The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-04-03
NY LADY

that mean? When | last saw you such an
idea was furthest from your thoughts,
and here you give me twenty-four hours
notice of your departure ON all indefinite
tour
The speaker, a tall, splendid looking
man, opened his dark eyes in unfeigned
surprise, as they rested on the face of his
friend.
"I've hardly given myself more than
twenty-four hours notice, Max. Ofcourse
its a sudden notion, but to you, the oldest
and best friend | have in the world, | may
as well own to the truth, though you need
imagine it no secret. A very large portion
of the fashionable world thoroughly under
stood my motives. I'm hard hit, Max, and
I've got to go away. | want to feel that
an ocean rolls between me and the Woman
who has Tilted me-"
gifted you?''
Eyes, Tilted me. It's not a pretty word,
but I'm not in a frame of mind to look
through the dictionary for another that
means the same thing. | loved Nora Field
ing with a love you can not even dimly
comprehend-you, who have lived for more
than thirty years unmoved by any woman's
beauty, upthrilled by any woman's voice.
I had some reason, God knows, for deem
ing my love returned. She smiled o. me
as only soulless women can smile; she
seemed glad when | came. sorry when !
left her. Yet, when moved to madness, |
put my love into words, she smiled still,
and told me that my love was folly. Of
curse | should at that moment have
scorned, despised her. So | did, perhaps:
but it made my love zone the less, my suf-
fering no whit the easier. | can't de-
scribe her to you, Max. think she might
entrap you in her meshes.a
"a coquette entrap me! No. no, my boy.
Forewarned, forearIned. Suppose we have
a little trial of skill and this slayer of
mems hearts. You've left her at the
beach, have you not? | was just contem-
plating a little trip seward. What do you
say. old fellow??'
"You may make the attempt, Max, right
willingly; but don't let the flame scorch
you in breathing it, for my sake. Make
her suffer, but see to it that she entails no
pain on you"
you forget, my boy, that you have be-
queathed to me your scorn, but carry your
love with you. Bury it at sea, Fred. and
start fresh ON the other side. I'll take care
of my Lady Coquette on this side"
The next afternoon, standing on the pier,
Max Elliott watched disappear down the
bay the brave ship on which Fred Ronald
was passenger for the old world-a self
made exile for a woman's sake.
An honest bitterness welled up in Max
Elliott's heart as he turned away. Better
than be had ever loved a woman he had
loved this man, who had beentle plaything
of a woman's idle hour, who had had his
honest love tossed back to him as though
it were the foam upon a wave, and who
had been driven to other lands to find the
cure in absence and perhaps forgetfulness.
When his brougham stopped i'll front of
his club, he glanced at his watch. 1t was
a sultry afternoon in July. The city was
growing uncomfortable, and there would be
barely time to hastily pack a yalise and
catch the six o'clock boat which would
transport him to cool breezes, the promise
of a sea bath, and-his revenge.
Such a thought was worthy to be acted
upon: therefore, the next morning, Max's
name appeared upon the Ocean House
register; to be greeted by al approving
chorus of Welcome from the dear five hun
dred friends already gathered there.
AS by natural instinct he found his way
to Mrs. Redfern's side. Great friends as
he and George Redfern were, he and George
Redfern's wife were better.
what has brought you here?" she
asked, with a quizzical smile.
rs not your presence a sufficient magnet
for a less attractive place." he replied, gal
lantly.
She shook her head.
''Of course; but I've been moping here
for a fortnight, and have sent you number
less messages by George, all of which you
IdNC ISItiNtldtSus III boh l uCStiNC Nilot
should offer you any kindness in return,
and I've a great mind not to present you to
Nora Fielding to-day. All, you see how
easily | have guessed your secret. | saw
Fred Ronald's name, this morning, in the
list of passengers on the Scythia. OF
course he told you how badly he was cut
mp. 1t was a great shame, and I told Nora
so, frankly, but the girl is so pretty and so
clever that I suppose she really is not
wholly to blame because men choose to de-
tach their sealps, hang them on their belt,
and then &c about the world moaning over
their loss"
Trust a woman to defend woman when
jealousy is not possible to either, answered
Max. For my part, | regard Miss Field
ing as utterly heartless and a %flirt."
Judge not, that ye be not judged, :" re-
piled the pretty little matron. Eyes, that
is She, she added, noting how the mans
eyes dilated as a tall, slender figure, draped
in close, clinging white, swept ont of the
open door on the piazza. ''There is no
woman like her here. OF course she is