The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1885-11-20
.,.,sed!' exclaimed Edwin Ben


nett. hotly. why you don't mean to
say the old man actually had the au-
dacity to ask you to marry him?"
Chow ridiculous. How could you
think of such thing p answered Helen,
q ripple of laughter escaping from be-
tween her pretty teeth as she continued:
"No; he proposed, if I were willing,
to send me to Italy for two years. he,
of course, defraying the greater part OF
the expense. He said when I became
famous I could refund him the little
amount il wished. Was it not gen.
erous of him? just think, two years ct
work among the old masters What
could not do then? It would be such a
help to me. One can live very simply
there. My little income would do, with
care, think"
"And You would go?" AS Edwin
Bennett asked this question look Of
pain crossed his face.
"Why not |" came the reply, as Helen
raised her eyes questioningly to her
companion.
"You say you love me; and yet you
would put the sea between us. Helen,
wait will work hard and earn money
enough to take us both abroad. Do YOU
think could deny you anything? You
should paint to your hearts content
from the old masters, OF anything else
you pleased. So long as you were
happy, I should be. Perhaps might
turn painter too, some day, with you to
inspire me, )" he added, smiling slightly.
"I do not doubt your love for me,
Edwin, but shall never marry. in
tend to devote my life to art. AS wife
it would be impossible for me to do so.
I should be hindered and trammelled in
thousand ways, Believe me, I have
thought very earnestly of all this, and
/"
"Helen, when 1 came to spend my
vacation here at Little Rock, so as to be
near you, said to myself, Now YOU
can ask the woman you love to be your
wife, and know that you have q home
to offer her. For your sake wish I
were rich; but I am still young, and
with the good prospects I have, do not
see why | shall not be able before many
years to give my wife all she can WISH"
eft is not that Edwin. 1 should not
love you one bit more if you were
millionaire, interrupted Helen, glanc-
ing reproachfully at him.
"Helen, my holiday is over to-mor-
row. I must have my answer tonight. I"
The words came somewhat sternly from
between Edwin Benefits lips.
Mechanically. with one end of her
parasol, Helen Armstrong traced on the
glittering yellow sands, "Fame versus
Love-" Then, as she became aware of
what she had done. she sought to efface
them. Too late. Edwin Benefits hand
stayed hers as pointing to the letters
that stood out, he said, hoarsely:
"Choose !'
For O second she hesitated then,
slowly, came the answer:
81 accepted Mr. Hovcy's offer this
morning. am to sail in week."
Spurning her hand from him, Edwin
Bennett cried out, passionately:
God forgive you &! I cannot!' Then,
without another word, he turned and
left her.
A faint cry of Edwin escaped her
lips, as her arms were held out implor-
ingly toward him. Then they fell to
her side, and she, too, turned and went
slowly across the sands in the opposite
direction. If he had looked back and
seen those outstretched arms how differ
ent their life might have been but no,
he plodded angrily along the shore,
glancing neither to the right nor the
left. Little by little the waves crept up
and Love was drowned, while Fame
still stood out bold and clear upon the
yellow sands.
Ten years have come and gone since
Helen Armstrong and Edwin Bennett
parted on the shore, and during that
time they have never met Helen had
won that which she had striven for.
She had become an artist of renown.
Even ROYALTY had been pleased to COM