The Penn's Grove record., 1885-01-10

So SNNAh 800
Tom
tHe is a very good-looking fellow at
any rate, " said Harold, scTutinlzing my
brothers handsome face land indeed,
Nora"-loUking up with a smile-"l
don't know that | shall allow you to
wear this 81 you tell me who the owner
of the goodlooking face IS"
Wont tallow' l' l repeated, laugh
ing in retdrn, and taking the locket
playfully from him. "Well, then, Har-
old, what viii you say when | tell you
that he is an officer In a cavalry regi-
ment, and that ne gave me this on the
night before he sailed for India ?"
"What ~ he cried, suddenly starting
up from his recumbent posture, while
the blood rushed over his face. "Oh,
Nora, what did you say 2"
Helen was convulsed with muse
ment and thinking he too was enjoy
ing the jOhe, | repeated my statement
and, the spiri. of mischief selzing me,
l added
"And l promised him l would
part with it-never, V ~
''Nora"4laying his hand on my arm
-''once for all-who Is it ? | must
know"
"There is no must in the matter"
was my reply, spoken in jest, for we
were all playing at cross-purposes.
My harmless joke had bitter ons
quences. 10 my surprise and coBster-
nation, he suddenly snatched the locket
from me and again examined 1t, while
his face grew graver and darker each
moment. On the other side were two
locks Of hair-mine and Charles.
Yours and his, [ suppose ?" said
Harold, looking up.
"Exactly--and he has a locket with
my likeness,n | answered recklessly,
for | was annoyed at his cross question
ing.
"Oh, l suppose 80 I" he said then,
with suppressed passion in his voice
Enough of this nonsense l insist
upon Knowing! [ desire you to tell
me-"
"'Insist'-'desire'l 1t is rather too
soon for that, / think !" | replied in
dignantly, turning crimson beneath his
glance and driving back the hot tears
that rushed to my eyes at the first angry
words that had fallen from his lips to
me.
HIS face softened he went on in a
lower tone.
mora, ! have a reason, dearest |
wouldn't ask it otherwise"
If Helen had not spoken then-if we
had been alone-lt might have been all
so different But her clear voice
broke in
Now, Nora, don't give in to either
threats or p~ersuasions he has no right
to use the one, and you must not mind
the other"
YES" / said. still hurt and surprised
at his strange manner; ''you know,
Harold, there are times when II needs
all ones determination
"This f. mere fooleryl' he exclaimed
~passlonatey. ut is as | supposed then
Very welI-choose between us.
At that moment Tom rejoined us.
The opportunity was lost, gone forever;
and, seizing the locket that had been
the innocent cause of this most strange
misunderstood ING, l held it up, saying
"There-I have made my choice
| goodbye for ever I" Then, catching
sight of the astonIshment on the faces
of Tom and Helen, l turned from Har-
| old, who, with folded arms, was stand
ing moodily regarding me, and, ex-
| claiming, "Oh, If we had neve met ~
| hurried away, W tn my mind i'll a
whirI and my heart full of bitter re-
sentiment.
A hasty step sounded behind me on
the gravel, and in a moment Harold
was beside me. Without a word on
other side, we walked on till we
reached the orchard then he stopped
me, and his voice was strangely cold
nay, almost indifferent, l thought.
Mora, 1 have come to say that l
forgive you fully and freely"
| turned then and faced him.
"Forgive me! Why, it is your place
to ask for for fenessl You need
scarcely have followed me to say any
thing 80 ridiculous"
"Yes it seems | have come on a
FOOLS Grand"
He spoke sarcastlcally ; yet, as l
glanced up into the face of my hero,
with the eyes that had ever a smile and
soft look for me now looking gloomlly
and coldly into ME-, my great love for
him rose up in my heart, and l longed
to throw myself into his arms n I'M
plore forgiveness-make any concession
if he would only take me to his heart
and whisper that he loved me still; But
his next words brought crimson bushes
to my face and tears of indignation and
pride to my eyes.
"Then | humbly beg Miss McDer-
mot's pardon for all offences commit
tod
uol lau, uy,fh daHanna in avary
gesture, while my heart swelled with
mingled feelings.
"Mr. Broughton's request Is grant
ed.n
For a moment we stood and looked
straight into each others eyes, each, l
knew afterwards, misunderstanding the
other. Then he spoke in a hurried
voice, holding both my hands in his.
"Good-byel 1t is all over between
us and | thank Heaven | discovered
my mistake before 1t vas too late for
a woman may make or mar a mans
happiness. Good.byel"
Then he left me, and, walking a few
PAGES, turned, his face softened, and his
voice changed to n of loving r%eproach'
full entreaty.
"Nora, you might have trusted me.
Oh, my darling, my darling, come Oh,
surely it is a mistake ?"
He held out his arms, Oh, the pa
thos, the yearning that n word Mora
conveyed Often and often since, Ia
the still hours of the night, have |
wept vain useless tears at the thought
of that last loving appeal which | re-
jected.
Love was strong but at that mo-
ment pride wa stronger. Weak, fool
ish girl that l wssl / felt proud Of the
storm | could raise and quell with a
word, and resolved to bring him to my
feat. l returned his loving entreaty
with a mockiny little curtsey, and
laughed-actuaIy l~aughed-in the face
Of the man whole noble a prompted
him to make the D6rst overtures. When
l think of 1t INV, and know what he
must have thou BIT, how he must have
utterly iespised he, I hate myself, and
wish l could loslalike the powers OF re-
greet and memoir
Stune TO the lick, he stood erect, bus
face whittier ar sterner than l had
ever SEEN it Horror-stricken at
the passion y reused, l stood trem-
- IT.. kbnp