The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-08
A FATEFUL RIDE.
(coycIUpED.l
rCAr-ED rT

4 i Ou are as TalSe as 1aSe can De" sh
smiled. Il have not been out to-day
thinking you would be sure TO COM
and take me for ride. and you dom
appear until this unsatisfactory hour
Lance, think will give you up and
have another lover, after ALL"
viii you?" he said strangely. Have
Harold Charsley, then, suppose"
He had shut the door behind him ant
had come up to the fire, but he made
no attempt to greet his lady-love, he
did not even touch the little hand she
had outstretched; he stood looking al
her so strangely, so coldly, so sternly
that she felt the oddness of his manner
even before she saw it. When she look
ed up and saw his face distinctly, she
gave little cry:
"Oh, Lance, what is the matter?"
Il don't quite know how to put it
you are a lady, you see" he replied in
that odd suppressed eoldness; "if you
you told me faIsshood last evening"
! Captain f;orden" she exclaimed
starting up Indignantly, "haya you losl
srnT sensesf'
"Oniy for n time last night=they we're
brobght back to nis with rush this
monling'
| Treat NE as a man, as you evidently
| don I know how to treat me properly as
a lady" she said, with superb disdain
in manner. and a cold deadly pain at
her heart; land tell me in plain words
as plain as you like, they won't hurt
| me-what You mean"
Madeline" he said unsteadily, and
approaching her by one step, you know
| what | mean. You know how YOU de-
| ceived me last night"
Il might retort that it is you who are
| speaking falsely now" with a little
laugh that was in reality a sob. turned
| of into less humiliating sound.
ou told me-you vowed to me
That you had no appointment with
Harold Charsley yesterday afternoon;
| for that late ride you would not allow
me to accompany you upon"
And | tell you exactly the same-the
| simple truth-again now"
ct | met with someone to-day quite
casually, Madeline-someone who had
no thought of doing YOU evil or max
ing mischief-who told me that he had
seen you and Mr.. Charsley returning
from ride over the moor at seven
o'clock yesterday evening; that Chars
| ley had accompanied you to this very
| door, and had Csly left to return again
at nine O'Clock by your own appoint
ment. [ cannot doubt that persons
| word, Madeline" he said, with deep sad
ness in the stern tones.
Yet you can doubt miner she cried
with quick resentment i'll hers "Ifyou
| begin your love thus, by doubt, and,
might say, insult, how will it end, |
| Wonder"
1T has ended. 1t could have with
| stood anything but deception. Made
| line, if you had but owned the truth
| last evening, if you had only answered
my question truly, | could have for
! given"
Forgiven indeed" she cried with a
superb raising of her little head. Il
think it will be time enough for you to
| talk of forgiveness, Captain Gorden,
when stoop to ask for it,
| She rose as she spoke, and faced him.
Two quick tempers alight; two sore
hearts burning; two proud natures
aroused and defiant; two pairs of haugh-
ty angry eyes regarding each other
coldly.
You might ask for it." he replied
| slowly, "by deliberately leading me on
| to love you for your mere amusement:
| for pretending to care for two men at
once; for wilfully telling me false, when
| you knew it was no matter of jest to
me; for giving me such bitter cruel pain
as pray you may never know" His
I L.
| ed the more for that moments weak
ness. You might ask forgiveness, in
| deed; only, of course, it is but matter
| of sport for you"
Il find it no matter of sport to be ac-
| cused unjuStly, and of things | really
| do not even understand. II can only
| gather from your curious reproacheS
| that-that you repent of what you term
| temporary loss of your senses last
evening, and wish our half-formed en-
| gagement to be at an end. Is that it,
| Captain Gorden?"
She only knew what it cost her to
| speak those few words calmly and with
| out tremor; her pride must have been
| the strongest thing about her, stronger
| even than her love just then, or She
must have failed
| He looked at her a minute steadily.
coldly ut first, then sorrowfully, then
| pleadingly, but her eyes were gazing out
of the window over the darkening gar.
| den and park, and her face was expires
sionless and hard.
"She has no heart. All women arr
alike; the sweeter they look the les:
true are they he said bitterly to him
self. Then aloud: why did you de
ceive me SO pointedly last evening
Madeline?"
Il never deceived you; but if yol
doubt my word then, why ask me any
thing now?"
You had an appointment with tha
MANI"
4 had none with Mr.. Charsley.
with WHOM them"
Il am not at liberty to tell you"
Another he burst forth madl ?
Miss Ayre, you are model fiirt In
deed"
Thank you. Knowing your opinion
of fiirts, can fully appreciate that com
pliment," with a graceful bow.
Can you deny that You rode from
over the moor and up to this very hous'
with Harold Charsley last evening""
Il shall not take the trouble to den.
anything toyou," Madeline said haughti
ly. ~Your right to pry into my doing
is at an end, if ever it existed. You
you evidently don't care for me yeally
and"
Would any girl have dismissed tn
man she really cared for, to ride out a
dark to meet secretly anotherf" Gordel
burst forth jealously.
She smiled irritatingly.
Il should say such girl could exis
only in your morbid Imagination; bu
that seems vivid enough for anything.
@Madeline." he came nearer her, nj
tones unsteady, his features pale wit
emotion, his eyes haggard and imploi
ing; Madeline, II you will look at m
now and tell me the truth, will fol
get and forgive oil even now. love 20
! so madiy"-his voice grew hoarse, hi
| face was stirred@aI cotild almost TAX
/ you back even without confession
, against my better Judgment
> Il wish you to take no step agaifls
, your better judgement" she said coldll
4And have nothing to confess that
am aware Of
did you, or did you not meet Char:
ley last evening"
3 Il met him near home, by accident.
4 did not go ont to meet him.
a Whom did you go out TO meet!'
) Il cannot tell you now, L may perhaF
I some day, but at present / am bound b
promise
ITO another MANI in mad jealous,
at is to man-yeS, but to no on
: whom even you need be jealous of. Yo
: could not be jealOuss-with faint flicl
n ering smiling--if you knew the truth
5 Then why not tell me the TRUTH
Because / tell YOU | have promise
+ to keep it secret, Lance" She went
y step nearer to him, and raised her swet
e eyes for one instant, Would your tru:
! !, In me be increased BY my breaking
g 4Why did you give the promise Mad
: line? 1t sounds too improbable-tc
d vague, this mysterious promise to som
/ one unknown. Deceive me in one iten
q deceive me in all. Last evening yC
|. led me to believe you never saw Char
J, ley, that you were surprised at his cor
4 ing last night-to-day you admit tn
y you did meet him, did ride with hiI
Ie What can believer
n She went very pale, and the softent
,r look died out of her proud dark eyes.
l. IF YOU choose not to believe my wor
& think you have only one aiternatiy
j. Captain Gorden.H
It @And that is