The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-04-21

of the spray"
"Yes," said Mr. Carroll a little absently.
About Miss Franklyn"
"Ohw SAID ,Julletic, sweetly. Yes, am
going TO speak of dear PhillppaS engage
'ment."
Miss Franklyns-engagementE
Rudolphs face had grown pale as marble
in the siivery waxlIghts that alone lllumln'
lated the conservatory.
"Yes-didnt you know it? 10 gentle
man in Philadelphia. But dear Philippa is
like other grls''-with light ripping laugh
-" she likes to wear rs many scalps at her
belt as possible?" al think Miss Morand
YOU must be misnfoimed" sand Carroll hur
riedly. ,...,
"No, I'm not" said Juliette with little
armo,lc sigh. Look here"
And she drew from her pocket the irag
ment of letter that Philppa had written, at
her dictation, that morning.
~ found 1t lying on her desk" sand she.
!" OF course you know Phillppas curious an.
gular handwriting? And | really think, MI
Carroll"-with a sympathetic CULVER in her
voice" that-it was very wrong TO mislead
la noble heart like yours! Oh, Mr. Carroll, II
| were in PhilIppa's place-But what have l
SAID"
And Julietc sank back on her seat with
very perfect imitation OF n blush.
"Miss MOrand," faltered the bewildcred lis
tencr, " is 1t possible"
yes" futtered Julettc, not so entirely OBJ
scure behind the pocket handkerchief but
that she was able to stcalthily observe the
face Of Rudolph Carroll al love you; can
appreciate your noble nature, If Phillppa
Franklin cannot. DO not despise me for
what / have said, Indeed, indeed | cannot
Ihelplt
"Despise you?" Rudolph Carroll was 81
lent a second or two, then he took Juliette' s
hand in his. "Juliette, | cannot promise TO
be very enthusiastic lover, but If you care
to accept me, | will do my best to be true
and faithful husband to you"
It was n cold wooing enough, to say the
truth, for Rudolph Carroll cared little just
then, whether he lived or died. The words
written IN Philippas hand seemed to burn
in upon his BRAIN. II she was false, the whole
world seemed out Of joint. But Juliette cared
little for that She had won the high stake
for which she had played.
And when the engaged pair lett the conscr-
vatorv, the fountain tinkled on, and the palms
waved softly in the perfumed air, and the
white light Of the clustering candles fell on
pale agonized face, halfhidden by smilaX-
trails and blossoming banks of azales-the
face of Philppa FRANKLIN!
She left the town next morning to pay q
long promised visit to an aunt in Canada, too
proud to demonstrate, too bitterly wounded
to plead her own cause, she left the coast
clear for Juliette's own purposes. And Miss
Morand returned to Mount Avon and the
eight sisters, to get her rousseau ready as
quickly as might be.
"Philppa might have stayed in town a lit
tie while longer, 10 accommodate me-" SAID
she. plaint!vely. "But Philippe was always
selfshw
Five years afterwards. The scene, n white
stretch of glitering beach at Long Branch,
with glorious August sun turning the bill
lows to sheets of diamond spray, and Phillip
pa Franklin, slowly walking mp and down
The esplanade, found herself suddenly face to
/ face with tall bronzed stranger.
"Phlllippa" he exclaimed, pausing alb
ruptly.
"Mr. Carroll" She, too, started and grew
pale.
"Phillippa, why do you speak so coldly E?
! Have you forgotten the past?"
as it because have not forgotten the past
that speak as DO" answered Miss Frank
! Ign, quietly.
~ hope your wife is we'll"
81 have no wfe" Carroll answered, pas
sionately "She died in Naples'a year ago, but
not before she lost all claim to my love by
confcssing to me !how she had deceived me
about you--not before she had forfeited all
claim 10 my respect by eloplng with another
man. Phllippa, all this belongs to the past
my present is in your hands"
allow do you mean, lin your hands y" she
faltercd.
81 love you, Phllippa! l have never loved
any woman but you. Can you forget the past,
dearest, aud trust me for the future?"
And so Philippa Franklin began her new
| life, on that brilliant August day, AZ Long
Branch, with the green waves breaking over
the beach, and the white sails gistenlng atar
off against the horizon. And treacherous Ju.
liette, lying low in her foreign grave had
learned, by dire experience, that "the way OF
the transgressor is hard" For there are few
webs in this world so tangled but that God
strnI nLlnns tLnm out ut Last