The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-08-06
CHAPTER XIV.
unorn sPRINas rITRNAL.n

After Beatrice had leib the dfawlng-ro0m
Frank stood motionless for couple OF min
ltaa. lIe could not at once realize his posi-
ion. In a dim indistlnct way he saw whata
mighty change his failure must mako In his
lie, but ho absolutely shrank from calling up
1 finished picture OF what he fanciod Ills fu-
,ure lifo must be, uncolored by the love which
10 had by now learned 10 look upon as indls-
,ensable TO making the picture pleasing
)ne.
IIo could not understand II. He could not
Jelleye II. Frank Carruthers, although per-
'ectly able 10 value himself fairly, was no
,oxcomb, ready 10 fancy every little act OF
hndness or polite attention on tho part OF
woman an evidence OF consuming passion
or himself. Although for weeks he had
)eon making yelled love 10 Beatrice, there
vas no action Of hers 10 which he could point
md myi "That gave me hope and lod mo on,h
10 had not felt her hand linger In his own.
10 had not seen sudden blush dye her cheek
u he drew near Ilo had not caught those
arnest gray eyes fixed upon him with mean
ng which lovers readily guess, ID was per-
iaps tho very absence OF anything approach.
ng coquohy and encouraging (Which 10 Frank
lnd made the girl so we'll worth tho winning.
Nevertheless, there was somethlng-ho
,ould not, dared not particularlzo something
her manner, moro especially during tho
nst few days, which had, well, 30 say the
east, been of great comfort 10 him, llo
ancied, II may have been but fancy, there
vas change IN the way In which she spoke
o h.m-porhnps IN tho way In which she
ookol No Lin. Yes, there must have been
ometh.ng, for although he did not put the
hourht into WORDS, Car;uthoS knew thai
nd Leatr.co bg,l Tho same 10 him a. n t4y
- ih'Ir r"r iMonce no love
ma however dominant, could have forced
him 10 put tho question no had just put with
such a sorry, and, ii may BE-, Unforeseen 70.
suit Tho mans half cynical exterior hid a
proud and sensitive nature. Had hope been
entirely absont ho would not have barred
his heart 10 tho woman no loved best In tho
world.
Even IN tho FIRST bitterness OF defeaths did
not blamo her Tint all was ended and over
ho mover doubted. His feelings wcro those OF
bowllderment Ilo could not understand II;
could SEQ no reason for this summary and
withoutappeal rejection Of his love-
~ must go and think Ii all over, ho NUT
tered. ~ can't think here, In thiaroom where
tho perfume OF her dress still lingcrs'
He stopped and picked up flower which
must have fallen from her dress Ile took q
glove which was lying on tho piano
"What lovoler love n, he said grlmly;
"ono laughs at tho idiotlc proceedings OF
others, and whom ones own tlmo comes does
just tho same, A glovel A loworI Convcn-
tional emblems, lacking oven originality,
What fool amp
Nevertheless ho kept them both, and no
doubt derived as much comfort from them al
tho possession OF such things Is supposed 10
give,
After this no took his hat nnd forgetting
all about the dlnnerparty, went out Into tho
garden 10 think. In spite Of his assumed
calm ho must have been strongly moved, for
ho commenced his operation OF thinking by
digging his heel into tho immaculate gravel
path 80 yiclously that tho largo roller was
nooded for half an hour tho next morning In
order 10 smooth matters down, Then,
ashamed Of this burst Of passion, ho walked
down 10 tho bottom Of tho garden, and ro-
gardlc@ Of October dows and chilly air throw
himself ona scat and strovo 10 account for
what had happened, and 10 determine It's ro-
suits far as his own future was concerned.
But think as ho would, and wo may pro
sumo his brain was q clever and Ablo one,
Mr. Caruthers could only get to three con-
cludons, unsatisfactory whom taken slngly,
and, Of course trobly 30 IN tho aggregate,
Firstly, hO was moro IN lovo with Beatrice
thnn ever. Secondly, no could not undor-
stand why sho had refused him. Thirdly,
nothing would induce him 10 repeat tho
question,
"No, won't groveln said Frank "MoSt
fellows goom 20 grovcl when thoy aro IN love,
Hang II, wontl I'll bo original In that
respect II hayo to cutmy heart out"
These remarks woro Of course applicable 10
conclusion number throo--a conclusion at
which loyo always laughs. Given u proudcr
man than Mr., Carruthors, and 0s hopClossly
In lovO with Rwomnn, that woman, II sho
wished, might hnvo fresh declaration Of un.
dying passion ovory week IN tho year, Oh,
yes-all lovers can "groyoln II needs DO.
BY and by n curious whim seized this par
ticular lover Ho would go down and soc
Sylvanus Mordlc. Not that ho wished TO un.
bosom his woes 10 tho curato--thnt would bc
grovellng with vengeance -. but there
seemed a certain grim proprioty In soolilng
and sitting with tho othor man who was row.
Ing In tho sano boat, or, 10 put II POLITICALLY
tho man whose bark OF joy had boon wrecked
upon tho same rock ~ his own, Besides,
Mordlo would bo suro 10 talk about Misl
Clnuson-hc always did. "WhGt fool ]
amp said Frank moro bitterly than ever.
Nevertheless, ho walked down 10 the curato'r
lodgings
Mr., Mordlo lodged In ono Of q row Of now
houses which sangulno builder he'd erected
on plot Of ground not far from tho church
Whom these houses woro fst built tho villng
crs expressed their wonder ns 10 who would
inhnblt thom. They woro rod brick houso'
with frecstone drossing-th0 kind OF house,
classified as "gentool" residences. As such
they were u cut above tho villagers, and
mnny cuts--quito u gash, IN fact-bclow The
families Of poslton,n As half OF tho house,
nro empty 20 this day tho builder as coasot
10 wonder nt tho villagers wonder.
When Frank was shown into his room
Mordloj jumpcdupand greeted him chcerfully
"Hallol" no jcrkod out "You horol Why
what's upp
~ only cano for smoke and chat,n
"Thouy tyou hadovery ono-all thoSwell
up et tA) house tonight"
Frank started. "Iquho forgot thom," h
said with luclt Of caution unusual 30 him.
"Forgot thom How shocked Horace vii
bo-.-how griovcd Herbert. No matter. Hor
YOU sro."
Whilst speaking tho ourato hustled about
Hoopcnod n drawer, took out n box Of cigars
thon shut tho drawer with bang Hoopono,
cupboard took out a bottle Of whisky, tho
slammed The cupboard door, Ho slapped th
cigars, the whisky, n water bottle cnd glas
on tho tahlo In front OF Frank md waito
Tor him 60 help himself
But Mr., Cnruthors sat silent ond motion
less Ho was looking at Mordlc, who wa
stin bronacd by tho sun, and seemed 10 DO 4
nm agpe3lvoiy rude state Of health. ii
wondered u tho curpto foltas wrctchod who
Beatrice refused him as he, Frank Corruthori
did at that momtnt II 90, and II sylvanu
| had really conquered bia adlanppoirtmopt h