The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-04-28
VICTOR AND vANQUIsHED.

1t was nearly the end of the London
season. In another week wearied
legislative assembly would close its la
bors for the session, and trains hurry
ing north, south and west, would convey
the jaded votaries of pleasure to seek
change on the moors, in yachting ex-
cursions, or well preserved plantations.
Indeed, many were already gone from
town, but there were still enough left to
more than comfortably fill Lady Sea-
burton's spacious drawing rooms in
Eaton Square, and furnish more couples
than could conveniently find room in
the department devoted by her ladyship
to the last ball of the season.
Two of the guests who had been
dancing together to the melodious
strains of dreamy waltz, drew them
selves free from the crowd and sought
the awning-covered balcony, deserted
Tor the moment; and then, looking out
over the moonlit square, Hubert DARYL
ventured the question which for months
past had lowered on his lips whenever
he found himself alone with Isabel Clare
mont, and received the answer which
dashed his hopes for ever.
"You do not love mep" he said, with
passionate disbelief.
Nor
This with the accompaniment of
little, low, trilling laugh, in answer to
the earnest question.
"You have never loved mep'
Again o "Nor and again laugh;
but the latter this time was q little
forced, and In the deeply, darkly-beauti-
full violet eyes was shade almost of fear
as the girl lifted them to Hubert's face
lifted them only to fall again, dreading
to read the story told there.
For o moment there was silence. The
two were alone on the wide balcony. The
night was cool, and few were tempted
TO forego the charms of Strauss and
Terpsichore within for the moon-beams
and night-air without. jfVt itfFSl.B
The strains of the music were borne
to them where they stood. A few min
utes before, and to their measure they
had whirled through the mazes of the
dance, he envying no king his kingdom,
in the newborn home her beauty and
her loneliness Weakened within him; she
glorying in the glory of new con-
quest at the very close of her Summer
campaign. -., ----
Certainly her charms were sufficient
to make new victims no new boast.
Now, with the softness born of fear
within her eyes, a black-lace scarf
thrown carelessly about the small, we'll
poised head, and fastened gracefully by
a gold nail, the sweeping folds of her
white silk dress clinging closely to the
slight, supple form, it was no difficult
matter to understand the yearning
pathos which underlined the man ques-
tioning.
How the music Knocked him, too! Five
minutes before, and it had whispered
hope, and courage, and love; now it
meant a knell, dirge, q requiem.
He was not yet thirty, and already his
future was made barren waste by the
wrecked harvest of his fairest hopes. He
staggered moment as the last '.Nor'
fell from the exquisitely-curved lips of
deepest scarlet-staggered as though the
tiny, ungloved hand had dealt him an
actual physical blow-then he stood still
and silent; and then he spoke. Intense,
concentrated wrath mingled with an
guish, as looking full into the wonderful
eyes which had lured him, he forced
them to return his gaze.
$50 you have never loved mep" he
said. "Are you woman or fiendp Was
but toy for your amusement-a Sum-
mer playthingP Did you in your heart
lessness conceive me heartless like your
selfp Have you any conception Of the
fire your hand has kindled-a fire which
might have turned all GOODNESS for ever
from your path, but which you now bid
consume upon itself in self-torture far
greater than any living flame might Gre
atep You have never loved mep What
have your eyes told me as they uplifted
themselves with maddening softness to
my facep What have your lips told me
in their sweet, soft murmuringsp You
are but nineteen. ! fancied you child
whose heart was to my gaze an open
page. l thought how would shield
you in my love from the deceit and
treacheries of the world, of its men and
its women, and lol you were already q
proficient in its arts. Again risk you
why have you done this thingp''
''You have no right to speak in this
manner" she answered.; then: 1--WE both
were fencing with sharp words. 1t was
our Summer pastime. Forgive me II
mine slipped and hurt you"
Forgive your Oh, how low and in
tense was his utterance of the two simple
words! Forgive you'll Never, while
live. could have forgiven Won that