Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-09-17
NO. 900.
Gales ano Skettbes.
THE RIVALS.
a ROMANCE OF ILrRACoNHE.
Continued from yesterday. }

! Continued from yesterday.)
Although he was wholly unskillcd in
wooing. Maud Heneage had had sufficient
experience in being wooed to feel that
this man loved her. And this thought
was not unpleasant to her She felt that
he was strong and tender and true and
when girl feels this OF a man, unless her
affections are pre-engagcd, there is but
| little doubt what her answer will be when
| the question is asked. When. therefore.
Gerald suddenly gave up walking with
her. and left her to the care of Paul Cos
sett, she was alike surprised and panied.
Had she had an opportunity of speaking
with him alone. she would have frankly
asked him if she had offended him. but he
PLANTATION and from pride and pioue, she
laughed and talked gayly with Gossett.
who was always beside her. Gossett had
from the first understood that he had
rival in the man who had saved his life.
and dimly Itathomed the motives that ac-
tuated him in leaving the course clear for
him.
"The man is quixotic ass, he said 10
himself. Il believe she likes him, and
he is throwing away his chances but the
sooner get him out of the way. the bet
ter
At the end of the week Gerald came in
To the smoking-room of the hotel late one
evening. Gossett was alone there. For
u time they chatted on Indifferent matters,
and then Gossett said
Il am sorry ! don't see more of YOU,
but you seem always out, and well. |
hardly look upon myself as a free man."
MAY ASK Gerald said, after mo-
ment's pause. ''ii You are engaged To Miss
lleneaSe p'
well, after what | owe you" Gossctt
said. II do not like there to be any con-
cealmcnt between us. There is, and has
been for some time. a sort of engagement
between us. II is not actually an engage
ment. because her mother objects to long
engagements, and is anxious that her
daughter should not marry until she is
Internationally So, you understand,
there is no avowed engagement, although
in point of fact it comes to the same thing
IL is secret between us two. now, and
| should not tell you. but ! know that
can rely upon your not mentioning it or
noticing il in any way. In few weeks
she will he within six months of thrcc-and-
twenty, and then it will be publicly an
nounced."
Gerald was silent for short time, and
then said quietly:
you are fortunate man. ! suspected
that it was so from the first time saw
YOU address her. And now | will say
goodnight and goodbye. am going up
to town tomorrow. VIII you say good
bye for me to Mrs. lIencagc and her
daughter?'
"A very good stroke" Paul Gossett
said to himself as he went out. Now
something of the same sort the other side,
and think the games mine. He's hard
hit, and won't care about seeing us after
marriage; and if he does, and it happens
to come out. it won't matter then
The next morning. at breakfast, he said
carelessly TO IIaud Hcneage:
That queer fellow, Mayfield. went up
to town this morning. He asked me to
say good bye to you and Mrs Ileneage."
"lIas he gone for good ?' Maud asked
,, after a short silence, and Paul Gossett
could see that she had grown suddenly
pale.
80, yes from what he said, fancy his
wife had come back from some visit or
other and wanted him home
Ills wife, Maud IIeneage said.
Yes did he never speak to you about
| her ?''
| Maud did not answer, nor did she 20
out for her usual walk that morning.
married ~ she thought to herself, as
she sat alone in her room looking out on
the sea "mairied - Then sne had been
utterly mistaken in her judgment OF faces
and vet as she sat there, she was uncon-
ciously making excuses for him. He had,
she felt sure, loved her, but he might not
have known 1T himself, and when he had
altogether Withdrawn from her. He
ought to have told her. II was wrong,
very wrong but yet he may have meant
no deliberate harm. He might be un-
happy with his wife, and SO avoided the
subject, thinking that, so long as she was
but chance acquaintance, il was no affair
of hers. So, with an aching heart, she
made excuses for him, and blushcd to find
herself doing so.
'.J have no right to think of him." she
cried ''he is a married man, and nothing
to me- Thank heaven, ] never gave him
cause to think | cared for him; thank
heaven. if we meet tomorrow, j at least
need not feel ashamed. II is all over
now,'' she said wcarily, after a pause.
They say every women meets her ideal
once in her lite have met mine, but he
was already another's. Well, it does not
matter how marry now"
Six months later the papers had the an
nouncement Of the marriage Of Paul Cos
sett and Maud IIcneage; and upon the
day that the notice made its appearance
Gerald Mayfeld said to his partner:
Il have been thinking for some time,
Harper, that it would be well if we had a
house of our own at Melbourne. I am
sure we would largely increase our bust
ness. have not been well lately, and
want change badly; what do You say to
my going out for year or two and start
ing q house there? Once set fairly afloat
we could take Purvis in as partner, and /
could come back again.
"You surprise me, Mayfield. l think
that branch house would pay well, but ]
don't see how we could spare you. / have
noticed you have not been yourself foI
some time; but two or three months holi.
day would set you up"
NO" Gerald said. Il want a change
of work as well as of scene. I have beer
hard hit, old man, very hard hit; and hel
marriage is in the Times this morning
4 r..