The Morning herald., 1877-08-27
all her eagerness an expression of sympa-
thy came into her face.

, follow! What cruel sport! You me,
are heartless monsters 7" ...E.
Frank replied, meaningly, looking very
lard at her:
! "No more heartless than some wome1
know"
Nellie's eyebrows arched, and her lips
pouted,. as she answered:
| "What horrid remark"
ut is horribly true,' rejoined he. still
looking very hard at her. "They catch
mems hearts and throw them away again
as pitilessly and carelessly as | do this
fish,
Nellie replied, somewhat earnestly:
"But, Frank, you don't always throw
the fish away, do your
But the remark was lost on him. He
sat silenS ror a time-then only said
ii am tired Of fishing; let us walk up
to the house"
Was that shade of disappointment on
Nelies face9 Who knows?
That night there was to be a party at
the house. Of course, Nellie was there;
and, as q consequence, Frank, too.
We forgot to mention-and for such an
objectionable omission we apologize -
that Nellie Brainard had quite snug lit
tie fortune of her own. Perhaps this had
quite as much to do with the number of
her suitors as her beauty.
On thisparticular evening, her admirers
were so many and so attentive, and Nellie
was so delightfully."- pleasant to all, that
Frank was in continual white heat of
jealousy and rage. Had he been melo-dra-
matte in his character, nothing but an un-
limited quantity of gore would have salts
fed him.
Major Bernard, military gentleman
rom the city, very proud Of his name and
the handle to it, was his particular aver
son. ltwould have given Frank great pleas
ue to have waded in the blood Of the
whole Bernard family.
Ateleven o'clock, the major and Nellie
left tie dancers, to stroll in the moonlight.
Oh, il Frank could only have got at him
The eonspicuousy tender way in which
the major put her shawl around her
created a volcano in Frank, compared to
which Vesuvius was mildness. When
he went to bed, that night, it was
with determination never to make love
to Nellie again.
That was how it happened that for six
months he never called to see her. When
they met in the street, she gave him re-
proachf1l, almost pleading looks, but he
only bowed coldly. He would have given
anything to have taken her in his arms,
but congratulated himself that he was not
to be deluded by her arts. Foolish fellow,
not to know he might have done so for
the asking
1t was time of great financial de-
preston. Frank Gray's business was
good, but collections were slow. For
year he had found it hard work to meet
his obligations. A note of his for three
thousand dollars would be due in few
days at the town bank. The man to whom
he had given it-a rich old miser with
heart Of stoue--had refused to renew it
either wholly or in part.
In vain, as the day drew fatally near,
Frank had endeavored to collect the money.
That failing, equally vain was his endeavor
to borrow it. Every one seemed to be in
the same condition as himself. He found,
TOO, that most friendships won't stand a
three-thousand-dollar test.
OF course the whole town knew he was
in trouble. Blow your nose at one end of
4 country town and somebody at the other
end sneezes.
Nellie Brai1ard had heard of his diff.
,ulties, and taking into consideration the
act that he had not called on her for
months; seemed to take great interest in
Frank Gray's affairs. She questioned
md s-questioned until she had ascer-
aimed the amount of the note, and the day
lpon which it would fall due.
Upon that day, at four o'clock, Frank
at in his office waiting for the protest.
lie had requested the teller of the bank, a
riend Of his, to bring it. He had suffered
much all day. lie was a proud fellow,
nd would rather have lost his right arm
han his financial honor.