The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-24

Desmond's attention.
With quick exclamation of triumph
and surprise he sprang forward and
caught the girls hand.
"Bertie, BERTHE, darling" he exclaimed,
softly, but eagerly, 'why did you run
away from meT'
The girls only answer was a slight
scream, and look of terror as she put
up her disengaged hand to shield her
face from their gaze.
"Bertie," he went on rapidly, for Mr..
Thorn was nearing them, "you ought to
be glad to see me. I have brought you
such good fortune. This gentleman
came to Newton farm to find you the
morning after you ran away. He traced
you from the orphan asylum, where you
we're placed as child, because you are
his ward and heiress."
"And my cousin" added Charlie Thorn,
who had come up in time to hear the last
words.
The poor girl stared wonderingly at the
stranger, too terrified and too surprised
to utter a word; but Charlie explained
briefly and kindly.
"Your mother, my own cousin, dis
pleased her father by her marriage, and
he disowned her. Just before his death
he repented, and searching for her, dis
covered that she and her husband had
died suddenly, but had left child, who
had been sent to the orphan asylum. He
was taken i'll, but before he died he ar
ranged that if you were living you should
be the heiress to two-thirds of his fortune,
and | should be your guardian. And now
tell us why you ran away, and what you
have been doing"
II can not tell you why I ran away"
said she, "but l have walked the streets
two days trying to get place, and last
night ] walked the streets or slept on
doorsteps, and I did not know what
should do tonight"
"You are all right now" said Charley,
gently. 81 have an aunt living near here
where will take you. Under these cir
cumstances, Mr.. Desmond, you will ex-
cuse me if do not keep my engagements
with you"
"Of course" answered Frank, politely.
Good evening, Miss Bertie," and he
raised his hat gallantly to the pale, for
lorn girl, who trembled upon the arm of
the wealthy and stylish Mr.. Thorn.
BERTHE gave him a glance and turned
without speaking.
Five years from the night she stood a
trembling outcast, BERTHE Talbot moved
a stately, handsome and elegantly
dressed woman-through the gorgeous
ballroom of the most fashionable hotel
at Scarborough.
"You have seen the new star, of
course" says Gus Talboys to Frank Des-
mond, who stands chatting with his long
ago sweetheart, Miss Stonor.
"What new starw asks the lady.
"A Miss Talbot, Charlie Thorn's ward,
whom he has just brought from abroad,
where they say she has made the greatest
sensation. There they come now. Isn't
she splendid?'
In a moment more the handsome man
for whom Miss Stonor cast off her lover,
but whose regard she had failed to win,
and the beautiful Miss Talbot, in her ex-
quisite Partisan toilet, have come close
to the group, and BERTHE recognizes her
old acquaintance. Still she waits to be
introduced by Charlie, and acknowledges
the presentation as indiferently as if she
had never seen this man and woman be-
fore.
"Miss Talbot" Frank says presently
''you dance. May I have the honor OF
this waltz"
81 am engaged for it"
"Then what is the earliest one that
may haveY
"There is none that you may have
replies BERTHE, coolly. ":Not because my
card is full, but because five years ago,
heard Miss Stonor forbid you to pay at
tention to that Talbot girlv 1 cout
not think of allowing you to displeast
her." and she walked smilingly away
leaving Grace furious aud Frank crest
fallen.
81 am afraid she heard more than one
sentence" said Frank, laughing uneas
lily, "and doesn't intend to show us mucl
favor"
CHe VIII SOUu ste tiidu MI. luOTu VIII
not countenance her impertinences," re
torts Grace, angrily, resolving to maxi
one more desperate effort to win Charley
heart.
But she began to change her mind
when day after day passed, and Mis-
Talbot and her guardian quietly ignored
the existence of any such person a
Grace Stonor. But Frank DESMOND
would not thus be ignored without al
attempt to win Bertie's handsome fac
and fortune.
When he put his fate to the test Berti'
turned upon him scornfully: "Pray d,
not think, Mr.. Desmond, that l can b.
as easily deceived as five years ago
Then, for reasons which, perhaps, you
conscience knows best, you made al
innocent, ignorant girl believe that yo,
loved her. But she was not long il
learning your falseness, and she hates ant
despises you as utterly to-day as she die
that night when she ran away from you
contaminating presence. And from thi
hour, both Mr.. Thorn, my affianced hus
band, and myself, must beg leave to b.
excused from further association will
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