Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-02-18


briefly aud kindly.
"Your mother. my own cousin. dis
pleased her father by her marriage, and
he disowned her. Just before his death
he repanted. 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 then taken III, but before he died, he
arranged that il you were living. you
should be the heress 10 two-thirds OF his
fortune, and l should be your guardian.
And now tell US why you ran away, and
what you have been doing"
81 cannot tell you why ran away"
said she, "but have walked the streets
two days trying to get place. and last
night | walked the street or slept on
doorsteps, and did not know what should
do tonight"
You are all right now" said Charlie,
gently. II have an auut living near
here where will take you. Under these
circumstances, Mr.. Desmond. you will
excuse me il fail to keep my engage
ment with you"
"Oi course" answered Frank, politely,
"Good evening. Miss Bertie," and be
raised his ha, gallaniyto the pale, ,forlorn
girl. who trembled upon the arm of the
wealthy and stylish Mr. Thorn.
Berthe gave him strange glance. and
turned away without speaking.
Five years from the night she stood
trembling outcast, BERTHE Talbot moved
stately. handsome. and elegantly dressed
womsn-through the gorgeous ballroom
OF the most fashionable hotel at Scarbor-
ough.
You have seen the new star. oil
course" says Gus Tallboys to Frank Des-
mond, who stands chatting with his long
ago swselhesr,. Miss Stonor.
What nav star ?" asks the lady.
"a Miss Talbot, Charlie Thorn's ward.
whom he has ast brought from abroad.
where they say she has made the greatest
sensation There they come now. Isn't
she splendid''
lu q momepL more the handsome man
tor whose sake Miss Stonor cast of her
lover. but whose regard she had tailed 10
win, and the beautiful Miss Tabot,in her
exquisite Partisan toilet. have come close
TO the group. and BERTHE recognizes her
old acquaintance. Still she waits 10 be
introduced by Charlie. and acknowledges
the presentation as indifferenlly as il she
had never seen this man and woman be-
fore.
Miss Talbot" Frank says. presently,
you dance?" May have the honor OF
this VIA tz ?"
IL am already engaged Tor it,"
"Then what IS the earliest one / may
have?"
There is none that you may have
replied Berthe, coolly. "Not because my
card is quite full. but because, five years
ago. | heard Miss stonor forbid you to pay
any alieu,ionsio That Talbot girlP And
could not think of allowing you TO dis
please ler!' and Miss Talbot moves
smiingiy away. leaving Grace furious
and Frank creslfalien.
Il Am afraid sne heard more than that
one sentence says Frank. laughing un-
easily. "snd doesn't intend to show US
much favor
'She will soon see that Mr. Thorn will
not courtenance her imperlineuces. re-
torts Grace, angrily. resolving TO make
one more desperate effort to win Charlie =
heart.
But she began TO change her mind when
day after day passed, and Mlss Talbot
and her guardian quietly ignored the e1-
isteuce of SOY such person as Grace Sto-
nor. But Frank Desmond would not be
thus ignored without an attempt 10 win
Berries handsome face and fortune.
When he pat MS fate to the test BERTHE
turned upon him scornfully.
Pray DO not think, Mr.. Desmond. that
can be deceived as easily as five years
ago! Then, for reasons which, perhaps,
your conscience knows best. you made
an innocent. ignorant girl believe that
you loved her. But she was not long in
learning your fslsenesss and she hates
and despises you as utterly to-day as she
did that night when she ran away from
your communicating presence. And from
this hour both Mr.. Thorn, my afiianced
husband, and myself, must beg leave to
be excused from further association with
those persons who years ago fixed their
estimation OF that TALBOT girl and need
not seek to change 1t because fortune has
smiled upon her"
And six months later. when the cards
were out for Charlie Thorn's stylish we'd
ding, Frank Desmond and Grace Stonor
found that Berthe Talbot had spoken truly,
and they had been dropped completely
from the arislocralic circle of acquaint-
ances who were to be granted the future
entree OF the splocdid mansion that Charlie
Thorn had selected for his brides home.
He had broken his promise 10 marry