Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-10-13

and blonde curls Of little Marie, VIII,
} was asleep on the sofa; and Mrs. Beres
ford, with Japanese fan in her littl,
white hand, was gently tanning th'
, child.
ssGoing2" she said, when Doctol
George Meredith announced his in
tended departure.
"Yesi I really must / need not tel
you how-how little I wish TOGO
j Was the composed Doctor George
Meredith blushing, and was his voice
faltering? 1t certainly seemed SO.
why are You going, Doctor George?'
said Mrs. Beresford.
i Now, when Mrs, Beresford looked al
anybody in that manner it was not pos.
sible for parsonage of the other sex to
remain altogether unmoved. Hel
cheeks, ordinarily with only faint
color, came to resemble blush-roses, and
her blue eyes seemed to melt and swim
in--could it be tenderness? The hand
which he had taken to tell her good bye
shook in his own, and her corsage rose
and fell-it really seemed that come
alien element had suddenly entered the
bracing sea air, and that Mrs. Beresford
could not breathe without taking very
short breaths.
Doctor George Meredith was little
more composed-not much. Toa philo-
sophie eye contemplating his deport-
ment, sthe fact would have been obvious
that he was very much in love. Without
knowing precisely what he was about,
he raised the little widows hand to his
lips and kissed it. He then performed
a more mysterious ceremony. She wore
a white dress, with close fitting sleeves,
terminating at the wrist in deep cuffs,
which just touched with their edges
the small ieweled hands. Doctor
George Meredith, apparently in an agi-
tated reverie, pushed back the cuff on
the hand which he held and kissed the
white arm just above the wrist. Then
he looked up and their eyes met. There
was nothing in her own, or in her
| face full of bushes, which was calcula-
ted to chill the lover. He said /:
81 love you so muchl / have loved
you almost from the instant first saw
you-and Will loves you, too"
Mrs. Beresford drew long breath,
hesitated, and then said, in low voice:
+" am so sorry !"
/ It was ambiguous Could she mean
that she was distressed at the announce
ment made by Doctor George Meredith
that he loved her, or that his brother
loved her? He was in maze. No
doubt from absence Of mind he retained
her hand.
"Do youknow why am going away ?"
he said.
No." soto voce. a#
because I do not wish to remain
near you. I cannot help loving you
and showing you that I do-and VIII
loves you, tool You do not know how
hard all this is-what terrible tempta-
ton. Will and myself have always
loved each other, and there never was
day when he would not have given up
his own happiness for mine, or I mine
for his. Now this one thought confronts
me. Will loves You and love you L
cannot be happy unless he is made
happy. "Oh, what am I to do? What
can | do but go away and leave my dear
Will to show you, without my glum
face by, how much he loves YOU"
The quiet Doctor George was not
recognizable. His voice shook and he
seemed agitated by the strongest emo
tion.
You see, now," he said, 81 had not
the least intention OF telling you this.
I feel as if I had done something un-
manly and disloyal. I pride myself on
my loyalty and my love for my brother.
What can I do Lut go away-as he has
gone"
The little widow had said nothing
for long time; but her heaving cor
sage had spoken for her. Would she
add articulate words now in reply to
Doctor Georges passionate protesta-
tions? And if she did SO would she ad-
wise him to go or stay? She did
neither. She said, in a voice which
scarcely rose above the lap of the surf
near:
ct should be SO lonely with both of
you away"
You have your lady friends"
" do not care for them"
"Will will soon come back"
No reply.
He loves you II am sure Of it,"
"But-"
She stopped.
/" You mean"
"I do not love him."
"You will do so in time,' said Doctor
George, with beating heart.
She shook her head.
In spite of himself-in spite of his
love for Will, George Meredith felt
overjoyed. Human nature is q poor
! affair.
/ "Women never know their own
hearts"
know my own
You are alone; it is terrible word
for young and beautiful swoman. You
will marry-for companion"
aMarry," she said, with little
tremor in her voice and figure, "marry
for companion without love How
could II How could you think it pos
sible p
Yon will love, some day."
It really was curious to see how COM
pletely this man of twenty. eight had
lost command of his voice.
You will meet with some one who
will touch your heart"
Then the weaker vessel-the mere
girl-showed herself calmer than the
superior creature without losing q
particle of her innocence. she looked
| up to him, and said, in the merest
whisper
How do you know that it has not
been touched already ~
4 These words were of q commonplace