Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-01-04
III ISIS / RlFINGTON. l

sssF and mans weakness asthe pass
xssament Of an hour hose soft poset8S
iSder sole duty J" S d. M IS 81
was q harsh criticism. and Horace
1 Winters voice ND consciously hardened as
d Entered it sd It was to has tancse that he
sfns15ke. Perhaps To nother he would have
xra mere guarae !; but ere was no soften
lngfp his handsome face, as he looked down
fiom his splendid height to the slight, girl
SsI Hgure, who laid one little hand plead
aigly on his arm. t:.4s ,.:.x IT. 5s.s...
sg 6 You ere unjust TO Maude. Uo race" she
said. 1T is not like your usual Judgment
ssffWomen Did I not know you better, l.
ssNtilld Say yoa almost feared. the 'powea,
ybg. SC. ruthlesely condemn" f. ..-'
I ''s,s''.No, darling, I despise> Maude Riving-
f0n, US aI woman unworthy her wo1nanhood
Aseoman who seems to me, in the
soanges,,s .incengruous friend hip between
YOU, Like some gorgeous polson-plant
tDs6ide: q pure white rose, in It's half bios.
SofHed loyeliness. wish"
& Bhb Horace Winners wish was never ut
Eersd. Atthat instant, the portiere dividing
t library from the MUSHROOM was
BTuHhed aside. In the former apartment,
where the two had stood together, the
Gathering twilight had already half hidden
Shntoom in shadow, but the soul-darkness
ssssileed to hide the marvellous and transcend
eli beauty Of the third comer upon the
srgne. How long had she stood there!
#f6w snush had she heard?
Instantly, Miss Mathers, her hostess,
diyined-nothing. It would have been i'm
zHs,ible otherwise, che reasoned, for hel
N5scome forward with that radiant smile.
and, outstretching hen hands to the blaza
IESa1nn the logs in the fireplace, utter some
cqpmonplacs about tho dreary November
9oromise of an early winter.
Dufthe man tho'lght-nay, knew different
ay. The woman had spoken, ! have said,
IL ommonplace; that is. SO the words writ
ten would seem. In reality, nothing, that
fell from the rich, crimson, sIni!ing lips
ger&ppeared SO. Something Other own
ssaab, plquant charm invested all she said
.orI,id; bat in this moment, even Whilea&the
Low, sweet, musical voice broke the silence,
the violet eyes appraised themselves an in
Stint into her cen g face, not With a
challenge. but pathe &C with q mute appeal
SUCH : 9, lobk, perhaps, as oyerspread
Gasaf's face when be looked up and knew
fIsat his friend had Slain him.
In all his life no man had ever accused
Horace Winters of being coward; but in
'ahis moment he felt himself such. Had
Yas Feally been ungenerous, and toward
woman? Gould he have been mistaken in
m estimate he had formed, when he had
deemed Miss Rivington a beautiful, soul
less statue, using her arts but in the de-
&h,Hctio1 of men?
An instant he let the doubt enter like g,
Sword thrust in his soul; then he sternly
Barred it ouS. Had he forgotten that she
WAS an actress, that for the moment he was
ready to let her acting deceive him like the
xest2 r. s...;~ =. =, H..
@You are cold, dear? You have been
out2" questioned her friend, gluncing at
thaiiny fur bordered cap resting on her
sHn,i, exanisiteiy- poised head.
eyes ] have been walking. went to my
rxoom TO write some letters, but the paper
Hooked SO cold and unresponsve, that felt
quite snrs nothing could put upon il
would make it less so. l believe, too"
iris With a ripping laugh-"that I grew
.weeafy Of myself and my own thoughts, and
auahought to get away from both. fear,
saOSeyer, my success could scarcely be con-
strued into triumph III s#5 s =" >e'-=.
] Ut is too bad Yorl are tired Tonight,
you know, is the Towards all-the first
Of the seuson. 1t will not do forts bellies
60 be weary" /"% -
An instant's ehadpw crossed tho lovely
faoes then she stretched out her hand and
4et it barely touch Helen Mather's fair
young cheek ere it fell again.
you are TOO good to me, dear; but /
promise my Weariness will not ue apparent
at the ball. Who, could imagine Maude
Rivington weary when music and dancing
were on the tapis2 Besides. ma chere, I az,
quite recovered already. have had to
10 administered since left my room. ano
ono that can hardly fail to take effect"
TS-co a. H.
se3mulant, the, butler announced dinner,
anu the conversation dropped.
4. ASK Maude TO dance, Horace. SIZE is
any guest, dear. Ii IL the merest courtesy.
DO it for my sake" - i. =. = -,
: These were the hurried words Miss Ma
ehers found moment to whisper in her Iog
ser's car, o half hour aFter, they bad entered,
Mrs. Howard's brilliantly illuminated draw
Sng rooms.
4 The man glanced across them now ton
distant corner, where stood the woman
surrounded by q little crowd of men. Con-.
scious always Of My1ds Riyington's beau
ty,,s tonight. It, dazzled him. She WIS WIS
dressed all in white, unrelieved by any spot
Of color. save bright crimson stain upon
one cheek, and the rich ruby of her lips.
Tho violet eyes had xlarkened almost To-
biackness; but though she had laughed at
Fer WEAKNESS as O. jest, something etill sug-
fgested it5in the shadows about7the sweep
sng iashes, and the dropping corners Of the
exquisite mouth. y. ~ ..."|
Il With ashrus Of his handsome shoulders
Horace crossed 10 hes eide. The little
group made way FOR him to make one Of
Ghemsel M 5 ss - ID lFli a.s -.
inlay T elain one wal Miss Kiyington,
or III your card alread5 nll +.
81 She glanced up. hesitated an instant, tthells
handed him her care vi EyerY8sspaces4 was
filled save onea waltz half way down The
programmes. How happe ned that one COW
eSed dance to be und disposed Of q Nh r..
am fortunate. = he said, y Sring of quiet
and unconscious aarcasm in his voice; and 4
hastily .scribbIng his name he handed /
<s,ack the now conn lessd oars, bowed and j
retired ss55I " Il q .s.sass.s S.ss$SS355|s 4
a Thank you. dear! whispered Helen,
.Rhen he had found his way back to her. :
T5ut somehow the words Jared on his 4
eur. Now and then he knew that Helen
Mathers did not quite fill his heart as an
Other rnighs hare titled it. = TWAS the case
Off man edored rather than man adoring.
III He had known her for many years. He
afneW her g be pure, and sweet, pad wo-
snanly. The betrayal Uf her hearts secret,
Unea asoiously to herself, caused his gen
seresity to respond and ask her to become
his wife. }% I" t..sstss s:s
The al estion had wen -nigh stunned her.
ksae hadssometimes felt she wasliving some
dream whose awakening must soon follow.
En her sight her lover was unlike all ,otner
snen, and stood prince among them. His
strength, his manhood, we're in her eyes in
finffte -only equaled by his intense and IN.
selfish tenderness. s 81 ssss hi. ~ ss4y,
The evening was half at an end, when,
frpm lis hidden recess. the band clashed
forth its harmonious summons to the waltz
against WhiDh his name Was inscribed upon
Miss Riyingt on's card. Before its intro
xiae len was, 4 ulshed 10 vas ptomptto Gu q