Daily Republican., 1884-06-21
FOB LACK OF GOLD.
by MRS. r, BURKE COLLINS

+
BY MRS. r. BURKE COLLINS.
"Reed Barton has lost his fOrtune"
announced Mr.. Van Alstyne, at the
breakfast table in the great dining-room
of the Beach hotel. Clara Parker drop
ped the massive silver fork whic b she
held, and turned very frightened face,
and pair of dilated blue eyes upon the
speaker.
breath coming and going In uneven
gasps, her white hand suddenly growing
cold, and shaking 30 violently that the
diamond solitaire which she wore scin.
tillated like a fiery star.
Is 1t really true, Mr.. Van Alstyne!
she queried, her face growing slowly
whittier.
He nodded carelessly.
"''Tis true, It's pity, and pity It's,
it's true!' " he quoted, nOnchalantly. 1T
was not his misfortune and he could az.
| ford to be nonchalant. The N
Bank has suspended" he went on,
land happen to know that Barton,s
money was invested there. Poor Reed
what pity, for he is a very prince OF
good fellows"
Miss Parker's blonde head dropped
lower over her plate, but 1t was observ-
ed by the rest Of the party that b in
tsrest in the morning meal had sudden
ly disappeared. just as soon Is she
could politely withdraw from her COM
panions, she went up to her own room
Her face wis az pale as death, rave for
lurid spot upon her white cheeks, and
there was an angry glitter in the deep
blue eyes. Closing the door behind her,
she stopped short, her breath coming IN
paptipg gasps, the small white teeth
set hard together upon the rosy lip.
"Ruined - She Missed the word
forth with angry emphasis. " His for
tune gone and he has not come to mt
with the intelligence, but leaves 1t to
stranger to break the news Reed Bar
ton beggar and he is my betrothed
husband will never marry a pool
lman-never He understands that per
foctly perhaps that accounts for hi
keeping the loss of his money secret
from me ! But, l know the truth a
last, and he shall be free before the SUI
goes down !"
j She seated herself at her writing
desk, and hurriedly penned aline to he
lbetrothed husband-a cruel line, II
which she told him she had discovere'
the loss Of his fortune, and that 1t WA
impossible for her to become the wit
of a poor man. She drew the diamond
, en- gagement ring from her finger, an
inclosing it in the letter, addressed an
dispatched it at once.
Up and down one of the long veran
das of the hotel Reed Barton was pa
cling slowly. A handsome man of thin
rIty, with q dark, resolute face, ant
earnest brown eyes.
: az wish l could forget her p b
muttered, half angrily, willie involun
tarily his ey es wandered toward a groul
upon the lawn, in a retired corner, jus
within range of his vision, under tn
shade of huge oak.tree-such prett.
group-a study for painter.
Half dozen pretty children IN thel
:, quaint Mother Hubbard and Kat
IGreenway costumes, bright spots of col
or against the green background of vel
lyety grass, and with the dropping oal
Ibouehs overhead and in their midst
= q girl of perhaps eighteen years, with
Ipale, delicate face and satiny bralds c
bronze hair, and deep, lustrous brow
Ieyes-a face once seen not easily FOL
gotten.
The young man s eyes kindled as the
rested upon her; the children clustere
about her like bees about a blossom
her big sun hat half shading the clea
pale face, tho two small hands busil
engaged in weaving daisy chains.
charming little study it all made, 10
sure
4. Ethel Fenton was quite uncouscior
of the admiring gaze upon her. for II
spot that she had chosen was retire.
and she did not dream of Reed Barton
proximity. He was gazing at her no
with his very soul In his eyes.
81 love her, God forgive me - /
imuttered i" yet 1 am Clara Parker
lbetrothed husband, and" tt
words died upon his lips, as footste
lsounded at his side, = waiter approach
ed and laid q letter In his hand. Rec
took it mechanically and tore 1t opel
= Something small and glittering role
from the envelope and fell to the foo
HE stopped and picked it up, and b
face went slowly pale IS he recognize
his own ring.
ii What does It mean 2" he cried. b.
Q, "a hasty perusal of the letter revealed
meaning.
) He was free Strange, what q will
/ Iexultant thrill flashed through b
heart, Free! No longer bound to Il
OIL pretty fashion-plate which had please
y his Artistic eve and captured his fame
t. without really touching his heart, bl
whose true nature he had discovere
Ia before it was too late. For 1t was nj
Is his heart that she had priced, she care
n only for gold. But heknew her motiv
" now, and he was conscious of thrill
gratitude.
10 Where did she hear that story
10 he wondered, and there was An Cd
I'd twinkle in his dark eyes. Ethel Fe
ton is a poor girl" he went on r
., hectiyely, twill she refuse me for lac
of gold ?"
And without any further preliminar
The carried the letter straight to Etht
70 She glanced up frankly as she saw hi
- approaching, and pretty pink flu
crept slowly into her cheeks. :.
"Good morning, Mr.. Barton 81
said He seated himself deliberate
at her side upon the rustic seat. "Ms
/ encrOsch upon your time fe
moments, Miss Ethel? ?" he aske
somehow, as the question passed b
Ling. his heart sank little. What
she we're like that other woman ait
ali, and cared for nothing but gol'
The co.or deepened in Ethel,s cheek
-. she turned to her little comrades. ~
VT away with nurse, now, children" 81
comm anded, and they obeyed her
once. for every child loved her: Sittil
under the oak tree at her side, Re
, Rartop told her of bis love, and layil
: Miss Parker letter in her hand, begg
10 her to read it, and answer his questio
nd ~ nod ,oval her long (thOuRh