Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1885-08-15

devotee, and it amuses her. Itwould
amuse men
"You don't know herwell, do your
said Graham. II don't believe, if you
did, you could keep out Of her clutch
es. But she will find her match at
last, / have no doubt. Those women
do suffer sometimes
I'll wager you what you like,
cried Fielding, sthat Dora Varian and
/ will play at love in the most artistic
way, and seperate at the end, neither
Of us the worse for the game"
Il will make no wager" said Gra-
ham, briefly; shut none the less I am
sure that you will either marry, or
one of you will repentit."
Fielding had never been one of the
young men about town. He was sell
dom lured into ballroom, and never
into the pleasure parties where peo-
pie meet so much more agreeably
than under the lighted chandeliers.
Now it was noticed that he was los
ing his retired habits to talk to Dora
Varian, and it was not long before
one was seldom seen without the
other. People wondered and Cos
siped; these two kept their own coun-
sell Fielding was imperturbable
when rallied, and Miss Varian, placid
and taciturn in all her love affairs,
was equally SO in this. And the three
months came to an end, and Fielding
said to Miss Varion:
s'Next week l sail to France. You
will wish me pleasant voyage, won't
you?"
How long will you be gomez she
asked, lifting her eyes with friendly
interest.
impossible to tell. My plans are
SO indefinite that / have come to say
goodbye. 1T may be for years and it
may be forever" he answered with
q slight laugh. SIN any case, I thank
you for the most enjoyable Summer
of my life. shall often look back to
it with regret that it was SO short;
and then the pity Of it is that these
pleasant things are never the same
again"
81 don't require these elaborate
compliments ofmy departing friends"
said Miss Varian, with metallic
sound foreign to her voice; sand /
don't agree with you that it is pity
about the uniqueness of our pleasant
things I would rather say goodbye
than az reooir, it means so much
less-though am sorry you are
going away" she added, after a mo-
ment. eve have had very pleasant
Summer, haven't we? I shall re-
member it until quite next Summer,
| am sure.'
s'We are both heart whole,n said
Fielding to his friend. clad we
wagered, would have won,"
His trip to France was shorter than
he had expected, and seven or eight
months found him at home again.
But he did not renew his friendship
with Miss Varian. He heard of her
sometimes in the old way, and won
dered if there'was anything in the
expression of those speaking eyes OF
hers that had made him fancy some
times, with pang of self-reproach,
that she had given him gold for his
base metal No; nonsense She look
ed like that at every man who had an
hours conversation with her. If her
voice sometimes vibrated with what
in another woman would be betrayal
of feeling, it was because she had
learned to modulate her lightest
breath for effect.
A note came to Fielding one day
He opened it hurriedly. There was
no formal beginning. 1t ran as fol-
lows Tf
| The physicians have given me up
/ must see you before it is all over.
Come at once, if you can. l hope
! H. - 1o~-.l~11 - -. II