Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-05-08


through the nearest rooms had no re-
suit. and Nesta stopped by an open door
to glance in at the half cleared drawing
room.
Two portly dowagers were deep in
conversation, their heads bent together
behind their fans; but their voices rose
above the music Eleanor was playing,
and Nesta could not help hearing what
they said.
"Gladys Trafford; yes indeedw cried
| the black velvet gown to the purple bro
cade. "a very, very old love affair that,
my dear. He and she were perfectly in
separable, and most suitable match 1t
would have been. The two Oldest fam
lilies in the county; his equal in position
and fortune. Lord Stourbridge's estates
are next his, you know, and Gladys Is
| heir to a great part"
What made Nesta's heart give such
leap, and her feet spell-bound to the spot
where she stood? ArnWood Towers was
the only place near the Traffords. 1t
was as if her whole being was strained
to hear the rest; she never thought OF
eaves-dropping, poor child; it was life
and death work with her.
"And why didn't it come aboutw asked
the purple brocade.
"Hea7en knows! A lovers tiff, I sup
pose, or some such rubbish. It's thou
sand pities! Lady Fielding has always
| been at the head of the county society,
and Gladys Trafford is just made for the
position, with her beauty and cleverness
and talents. She has always been i'm
mensely popular"
"And who is the girl he has mar
ried? She seems a nice little thing
enough"
ooh, harmless sort of creature; pink
10 he
was a planters daughter in Ceylon, or
somewhere; and he was staying with
them when the father died. She was
left quite friendless and destitute, and
he married her out of pity. He was al
ways Quixotic goose, Harry Fielding"
The spell was off now; and Nesta,
white as death, was hurrying up the
stairs to her room. There was a little
sofa in sheltered nook in the corridor,
and there sat Harry-the missing Harry
and the woman he would have mar
ried
Nesta sped past, but as she fed she
saw Harry bend his head to kiss the
beautiful hand he was holding, and she
heard his low murmur-
eff l had only known years ago, things
might have been so different"
On, on, till her own door closed be-
hind her, and she gazed wildly round at
the pretty ornaments that strewed her
bower, as if she had never seen them be-
fore. She flung the diamonds from her
throat and wrists as if they hurt her,
and sank into chair beside the quaint
old ebony table, leaning her head, with
its tangle Of crisp brown hair, down on
her folded arms. She did not shed a
tear, bur her brain seemed on fire.
Beside her stood the tall vase'of rushes
that Harry and she had gathered from
the lake only yesterday. Wasn't it
hundred years ago?
'Never another sorrow he could guard
her fronIW Well, it was true; he couldn't
| help this; it wasn't his fault; he had
meant to do right; he had married her
'Out of pity when he loved another
woman. 1t must be her own fault, not
| his ; yes, because she was pink-and-w hite,
and nothing more; and she ought to
have known pity wasn't love, only it had
seemed so like it!
''If he had known years ago, things
might have been so differentp Might
they not still? What if she were to go
away that very night, and never trouble
| him again? She had not friend in the
world except her old Brighton school
mistress; she would go to her and beg
her to take her in, and let her teach the
little children. And, perhaps, she might
die soon, and Harry could be happy
Nesta felt as if death wouldn't be long
in coming, she felt so i'll now.
She got up to fetch time table. Yes,
the mail-train passed through Middle
hampton at 1 O'clock; it was only II
now, and, though she couldn't very we'll
understand the puzzling figures, she
thought it must stop at the little station
just the other side of the park.
She drew her blotting- book to her,
and began to write fast. A big tear or
two splashed down on the paper, but she
wiped them patiently away; it must be
clear that Harry might read it.
"They say you only married me for
pity" she wrote. 81 might have guessed
it, my darling, but you were so good to
me that I never, never did. l can't
make you free again; but it is better for
us never to see each other any more, and
perhaps l may die, and you can go back
to the woman they say you have always
loved. saw just now when you kissed
her hand and said things might have
been so different if you had only known
years ago, Yes, they would have been
different for us all. God bless you, my
poor, good boyl you were not to blame"
She paused and looked up.
! naC snail sign III! she SalQ; L am
not his wife any more, for only love
really makes a marriage"
Her eye fell on her little wedding-ring
its brightness scarcely furnished yet.
She stopped and pressed her lips to it
gently, sOlemnly.
ooh, Harry, my Harry" she whis-
pered, 'if it had only been love, not
pityp
She rose and slipped off the golden
satin gown and put on dark, warm dress
instead.
81 must even go away from him in the
things he gave me" she said, as she fast
ened her long fur cloak with its silver
clasps. 81 havn't single gown that was
, mine before knew him. He has even
dressed me out Of charity. His pity