Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-04-16

I when Callsta, after seeing that every baby
vas comfortable, and having examined the
thermometer and looked to the ventilation,
came to her; don't ask me, Calista, because
/ cannot tell you. Ican tell no one"
You have left Mr.. Murridge, dearT
eyes. l have left him. l can never,
never go back to him again. And, oh, Ca
lista! l must see Hugh as soon as possible
directly"
He i, somewhere in the hospital. will
send for him. He can see you in the corr
dor or somewhere. You are going to tell
him what has happenedl
II am going to tell him, Calista " said
Norah, frigidl5, that it is all over between
US. am going to give him back his ring
oh, Norah!"
please don't ask ne why. l cannot tell
you, 1t is not my fault, Calista, she said,
while the tears came again; iii is not my
fault!n
Calista remembered Dicks strange words
on Sunday: Whatever happens it will be
her fault"
Tel me-" she said, "what has Dick done'n
Il cannot tell you"
IL ~ was aOIllEbhlhS hOIC Ny DlCN, IIDA
had he contrived to make mischief b t, cen
Mr.. Murridge and Norahi Calls u Ie,o vel
upon taking the earliest opportunity of see
ing Master Dick. Unfortunately, the events
OF the next day made that interview impos-
sibla for SOM time to come.
The corridor in the ChiIdrea's Ho;p.tal,
Shadwe.I, is a quiet place for a lov,r,' Jy,t,
though not like a bo'ky grove, entirely
secluded from observation, And there are
no flowers or hedges in it, and the spicy
hreezes blow not over cottage g%arlens, but
over the London docks. which is, perhaps,
the reason why they are sometime very
highly spiced. Ons is, however. safe from
being overheard. Therefore, when Norah
went out to meet her lover there, she began,
quite comfortably, to cry.
"Oh, Hugh!' she said, ~ wonder if you
will be sorry!"
What for, dearl'
VI wonder whether you will console your
self very sooni There are lots of prettier
and better girls in the world. Oh, you will
soon be happy again without me!'
My dearest child, what do you meanr
Il mean, Hugh, that it is all over. Take
back your ring. Our engagement is broken
off"
Hugh put his hands behind him.
You must take it, Hugh. l am serious"
u shall not take it, Norah. am serious.
too. 1t takes two to make an engagement,
and two to break it of. l refuse, my dar-
ling"
Hugh, it must ber'
Tell me why it must be-"
"Because-because- | cannot tell youl
Oh, Hugh, believe me! l can never marry
you now, and | can never marry any one!'
"Why-why-why?'
Hugh, she turned upon him a pair of the
most sorrowful eyes ever seen. would you
like to marry a girl disgraced forever"
'Disgraced, Norah2"
"Disgraced! Go away, Hugh; l can tell
you no more!'
This is truly wonderful" said her lover
who dares to speak of disgrace an nv
Norah in the same breath? My dear. when
we two plighted our troth and kissed each
other first, it was like the church service,
you know-for better for worse. Perhap, a
little Of the worse has come at the very be-
ginning. Let me share it with YOU
de took her fearful face in his handsome
on each side-and kissed her forehead and
her lips.
There is trouble in those dear eyes, he
said, but no disgrace. Norah, | fatty re.
fuse to break it off. What will yol do
lhen?'
Nothing, " she replied. 81 can do moth
ing. But am in enthusiastically serious
earnest, Hugh"
"Ihen tell m9-tell me all"
She hesitated. The girl who hesitates is
not always lost.
Il have been charged with a terrible ac-
cusation, Hugh-a dreadful accusation, and
! have nothing to meet it with but nv own
denial"
Norah." '0U'
1T is a charge for which people are every
day sent to prison. ) She shuddered and
trembled. DO you understand that, Hughl
You are engaged to girl who may even be
SEN to prison, because | cannot prove that [
am innocent. What can innocent people do
when other people tell lies about them? I
am disgraced, Hugh"
NO, dear; you cannot be disgraced Nv a
mere accusation. Tell me all-exactly as it
happened"
mo. cannot tell you'll will not. Let
HIM find out the truth for himself. If it is
hard for me to bear the falsahood, it will be
harder for him to bear the truth"
Tell me the truth, then, Norah."
No, | will tell no one-not even youn
"Morah, dear, it is my right to ask it."
Then withdraw the right. We are not
engaged any longer, Hugh"
Tell me this, then. Is it something con-
nected with Mr.. Murridg9!"
Norah made no reply.
"ls it %anythlnE to do with DickY'
Still she was silent.
DICK came here on Sunday, grumpy and miser.
able. Moran, let me bear yOlr burden for you"
You cannot bear my burdens. take away the
right Hugh, as long as this thing is hanging over
until my accuser shall withdraw his charge. / am
not engaged to you. Oh. Hugh, l am in dreadful
earnest She drew his ring from her finger and
Kissed ia pretty, fragile little thread OF gold. set
win pearls and emeralds. Take it, Hugh" He re-.
fused with a gesture. YOU must-oh. Hurb. Won
must. Can wear your ring when | might have
ON NV wrists? Take it," Again he re.
FUSED. She twiste it witt Der fingers and the GOLD
snapped Your ring is iIvken, Hugh. No-let me
me go" "'
I,NN