The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-01-24

i that Hnoneyt latael, If YOU hove me, do
not speak of II. OF tell a living soul here
that am an he1ress. Do LET me enjoy
this visit at least"
1t was three weeks later, and the
eventful night. The audience was gath
cred in the large ballroom, and the play
was in progress. At the end of the see-
| ond act Claude and Pauline were called
| before the curtain, and having made
their bows, they retired behind the
scenes, apart from the others, where
their conversation showed how they had
1 improved their three weeks acquaint-
ance.
..Oh, Pauline! if it were but truei If
| you were as truly mine, as Pauline of
Lyons was Claude Melnotte's! But, like
him, what have | to offer. Nothing.
/ n bile you, like Pauline, have been used
to every luxury. Yet love you, love
| you
They were called, and not again did
| he have chance to speak to her until
| at the end of the fourth act; but when
| he did he heard ringing in his ears her
impassioned appeal:
i stClaude, take mel Thou canst not
| give me wealth, title, station-but thou
canst give me true heart. Twill work
| for thee, tend thee, bear with thee, and
never, never shall these lips reproach
thee for the past" 1t seemed as though
she was appealing to him in earnest
as though the play were reality.
Pauline, do you, did you mean it?'
with sudden blushing face she bowed
assent.
"Could have done otherwise?" she
asked him later, as they wandered
through the grounds while others danced.
''You were too proud to ask me, and /
could not let you go, SO / acted as my
heart impelled, hoping you would read
the truth, yet fearing.n
He placed his first kiss on her lips.
''Good, and beautiful, and true" he
murmured, as he looked in her happy
eyes.
Three weeks more went by, and on
the morrow, there was to be u general
breaking up. Gerald and Others bad left
the previous week. Constance was
lounging in big easy chair, in dimly-
lighted drawing-room, when, at the
sound of voices outside, she listened, on
catching her lovers name.
Daring dog, that fellow Armytage.
Think of his presuming to come up
here and play the gentleman"
wonder where he got the money?''
''By gambling, most likely, as he dare
not forge any more checks"
His uncle let him off too easy.''
''Oh, he did not want the name dis
graced, so he hushed the affair up
Pity he did, though, for the scamp, it
seems, went to work Immediately to en-
trap the heiress, Miss Beresford. -
'.By Jovei he is handsome enough to
Wish I bod M bic
good looks. And the two young men
left the room, little dreaming that their
careless words had ruined young life.
Constance Beresford sat like one
dazed. for moment, then rousing her.
self. escaped to her room. Had she
been deceived? Was Gerald a forger-
q fortrne-hunter? 1t could not be. vet
they had said so; it must be true! What
should she do?-what course pursued
No one but Ethel knew of her engage
ment. To her friend she need say moth
ing, as she was going home on the NOR
row, but TO him. what should she say to
him. She could not see him; she would
not; she would write to him, and at
once. She must be proud, brave, I'M
fiji hing, so she wrote:
y Il have deceived me, and l have found
YOU ''ut, in time, fortunately TO prevent an es-
clan Make n@attemptsto see me, for
sha - use 20 see you, even If you come To the
houst. CONSTANCE BEREsFoRD.
All the winter long she suffered in 81
lence. never having heard from him.
In the spring her favorite sister Maud
died. This blow, with her other trouble,
Frustrated her utterly, and for weeks
she was very i'll. When she was able
to bear the journey, they took her to
Switzerland In her fresher sorrow her
love for Claude seemed buried and for
gotten.
Two years and half have gone 1t
is the London season, and for the first
time since Maud's death Constance is
at large evening gathering, and, sing
ularly enough, again heard a converse
ton between the very same young men
who had, long before, decided her course
of life Tor her.
80 Armytage has been sent up at
last?''
Eyes, l knew he would be, sooner or
later. You remember that summer we
made flying visit at Holmsley Court,
when we thought he had been up there
on the lookout for an heiress?''
Eyes, | remember. We meant to
scare him out of that rascally scheme"
''Wen, he wasn't there at all; it was
the cousin. Deuced unpleasant his hav-
ing another fellows name.''
Is she going to faint9 What makes
the room whirl round SO? She half
rises but falls back in her chair.
''Can I assist youp Are you illp'' anc
looking up she sees-Gerald Armytage
standing over her.
sLet me take you from this heated
room,'' and leaning on his arm. she
walked out upon the cool balcony.
''You have met with g loss since
saw you last; you have been i'll and
away, and are sadly changed" he said.
with evident feeling.
Eyes; / shall never be the same light
hearted girl. l am a woman now"
miss Beresford, may ask you 9
question:
las many as you like" she answered
YEARLY.
''Ioverheard the conversation between
those young men just now; did you
think / was the Arnytage they spoke of
when you wrote me certain letter."
Eyes; l overheard conversation be-
tween those same young men to that
effect
'.And you would not even let me vim
dictate myselfr'
This is no time for reproaches; it is
too late to undo what has been DONE
Let us so in
lone moment, Constance Is it too
late to undo the pastp Has the time
been so long that you have lost the feel
ing you once had for mep I love YOU