The Cecil Whig., 1884-09-06

Eyes, and in two years Tom Carol
will have forgotten her refusal and hel
existence, under the comfortable regime
of some indiflerently pretty housckeep,
er whom accident will saddle on him
as wife and mother of his children. -
Il don't know why she wanted tc
throw Tom over" said Graham, looking
at the end of his cigar with Slight
irown. "What a merciless flirt she is
1t would not have been so bad if she
hadn't taken him away from another
girl. | wonder if she has any heart at
alp"
"She's a skeptic, like me-" said
Fielding, careIessly. "These men
work up speeches out of novels, and
play devotcc, and it amuscs her. 1t
would amuse me-"
'You don't know her well, do you?"
said Graham. Il don't believe, if YOU
did, you could keep out of her clutch
cs. But she will find her match at
last, / have no doubt. Those women
do suffer sometimes
'I'll wager you what you like" cried
Fielding, ''that Dora Varian and | will
play at love in the most artistic way,
and separate at the end, neither of us
the worse for the game
Il will make no wager" said Gra-
ham, briefly; but none the less l am
sure that you will either marry, or one
of you will repent H."
!; * x
Fielding had never been one of the
young men about town. He was sell
dom lured into ballroom, and never
into the pleasure parties where people
meet SO much more agrceably than un-
der the lighted chandeliers. Now it
was noticed that he was losing his re-
tired habits to talk to Dora Narian, and
it was not long before one was seldom
seen without the other. People Won
dered and gossiped these two kept
their own counsel. Fielding was i'm
perturhable when rallied, and Miss Va
rian, placid and taciturn in all her love
affairs, was equally SO in this. And the
three months came to an end, and
Fielding said to Miss Narian:
Next week | sail to France. You
will wish me a pleasant voyage, won't
you?"
"How long will you be gomez" she
asked, lifting her eyes with friendly in
terest.
''Impossible to tell. My plans are
so indefinite that | have come to say
good-by. 1t may be for years, and it
may be forever he answered, with a
slight laugh. In any case, thank
you for the most enjoyable summer of
my life. | shall otter look back to it
with regret that it was SO short and
then the pity of it is that these pleas
ant things are never the same again."
Il don'trequire these elaborate COM
pliments OF my departing friends" said
Miss Narian. with a metallic sound for
eign to her voice; ''and | don't agree
with you that it is a pity about the
uniqueness of our pleasant things. |
would rather say goodbye than an re-
50iJ-, it means so much less-though l
am sorry you are going away she ad-
dcd, after 4 moment. eve have had
a very pleasant summer, haven't wc?"
| shal! remember it until quite next
summer, am sure"
I've are both hcart-whole," said
Fielding to his friend. Had we wag-
cred, | would have Won"
His trip to Paris was shorter than he
had expected, and sever or eight
months found him at home again. But
he did not renew his friendship with
Miss Narian. He heard of her some
times in the old way, and wondered if
there was anything in the expression Of
those speaking eyes of hers that had
made him fancy sometimes, with pang
of self-reproach, that she had given
him gold for his base metal. No;
nonsense She looked like that at
every man who had an hours CONVEX
sation with her. If her voice some
times vibrated with what in another
woman would be betrayal of feeling, it
was because she had learned to modu-
late her lightest breath for effect.
y note came to Fielding one day.
He opened it hurriedly, There was
no formal beginning. 1t ran as fol-
lows:
The physicians have given me up. must see
you before it is all over. Come at once, if you
can. l hope this is legible lam writing against
orders. Dora NARIAN.
In half an hour he was by her bed
side. His professional experience,
slight as it was, told him there was no
hope.
Dora, what has brought you to this ,"
he said, unable to conceal how shocked
he WAS.
you" she answered, vehcmently.
You laid a deliberate, cruel plan for
your own amusement, and you may
well enjoy your work"
''Do not excite YOURSELF" he said
gently, putting back with his cool hand
heavy locks that fell over her forehead.
q am sane enough. | haven't been
delrious at all. | wanted to tell you
that | inrtnd some day to make you
suffer as\you haye made me. You
knew you to&.alEfta flavor out of my
life after YOU went away. How flat
and weary everything seemed. took