Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-03-19
&C. ALLEGANY COUNTY, SATURDAY, MARCH 49, 1881


said. "Lord Loring doesn't scruple to
tell me that ought to marry. 1 know
he speaks with sincere interest in my
welfare. He little thinks how b dis
tresses me-"
"Why should he distress you?
"He reminds me-live as long as I
may-that | must live alone. Can I
ask woman to share such dreary life
as mine? 1t would be selfish it would
be cruel I should deservedly pay the
penalty of allowing my wife to sacrifice
herself The time would come when
she would repent having married me-"
Stella rose. Her eyes rested on him
with look of gentle remonstrance.
az think you scarcely do women JUS
tice," she said, softly. "Perhaps some
day woman may induce you to change
your opinion" She crossed the room
to the piano. "You must be tired of
playing, Adelaide" she said, putting her
hand caressingly on Lady Loring's
shoulder.
Will you sing, Stellar"
She sighed and turned away. "Not
tonight" she answered.
Romayne took his leave rather hur-
riedly. He seemed to be out of spirits
and eager to get away. Lord Loring
accompanied his guest to the door.
"You look sad and care-worn," he
said. "Do you regret having left your
books to pass an evening with us?"
Romayne looked up absently, and
answered: {" I don't know yet"
Returning to report this extraordi-
nary reply to his wife and Stella, Lord
Loring found the drawing-reom empty.
Eager for little private conversation,
the two ladies had gone upstairs.
"Well," said Lady Loting, as they
sat together over the fire, "what did
he say q
Stella only repeated what he had said
before she rose and left him.
"What is there in Mr.. Romayre's
| life," she asked, (Which made him say
that he would be selfish and cruel if he
expected woman to marry him? It
; must be something more than mere i'll
ness. If he lad committed crime, he
could not have spoken more strongly.
Do you know what it is ?"
Lady Loring looked uneasy.
az promised my husband to keep it
q secret from everybody" she said.
at is nothing degrading, Adelaide !;
l am sure of that"
"And you are right, my dear. I can
understand that he has surprised and
disappointed you but if you knew his
motives" she stopped, and looked
earnestly at Stella. "They say" she
went on, "the love that lasts longest is
the love of slowest growth. This feel
ing of yours for Romayne is of sudden
growth. Are you very sure that your
whole heart is given to man-the best,
the noblest of men-but still man OF
whom you know little ?"
"I know that 1 love him" said Stella,
simply.
"Even though he doesn't seem, as yet,
to love you?" Lady Loring asked.
"All the more because he doesn't. 1
should be ashamed to make the confess
sion to any one but you. 1t is useless
to say any more. Goodnight"
Lady Loring allowed her to get as
far as the door, and then suddenly called
her back. Stella returned unwillingly
and wearily. "My head aches and my
heart aches," she said. "Let me go
awsy to my bed"
"I don't like you to go away, wrong
ing Romayne, perhaps, in your
thoughts" said Lady Loring. "And,
more than that, for the sake of your
own happiness, you ought to judge for
yourself, if this devoted love of yours
may ever hope to win its reward. 1t is
time, and more than time, that you
should decide whether it is good for
you to see Romayne again. Are you
strong enough to do that?
eyes, if am convinced that it ought
to be DONE"
"Nothing would make me so happy"
Lady Loring resumed, "as to know that
you were, one day, my dear, to be his
wife. But I am not a prudent person
I can never look as you can, to conse-
quences. You won't betray me, Stella?
If am doing wrong in telling secret
which has been trusted to me, it is my
fondness for you that misleads me.
Sit down again. You shall know what
the misery of Romayne's life really is."
With those words she told the ter
rible story of the duel, and of all that
had followed it.
eft is for you to say" she concluded,
"whether Romayne is right. Can any
woman hope to release him from the
torment that he suffers, with nothing to
help her but love? Determine for
yourself"
Stella answered instantly;
"I determine to be his wife !"
With the same pure enthusiasm Pen
rose declared that he, too, devoted him