Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1881-08-18

only to be laughed at and told scorn-
fully that she was on the eve of mar
riage with decrepit old millionaire.
"Now Miss Delorme's favorite per.
fume-so Gerald had told me-was rose
geranium. She wore the flower ire.
uuently; its scarlet spikes glowing in
vivid relief in the braids of her JET
black hair. Somehow / came to asso.
ciate the two-the woman and the
hower-which I 80 unaccountably dis
liked, and feeling sprang up in NY
heart for Miss Delorme which grew
and hourished like the blossom itself
a feeling of strong aversion.
"And so time passed, and poor Ger
aid was daily fed with false hopes and
illusions until at last the blow fell.
Had l been in his place when the
knowledge Of her baseness came to me
should have spurued her asI would a
noxious reptile from my path; but Ger
aid wac not made of as stern stuff as |
am, and 80 he could not recover from
the shock. Oh! Mrs. Warburton, it wss
an awful blow to me when they told me
the dreadful truth that Gerald Brookes
had taken his own life!
1T all occurred in the far South,
where he was travelling. sent at once
for his body-poor murdered 5oy| 1t
came. He looked like marble statue
lying there, white, cold and dead, his
hands folded over the heart that had
beat with true and faithful love for the
woman who was the cause Of all this,
and clasped in bis dead hands | found
spray of rose gerauium; I tore it from
bis grasp; l could not see his body
desecrated by anything she had touch
ell or cared for. From that hour hat
| ed the odor and sight Of tie blossom
with greater intensity than ever. 1t
may be childish and weak in mo; if SO,
| confess my weakness, but | cannot
resist it"
He paused and ested his handsome
head on one white, shapely hand. Har.
ry Penrvth was young and wealthy,
and many a woman had endeavored to
awaken a responsive chord in bis
heart, But although he moved in gay
society and was courteous to all, and
attentive to some, no woman hud ever
really touched his heart until he bad
met sweet Lily Moreton. But Ethel
Warburton. the rich young widow,
loved him with most wild, absorb
ing passion which carried everything 2
before it. The crafty Mrs. Warbur.
ton soon discovered that there was no
engagement between Miss Moreton
and Mr.. Penryth, and racled her
brain for some metho Cd Of disenchant-
ing the young NAH and turning his
love for Lily into aversion and dis
like.
While Harry Penryth related the
story OF lis friend and his tragic death
Mrs. Warburton's face had grown
very white; wild, haunted look stole
into her eyes, and the little hand
which held a sprig Of the obnoxious
rose geranium was icy cold and trem'
bled.
She threw the flower away.
I'm sorry offended you with my
geranium, A." she said humbly, lit is nc
favorite Of mine y
!, 1t was deliberate falsehood, but
no matter. The end lustifes the
means at least she thought 30.
As soon as che was alone in her owr
chamber she paced the floor like 8
Gagged tigress.
Ny God !" she painted, breathless
ly, what would he sav--how he
would scorn me if he knew that l am
Ethel Delorme, the woman who Tilted
r Gerald Broukes But he never shall
r know. love him love him ! And
, I shall win him, ii | die for it, y Shs
fell into profound reverie All a
once her dark, beautiful face hghtet
up strangely. Il have tt" she eS
claimed. II believe 1 can see my
way"
That night Mrs. Warourton stooc
, before the mirror in her room, ar
rayed for the hop which was to take
place below stairs. She was regal il
) cream satin and lace, with white roses
in her magnificent black hair. She
moved slowly toward window where
pot Of rose geranium was sitting