The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-07-30
{" BLOOMSBURY, Pa, FRIDAY JULY 30 1885,

such swift glance toward the speak
er, and hot wave of crimson dyet
Leslies fair face to the very roots o
he rich, tawny hair.
Fannie laughed merrily in answer
while Mrs. Harding shot look at tb,
lovely companion from her bright eye
An insolent look of mingled amuse
ment and disdain.
"What an ideal You do take u,
with such ridiculous notions, Fanny,
she remarked with her ever-ready shru.
and short, derisive laugh, that wa
meant to crush in the bud any simila
"notions' that might possibly exist il
| Leslies mind.
The girl, however, did not deign t
notice the intenled slur She simpl,
said, with an appealing glance thai
went straight to Fannies kind heart
81 trust YOU will leave my name ou
of such discussions hereafter, Miss
Remington"
And then, in her proud, quiet way
she rose and left the room with an all
of graceful dignity that queen might
have envied.
Ten minutes later with her large
white Swiss covered hat shading hei
flushed cheeks, and her book in hel
hand, she was pacing slowly up anc
down the beach but her mind and
heart were too full of excited thought
to permit her to read, or even to notice
the lovely scene which the sunset was
painting on the still surface of the sea-
Calmly as she had borne it, that
subtle, barbed thrust of Mrs Harding's
had gone straight to its mark. 1t had
stung her to the very soul. 1t came
home to her now for the first time, with
a thrill of bitter shame, how completely
Hugh Mansfield realized her perfec,
ideal of manhood and how often his
image had, of late, been part of her
sw, etest day dreams.
Several times in the first two OF
three weeks following their arrival,
they had met by chance-once during
one of Leslie's early morning strolls,
when the dew was yet glistening in
the hearts of the wild flowers she was
gathering, and the wood was ringing
with the thrills of a thousand futtering
silvery-thrOated birds.
The young mans quick, firm step,
as he came striding down the wood
land path, switching the dew off the
grass with his light cane as he walked,
startled her 80 that she had let fall the
hatful of sweet June roses she had
gathered, and they lay scattered on the
grass directly in his path.
With graceful apology he stopped
and assisted her in gathering up her
fallen treasures then, when he had
seen the last velvety pink blossom
safely replaced in the wide-rimmed
straw hat, he had gone on his way
with her few modest words of thanks,
uttered in voice marveously low
and sweet, lingering pleasantly IN his
ears.
Leslie did not dream wha5 a lovely
picture she had made that morning in
the eyes of the young millionaire
standing there in the tender light that
was still half shadow under the leafy
boughs, her soft white gown prettily
defining little and graceful form, the
bare head covered with rich coils of
tawny hair that waved in silky rings
over broad, white forehead, and the
white straw hat, with its futtering
pale.pink ribbons, filed to the very
brim with blushing, dew-wet roses.
Nor did she know that he had secret
ly carried one of those same roses away
with him as souvenir of his meeting
with the lovely wood-nymph, as he
called her in his thoughts.
Later, only a few days ago, had
come formal introduction given by
Mrs. Harding, and most reluctantly, as
Leslie clearly OWNED by the cold, hard
glitter in the widows black eyes and
the slight, but scornful emphasis with
which che uttered the explanatory
words "my companion, carefully added
after Leslie's name
An amused smile was Hugh Mans
fields only recognition of The little
trick, and there was a light in his
handsome dark eyes as he took her
hand that made Leslies heart uncon-
sciously beat quicker.
After that, in proud, graceful little
way all her own, she quietly avoided
him. With all her dreams-and Les.
lie was something of dreamer-she
was not romantic or supplemented
enough to fancy that he, the lionized
would think seriously of
girl in her position, and she was far
too pure and proud to permit any
attentions from such as he that might
be lightly misconstrued.
And now, pacing the shingly beach,
she knew, at last, that another feeling,
stronger and deeper than pride alone,
urged her to fly from his presence.
"lf | could only leave here,' she was
saying to herself, with kind of pass
ionate rebellion against her fate. 'If
| could only be free from the pain of
seeing him, and-and knowing that he
belongs to different world from mine!
If | need never again bear that woman's
petty stings and slurs. But, there !"
checking her wild, feverish longing
with grim little smile of recollection,
"what am ! saying7 l must earn my
daily bread, and Lou Harding, with
all her mean little tyrannies, gives me
the chance to do that. No, no; |
must stay on and continue to bear it.
Where else could | go!-what could
do?"
"What pleasure to see you at last
Miss Weir! broke In CHEEKY, mas
culine voice upon her excited reverie.
And, turning, she was face to face
with Hugh Mansfield, who extended
his hand with frank, glad smile that
lit up his dark face most winningly.
"What must one do,' he went on, in a
tone half jesting, half serious, ''to OBJ
tain al occasional audience of your
majesty | will do anything-only
tell me. Do you know" quite earnest
ly, ''that you have not allowed me the
chance to speak one word with you in
three whole days 2"
'Indeedl ! How you must have suf-
fered y she retorted, lightly, her care
less tones inst tinuad Nth ;ron,. onl