Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-08-21


I,rged FIorrv's selfish lover. Are these
more to you than / amgn and he sought
to catch her hand in the gloom and force
her forward.
"Ohi / cannot cannot 60 and leave
them thusr' moaned Florry. What
have you doneg"
Hush y
There was one instant Of strained, in
tent listening, and then-then the door
burst open, and young man carrying
candle In one hand, knotted stick IN.
the other, surprised the group hitherto
shrouded by the obscurity.
"Graciousl Miss Arlington, what is
this2" cried he, glancing at the savage
face of the man, the PROSTATE figures OF
the younger girls; at the agonlzed,
lovely elder one; the open easement,
into which blew the chill air of the Feb
ruary morning.
He was answered by an agonized sob
from Florry and by the sudden disap-
pearance with muttered imprecation)
of the man by the window. Then Flor
ence, springing to her feet, called out:
.sOhl Mr.. Wynford, heaven sent you
to our help, We heard noises; we feared
that thieves were in the houses; we took
courage and came down here, and, and,
we found this window open, and that
man here He had opened the window"
.sAhl would that / had been quick
enough 10 bring the fellow TO justice.
Miss Arlington, !" with the tenderest con
Germ breaking into his tone, ''are you
sure you are not hurtW
.sQuite gutter answered she, in a
broken voice. "Oh, do not think of me-
It is my sisters who are hurt!"
II must think of you-you first and
always'' said the young man, in low
I, tone, and with adoring gaze at her pale,
sweet, despairing face.
| BY this time Lucy and Edie had some
what recovered their self-possession, and
each made silent resolve to save Florry
| from the consequences of her rash act.
1t would be naturally supposed that
! the three Miss Allingtons, alarmed by
noises in the house, had had the courage
| to descend, had found thief who had
effected an entrance by the easement of
! the morning room; that Miss Lucy Al
lington had just been struck down by the
intruder, when Mr.. Wynford, a visitor,
who had likewise been reused by the
noise, had entered and rescued the young
ladies. alarming the midnight intruder
into fight.
One bright morning week later, when
the sun was shining on the golden cro-
cuses and the pure white snowdrops in
Mr.. Allington's grounds, young girl,
accompanied by gentleman, paced
along the terrace in the sunshine. But
they were not looking at the spring
flowers, or at the flood of winter sun
shine, for the girls eyes dropped sorrow
fully Though a flush was on her exquisite
| face and the young mans gaze was fas-
tened on the lovely countenance of her
who walked by his side.
''Why do you turn away from me?"
Is it because you cannot love me, Flor
ence2" asked he, despairingly. Let
me come again. Don't send me away
forever" And he seized her hand pas
sionately, gazing as passionately into her
eyes The lovely Florence Arlington
quivered all over. why don't you say
word to me, my hearts best treasurer
urged he.
Because--because, y she faltered, rails
ing her liquid eyes, in which tears of re-
pentance shone with exquisite luster,
because Mr.. Wynford--n
"Call me Claud ~ interrupted he, with
eager love.
Florence, moved by his devotion,
thrilled with agitated remembrance of
the hidden past, could not prevent two
tears from falling.
''You weep, my darlingr' cried Claud
Wynford ''Do my words pain youf
Is it because you cannot give me any
hope whatever that you turn away your
dear face?'
All at once Florry took courage the
courage of true repentance
II will tell you the truth, Mr.. Wyn-
ford, said she, in heart-broken accents.
That was no thief you found in our
house; it was-my unworthy lover, with
whom / was about to fly Nv dear
! sisters have nobly concealed from all the
world the true state of the case-even
from my fatller-and for his sake, it will
be well that the world should never know
the truth Though to him / will make my
confessionwithin this hour; but to you,
owe also this PREPARATION, that in de-
| spising you may forget me!''
Florencep calculated the startled
young man.
" Yes, have deceived you and every
body Accept my poor attempt at atone
ment, murmured she, striving to conceal
how deeply she was agitated.
Answer me but one thingn cried he.
Gould you ever, in however small a
degree, respond to my devotion2'' They
had wandered on within belt of shrubs,
i which ruodo o1~+ 1f ~oI.@n-~, x.-~f-