Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1885-05-30

| hS'ci "Ppcdicll 81 udAZlluS DIS Hu"
when she stood in front of the sweep.
ing mirror of her boudoir, with hands
cleuched and eyes flashing fire as hel
mad words dropped from her lips.
Col. Hammond was everywhere
known and famed for his riches, hos.
pitality, and-his beautiful but spoil
ed child, Estelle.
"You will not strike openly,
Estelle ?" ventured the confdant.
"Why not !? l am mad enough to dc
it. You know, Margie, that | love at
last. But the woman who has STEP
ped between me and the altar-this
Converse-she has robbed me of
Carylon Morgan: but she shall not
keep the prize"
Estelle Hammond's words passed
from Margie's mind ere the night
wore away, and she did not recall
them when she saw the queenly
woman in the centre Of an admlring 9
throng of men and women who filled
the splendid Hammond mansion on
the anniversary of the colonel's birth
day. The wealth, beauty, and gall
lantry of the bluegrass region were
there.
The woman SO cordially hated by
Estelle, however, was not there.
Rufus Converse, her father, occupied
q few acres of the Hammond estate,
and she had not reached, in Estelle's
estimation, that round of the social
ladder which entitled her to become
one of the favored guests. Estelle
did not know that on his way to her
house that very night Carylon Nor
gan had stopped at the Converse
house to chat a few moments with
Martha.
Martha Converse, gentle though
not beautiful, had won the young
mans heart, which Estelle, with all
the arts ola dazzling beauty, had
assaulted in vain. This discovery
accidental, but the more startling for
that matter-had maddened the
woman who had loved and worship
ped i'll vain, and, ready to commit
any rash deed that would break Mar
tha's triumph, she watched Carylon
Morgan as he moved hither and
thither among her fathers guests.
At last he approached her when she
was alone. There was smile on his
face.
81 am here for your congratulations
Estelle," he said. Il have been
caught at last, as you women say"
Estelle gave him look which told
that his words were an arrow that
had one home. She could not speak
but stood before him in the soft
moonlight with clenched hands,
whose white nails bruised her creamy
palms. She knew what was coming
he was going to announce Martha
Converse's victory.
eyes, caught at last" he continued
taking no note of the volcano which
was rending her heart. "Need I tell
you who has captured me?"
"No!" almost Kissed Estelle. 81
know. 1t is Miss Converse, my
fathers tenant. Carylon, I do con-
gratulate you." She forced the words
from her heart. "We bellies will en-
Wy Miss Converse. But meet me at
the spring ten minutes from now. l
have something to say-something l
cannot say here" And before Cary
lon Morgan could answer her Estelle
was gone.
The night air was quite chilly, for
Col. Hammond's birthday fell on the
the first week in March.
"At the spring, is it ?" said a young
girl, whose ears had caught the con-
versation on the porch. "What will
Estelle say, and how will he answer
would like to know. There are
several good hldmg-places at the
spring, and l am going to occupy
one"
These words fell from the lips of
Margie Storms, Estelle's confdant,
and, unable to beat down the curios-
ity that had possession of her, she
went for her cloak to the wrap-room.
Before she crossed the threshold she
looked back and saw Col. Hammond
and Carylon Morgan conversing to-
gether. "The colonel will keep him
for awhile she said, and, seizing a
garment that offered itself, she threw
it over her shoulders and passed out.
The girl did not notice the coat until