Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-07-27

~%----
until she stood face to face with Sidney
Carll
Her voice even was changed as she
said:
.'Sidncy Carllr'
'.At your service, " he said mocking-
His voicc seemed to break the
strange icy spell that bound her, and
she recognized Frank Gordon bya gen.
tie inclination of her stately head.
Where have you beenP" she asked
Sidney, ..for eight years?"
.sAbroadI' he said briefly.
Leaving me TO suffer thousand
deaths by your silencep"
You Halter me. he answered, still
with his cruel mocking smile.
81 must speak with you, MIR. Cor
don, :" she said, "and Mr.. CARL will not,
think, refuse to hear me. VIII you
give me your arm to the library? MIR.
CARL. will you join usP'
A shrug of the shoulders, low bow,
and the gentleman expressed his will
ing obedience to the lady's command.
The sudden change from the ball
room to the quiet library seemed to
steady the lady's nerves. She had
trembled so violently in the short walk
from one room to the other that her
escort had to give her very real sup
port and assistance, but as she closed
the door of the library she gathered up
new courage, and her voice, though
low, was clear, as she said:
s'Mr. Gordon, few short weeks ago
you honored me by proposal of mar
riage. Do not think me bold or un-
maidenly to mention this before third
person until tell you my reason.
refused you, and yet, in spite of my
utmost endeaVor to conceal the truth,
you knew that loved you. What ag-
ony it cost me to send you away-to
try to tear you out of my heart-you
can never know. / loved you, but /
would not marry you because | be-
lieved, and have believed for years
eight long weary years-that | had
bIood-stained hands-that had MUIR
dered the man / know tonight still
lives.
'sYour intention to murder me was
good, was the cold sneering answer
''You know that to be false--as false
as all else in your cruel faithless life.
But Mr. GordoA vi 7 think, believe
me-
'.In all things, was the quiet firm
assurance.
You know little of my life" she
said, turning her pale beautiful face
towards him; "but its utter misery and
desolation no one can ever know but
myself. My aunt hated me, grldging
me my very existence; my father never
drew sober breath. AT seventeen. /
had never had any knowledge of home
happiness or home love. found my
only pleasure in study, and the old
minister of the village lent mo books,
and helped me. Brain-hungcr he sat
isfied; heart-hunger / boro for years.
'IntO such q life romance and dream
ing come with forcc that happy girls
can hardly imagine, and l dreamed
visions OF love and lovers.
And with my empty heart, my vision
ary lOngings, met Sidney CARL. Ho
was to me the embodiment of every
hero of whom had ever read-hand-
some, winning, gracious. Why he
made himself my apparent lover he
alone can tell; for, winning all my
girlish devotion. he gave me only a
of love in return. | am
very frank, and if I pain You, forgive
me, for / must tell the whole truth
now.
II was but seventeen, but, with all
the feryor Of youth, ali the tender po-
etry OF imagination, invested my hero
with every virtue, and gave him a
worshipping love. And by every art
his false heart had studied, he woocd
me TO love him. How could my io-
norance meet his craftP How could
my innocence suspect his falsehoodP
All through one long summer he made
my lie a FOOLS paradise, and / was
blindly, utterly happy, scarcely look
ing forward day, so completely con-
tent IN the present We lived near the
sea, and within easy walking distance
OF our cottage there was a high rocky
clih, overhanging deep water, many
feet below. Oftentimes / have turned
sick and dizzy looking over the rocky
ledge down to the angry waters that
dashed against it far below. But il
was a favorito walk, the approaeh
from the village being a gradual as
cent. Here I met my lover often.
to and fro upon the edge Of
the cliff, thinking nothing Of danger.
when my hero was beside me. was 4
fool, / grant. but / had some excuse
for my folly. for never was 3 great
lady moro delicately, tenderly wooed
and won.
Autumn came, and ii October Mr..
Carl told me he must return to the
city-to his home and business. One
more walk upon the cliff, and then be
must leave me. But even then did
not doubt his loyalty, or that he would
return to me. met him on the cliff
walk and then he told me 4 cruel
truth. IA words so gently spoken they
might have been a caress, he told me
be was not free, but the promised hus-
band Of q great city belle-a woman
Tor whom he professed to have no love.
but who had social position, accom-
piishments, riches-all that had not
and as stood dazed, stunned. bis
words ringing Ike q knelI ia nv be-
wildered brain, he came towards me