The Republican journal., 1881-10-20

heart for Johns comfort if need be. He
needed it sooner than she expected, for
that very evening, just as Marion was
dressing for a grand bridal reception,
John Monteith came for the answer to
his valentine He did, of course, a very
unWise thing: but men that are far-see-
ing enough III 4 business speculation are
often very foolish in love affair.
There was III Marion's heart linger-
ing feeling OF contempt and annoyance at
that ridiculous present of paper, lace,
satin, and painted flowers. She was veXed
that he should have shown such bad
taste, first, in sending it at all, second, in
following it SO soon, These and similar
thoughts irritated her. She would not
hurry her toilet for his waiting; she had
never since they parted been less in a
mood to meet him pleasantly.
Johns hopes, too, gradually died out
in his lonely hours waiting in the empty
parlor; and when Marion descended in
all the pomp Of silk and lace and jewels,
| he felt sense OF intrusion which no true
lover ought ever to be allowed to feel.
he was placed at an unmerciful disad-
vantage, but he had come determined to
| tell Marion that he loved her, and with
something OF the dour obstinacy of his
race he would not be Dashed and fright
Cned out Of his intentions.
The meeting was not encouraging, but
he was now beyond noticing that. In a
few manly, straig ghttorward words he
showed her the depth of his love- and
offered her the honest devotion of his life
Then some peryerse spirit took possession
of the girl. She knew that she loved the
TALL handsome fellow, pleading so earnest
| ly yet 50 mantully for her regard; but she
would not say the one truthful word that
would have made them both happy. She
held him with the assent of her eyes
while She tortured him with her unruly
tongue. She even acknowledged that
She was far from indifferent to him. but
declared that it would be impossible tor
her to give UP New York and its delight
tul society.
John was too truthful to temporize he
said ''that bis fortune was all invested in
his mills, and that he must OF necessity
live near them
Marion supposed ''ot course his interest
was OF more consequence than her pleas
urc."
John denied this for himself, but said
that "hls interest was now bound up
with the interest Of his partner, creditors,
and the hundreds of poor men and Wo-
men that he employed"
Every word sent them further apart,
ana yet the willtul girl was longing to be
forced into having her own mind. Had
John been less afraid Of her, and more
confident Of himself; had he taken her
hands and pleaded with all the passion
that was trembling on his lips; had he
dared to use the simple power of bis
great positive nature over her contradTc-
tory, undecided one, She would have
yielded gladly and proudly But though
it is a common saying that "men don't
know their weak points," it is a great
truth that they still more rarely know
their strong ones; and for the want of
this very knowledge, John Monteith went
out into the dark winter night a wretched
man, and Marion Laurie went up stairs,
east of her gay clothing, and sobbed
i'll passionate abandon the whole night
through
This circumstance though the world
knew It not shortened the period of
Marion's social triumph III New York.
going abroad She said She was sick,
and going to die, and Mr.. Laurie left all
his business III Johns charge, and said
he was ready to 80 wherever Marion
wished. Yet if She had desired, she might
have made her journey a bridal tour but
lovers had become q bore to her: she
would have none Of them. She shocked
MIR. Laurie by saying she 'wishcd she
was 4 Catholic, and could be a nun" If
a child Of his could have thoughts of that
kind, She must be seriously i'll he had no
further doubts Of his duty to devote him
self to her
50 they Went abroad and remained a
year, travelling here and travelling there,
but finding happiness nowhere; for hap
piness was with John MOnteith, and they
and he were thousands Of miles asunder
At last Marion longed for her Jersey
home again. The truth was that in this
hard struggle between pride and love,
love had conquered. She wished to go
back within the reach Of reconciliation.
Even if John no longer loved her, she
could show him that she was sorry for the
suffering she had caused, and that she
loved no one else, at any rate. She had
dreams Of settling down quiet little old
maid Of nineteen years. Perhaps John
and She might even come to be very dear
friends to each other, and if he should
marry any other girl, She could try and
love her too. Then she tried TO imagine
Ella Doremus or Minnie Bogart rs John
Monteith's wife, and she felt that learning
to love them in that capacity would be a
lesson likely to give her employment and
discipline for a very long time.
MariOn's condition grievously puzzled
her father, and also certain grave and
learned doctors whom he paid literally
to unravei the mystery. But it did not
puzzle Janet. just as you set thief to
catch a thief, you may set a woman to
find out woman. BIT then there was
in Janet's nature great deal Of thai
tatalism which is the legitimate outcome
of John Calyin's theology 'What had
to be, would be; and it was name a. her
business to sort threads some wiser hand
had tangled" Not that she was unwil-
ling to do 50 she only waited for her ap-
pointed opportunity.
1t came one dreary evening in a Lon
don hotel David Laurie, utterly de
pressed and anxious both about his busi-
ness and his daughter, had gone to his
room early to write letters, and Janet and
Marion kept gloomy state in drearily
magnificent apartment big enough to
frghten two tmid women. There was a
slow, dismal rain falling outside, and the
muddy, miserable streets filled Marion,
who was watching them through drip
ping WlndoW-p -panes, with a kind of ter
rOr Suddenly she turned to Janet. and
with something of her old impetuosity,
said: Il want to 90 home | am sick to
see New York again"
'Deed, child, am glad you have come
to your right mind once more"
81 wonder if papa will be willing to 50
directly 2"
'I'm thinking nothing will please him
better. He had letters to-day that were