The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-07-30

moved away. Then, glancing back
indifferently, she added, with careless
smile and nod, "Good evening, MIR.
Mansfield"
"Jove how she does manage to cut
me short whenever l try to talk with
her." muttered the young millionaire,
gazing after the light, vanishing form,
with puzzled frown on his handsome,
dark face. Why does she do it, I'd
like TO know7 Is it pride, or-wbat
No other womln ever tried, or cared,
to keep me at such an icy distance, I'm
sure. But she is so different from all
the Others, i'll every way just a
glance from those deep, cool gray eyes,
and then she is gone. All my fair,
proud Leslie ~
He walked up and down the beach
for time, half hoping she might re-
turn. But she was not visible again;
and three hours later Mansfield was
smiling and uttering his meaningless
compliments to the fashionable women
who thronged about him with their
sweetest smiles, while his thoughts
were forever drifting away to a fair,
pro nd face with gray eyes that seemed
to be gazing upon him with their mock
ing light from the far-off frozen pin
nacle OF an iceberg.
Mrs. Lou Harding had chanced to
witness that brief interview on the
beach and startled, uneasy look
flashed into htr gittering black eyes.
"lll have to get rid Of that girl,
see that" she muttered vindictively,
drawing her breath hard as she
watched them from her window .sShe
is lovely, in her odd style--dangerously
so; and it'll be impossible to keep her
in the background any longer, now
that he's insisted upon having an in
PRODUCTION to her. | won't mention
this affair, of course, but I'll find some
good excuse for discharging her before
two days have passed. | would die be.
fore would admit that / looked upon
her as a rival.
Mrs. Harding kept her word. And
when, after several DAYS had passed
without a glimpse of Miss Weir, Mr.
Mansfield made some inquiries concern
ing her, the young widow put on
pretty air of injured innocence.
She left me very Unexpectedly, and |
must own that l felt rather hurt over
it, since l had kept her so long in my
employ and done so much for her."
she said, with charming little pout.
"But she said she expected soon to be
married, and limited at some old 70.
nance which had just ended all right
as an excuse for leaving me so sudden
ly. So | suppose l really ought not to
blame her, after all.
The look that swept over Hugh's
dark, handsome face, and settled
gloomily in the depths of his beautiful
dark eyes, as he heard the startling
news, convinced the pretty schemer
that she had not sent Leslie away one
moment too soon.
But the watering place suddenly lost
all attractions for the young million
aire. lie left at once, not caring par
ticularly whittier he went; and, by some
strange fate, found himself, at the
end of the first day, in the very same
hotel at which Leslie Weir was stop
ping on her way to take new situa-
ton.
In the shock of the sudden meeting
Hugh blundered forth the story of his |
honest love, and Leslie, threw aside
her GOODNESS and reserve, and then the
whole truth came ont.
"Since you have no relatives or
friends to consult, my darling" pleaded |
the impassioned lover, ''let us be mar
rled here at once, and we will return TO |
the fashionable watering place we have
just left to spend our honeymoon"
And Leslie allowed the happy fellow
to plan the whole affair Just to suit |
himself
When Fannie Remington received |
their wedding cards she smiled and |
nodded her sincere approval When |
Mrs. Lou Harding received hers, which |
chanced to be at the breakfast table,
in presence of dozen other guests,
she tainted dead away.
Within a week the beautiful Mrs.
Mansfield was the reigning belle and
fashion, while Mrs Harding, who had |
lost not a moment in packing up her
bewildering wardrobe and fleeing to
new fields of glory, listened in bitter
silence to the hated echoes of her
rivals fame.