Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-15

curve OF the eXqulSltelv graceful neck
supporting the fine, fair head with its |
pale face and long delicate features might |
have suggested the most graceful of all |
flowers; but there the resemblance ceased; |
there was no flower-like weakness or |
mere sweetness in the man strong grave
face, with its well controlled lips and |
deep set eyes.
He came slowly toward Mrs. Pierre
point. who rose and stood calm and pale |
before him. A faint almost inperceptlble
flush sprang to his cheek, but slight and
fleetin gas it was she saw it, and gave it
her own Interpretation.
"Mrs. Pierrepoint," he said, bowling
gravely, "this IS an unexpected pleasure"
Minnie's thought was: "How dread
fully pale and thin he is looking!" Her
words were:
"You see it is case of Mohammed
and the mountain. You did not come
and see me, so have come to see you"
She spoke lightly, and with strict i'm
personality, carefully steering clear of
the familiar Frank and the formal
"Mr. Quornham.'
Frank was puzzled. "Pray sit down."
he said, indicating chair, and speaking
with marked tormality.
Minnie obeyed, feeling somehow lit
tie chill and frightened she had told her
self over and over again that such would
be her reception fear had no solid
foundation, was only the recurrence of a
certain feeling of something like, awe
which she had always had for Frank,
even in the days when she had tyranized
over him.
the other day, when the Dean told me-
she said; "lt must be great change after
Trinity.
"Yes, indeed. College is the little bit
of poetry which comes into so many 9TH
erwise prosalc lives. It is something to
store up in ones memory"
81 can quite think it; one must need
a great many pleasant memories in
Whitechapel." IS :.
although even Whitechapel is not
without its charms, when one comes to
know them"
81 think it would take me a long time
to find them out" said Minnie. with a
little laugh. She was wondering how
she could give the conversation a less i'm
personal turn, for she felt that very soon
the tumultuous inner emotions must
burst through the outer crust of compo-
sure.
There was little pause. Mr. Quorn-
ham leaned back in his chair rather
YEARLY; Mrs. Pierrepoint tapped the
ground impatiently with her foot. She
had meant to be cautious, to lead up to
the denoument very slowly and carefully,
feeling her ground at every step; but she
had miscalculated her own strength
she could bear the silence, the coldness
no longer: she must set at rest the wild
desires and terrors raging in her bosom.
For moment she buried her face in her
hands; then clasping them tightly to-
gether and looking straight at the young
man, she spoke in clear high voice:
II dare say you are surprised at seeing
me here to-day, Frank, after all that has
happened. If it were to any other than
yourself, to any one less great and noble,
I should not have come. I have been
very cruel, very wicked-but remember
I was young aud inexperienced. Oh,
Frank, won't you forgive me-won't you
give me back what you offered me once,
and which threw away so blindly? You
were willing then to take my worthless
self, now offer you my worthless self
and all I have"
Frank Quorham sprang to his feet, the
dellcate nostrils quivering, the pale face
glowing for Just an instant with pink
| flush
Minnie Pierrepoint, too, had risen, and
stood exactly facing him; but when she
saw that swift action Of his she came
nearer and looked up into his eyes;
sudden thrill of pain, and JOY and dread
passed through her--she spoke quickly,
to stay the words on his lips:
Crank, dear, can't help being rich,
can I?'
She stood with flushed, uplifted face
and extended hands, her breath came
and went; there was half-smile on her
parted lips, and great tears gathered in
her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
Frank Quorham did not hesitate; the
flush had faded from his check, his
whole face was white, even to his lips
but there was no faltering in the low, de-
iberate voice:
"M1s. Pierrepoint,' he said, let there
be no misunderstanding between us.
May Providence keep me from being
guilty of that kind OF cowardice which
sacrifices the happiness of two lives out
of fear of the worlds judgment. But
there is a barrier between us greater than
any difference of station could have raised
up. Once you were trusted by me, who
believed IN you, trusted you, and was
ready to shape my life for you. By your
own act you destroyed that faith; of
faith in other things, which you pearly
destroyed, will not speak. / am deeply
grieved that this should have happened.
can appreciate the generosity of your
offer but I cannot accept it,
She stood like statue before him, her
hands still extended, her face uplifted to-
ward him; the joyful tear OF moment
ago lay on her cheek: the smile was fro
zen on her lips, but the cheek was ghast-
ly pale; there was no color inithe full lips.
She felt as if some one were stabb1ng her,
and her heart-blood was flowing drop by
drop, as she stood.
He had spoken quite gently, quite i'm
personally; but the scorn, whose express
sion he had been so careful to repress in
voice and words, seemed conveyed to her
"