Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-08-26


"Well, much as usual, l expect. But
come over to my rooms, and maybe 1 car
be more definite.''
The young man slipped his arm through
Raymond's, and they sauntered on togeth-
er.
ooh, by-the-way," said Jack Gordon
suddenly bursting in on one of his owl
speeches, "you have just turned up in time
to be too late for the marriage of an ole
sweetheart of yours-Fannie Gerard. Mar
too."
''What-what did you say ?" said Harry,
clutching the arm that lay on his, and stop.
ping short in the street.
II said that your old flame, Fannie Ger
rard, was married yesterday to old Mr.. Rob
erts, the millionaire. Why, what the
matter? What are you staring at? You
look as if you had seen ghostp'
Harry Raymond drew his hand across lis
face once or twice before he replied.
VI beg your pardon % he said. 81 have
just remembered an important engagement
IL will have to leave you now.'
"Ob, I'm sorry ! But, never mind! Drop
in the evening, and have chat Good bye,
for the present! Delighted to have met
your'
And Jack disappeared around corner,
savagely condemning his '1ong tongue
and thinking all kinds of hard things of the
girl who could so soon forget fellow like
Raymond.
Harry Raymond walked on with bent
head and downcast eyes. All the animation
and brightness were gone from his facial
interest in his surroundings banished by a
few careless words
Married. he repeated-"marriedt to an.
other, and my heart true to her through all
Oh, tickle, faithless heart of womanl''
And, with harsh, bitter laugh, he drew
his hat over his brows and strode on, be
knew not whittier, until night found him in
his own rooms, worn out by fatigue and
misery.
"Why am Ihere?' he groaned, his head
buried in his arms, which were wildly
thrown out upon table. "Why did fight
SO desperately for my life when danger as
sailed it? Why? For her sake! Fool,
fool to fancy she would grieve for me! All,
would to Heaven | had gone down with my
more fortunate comrades!'
And SO passed the first night of Harry
RaymOnd's return home.
When Fannie Gerard entered the jewel
er's next morning, she was somewhat en-
barrassed to finda young gentleman talking
to Mr.. Blaikie, and withdrew shyly to the
furthest end of the counter.
The old gentleman, recognising her at
once, bowed pleasantly, and in few mo-
ments came to wait upon her.
~ will buy your ring for fifteen pounds. :"
he said. "Will you Part with it for that?"
Fannie's face showed her disappointment.
ri thonght it was worth more than that
-intrinsically, she said. "Twice as much,
at least"
The Scotchman shook his head, and
pressed his lips together, for although he
was interested in the 'puir lassie," he did
not forget the precept that f'beezness is
beezness."
Fannie's eyes filed with tears. She was
the most unmercenary of human beings;
but how paltry the sum appeared compared
with her valuation of the ring
She looked at it with longing eyes, half
tempted not to make the sacrifice at all,
when she was startled by voice beside
her:
Il will buy the ring for twice as much,
since the lady is so anxious to obtain good
price for it!''
Well did Fannie Gerard know that voice,
though never before had she heard it ring
with the contemptuous scorn as now it fell
upon her ear.
With a strong inclination to scream, which
she suppressed to gasp, she turned and
involuntarily held out both hands, while a
look of mingled amazement, delight and
love sh0ne in her face. Then meeting but
a strange smile of scornful bitterness upon
the features that had become to her
those of a saint, and where, hitherto. she
had seen naught but glowing tondern ss,
she drew back as though stung
One piteous look she gave toward the old
man who stood watching his strange patrons
with an absorbed interest, then she shud-
dered, reeled, and would have fallen to the
floor, had not Mr.. Blaikie caught her in his
arms.
He bore her into an adjoining room, and
calling his daughter, left the fainting girl
in her care and returned to where Harry
Raymond stood, with pale, set face, gnaw-
ing his moustache.
"Is the young lady better? am phys;-
cian Can be of any use professionally"
$50 you are her lover-the lad who was
lost at sea?" said Dugald Blaikie, not no.
ticing his question.
"What do you know about me-or her ?"
asked sharply.
"Enough to know that you have caused
sufficient trouble and grief by your absence,
without breaking the bairn's heart alto
gether, now that you have GENE back
Hech, mon," continued Dugald, falling into
broad Scotch under the influence of excite
ment, ''na lad ever had less cause for cauld-
ness or suspeecion."
Harry Raymond's lip trembled and his
face flushed"
ssYou do not understand" he said ''She
was my betrothed wife, and return to find
her-married."
ssMarried !'' exclaimed Dugald, blankly.
"Yes, married to wealthy dotard; and
anxious to get rid of that ring, lest she
should be disturbed by its unpleasant asso-
Citations"
And as he thus expressed this suggestion
of his fevered fancy, his voice was raised in
resentful passion.
The bewildered girl heard the words, and
standing in the doorway with face of mar
BILE pallor, and her slender figure proudly
erect, she said,-
s'You are strangely mistaken, Mr. Ray
mond. 1 am not married, nor ever have
been. Iwished to sell my ring because I
was in absolute need of money. However,
it is yours now, without any equivalent.
And with laughty bend of the head, she
would have passed him by; but Harry sud-
denly turned and caught her in his arms,
and before she could protest, she was seat
ed on the sofa, with her repentant lover at
her feet.
"Oh, forgive me, darliug-pray forgive
me.'' he pleaded. 'T was Fastening to find
you Immediately on my arrival, when was
told that you we're recently married! But
was mad-wicked, to doubt you, and 1
throw myself on your mercy!"
And he seized the little hands, nervously
clasped together, and covered them with
kisses.
''It was my cousin,'' she answered, re-
''Ah! but knew naught of her, and to
me, sweetheart, there is but one Fannie
Gerard in all the wide worldp'
Aud as he then proceeded to clasp that
particular one to his heart, she was obliged
to accept the cunning excuse and forgive
him.
Fannie still wears her diamond ring,
though Dugald Blaikie has since supplied
her with plain gold one, that she values
yet more highly.
A Row of Pearls
through coral lips is certainly a
h,,H >f