
had won the high stake for which she
had played.
And when the engaged pair left
the conservatory, the fountain tinkled
on, and the palms waved softly in the
perfumed air, and the white light o1
the clustered candles fell on a pale.
agonized face, half hidden by the
blossoming banks of azaleas-the face
of Helen forester.
She left town the next morning tc
: pay a long-promised visit to an aunt
/ at Scarborough.
Too proud to demonstrate, too bit
terly wounded to plead in her owl
cause, she left the coast clear for
Myra's own purposes.
And Miss Gordon returned to hel
home and the eight sisters, to get hel
r trousseau ready as quickly as possible
3 "Helen might have staid in town
t little while longer to accommodate
t me-" she said, plaintively; "but Hell
o en- was always selfishF
II
: Five years afterwards.
!. The scene, a white stretch of gilt
+ tering beach at Scarborough, with
l. glorious August sun turning the bil
lows to sheets of diamond spry, an
u Helen Forester, walking slowly u
q and down the esplanade, found hel
y self suddenly face to face with a ta
g bronzed stranger.
le "Helenw he exclaimed, pause
abruptly.
et "Mr. Clayton!'