The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-12-03
BLOOMSBURY. Pa, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3. 1886.

why we shouldn't be Just as good
friends as ever, so far as can see"
"Friends--no !" he answers huskily,
white, stony look settling over all his
handsome, bright, blonde features.
"We part here, Amy Lester, and
should we ever meet again, swear to
you it will be through no fault of
mine"
And without waiting for any answer
without another word or sign, save
one scornful glance that was blended
with a strange bitterness and heartsick
yearhing, he turns sharply on his heel
and strides away, leaving her standing
there alone in the deep golden glory of
the mellow Autumn sunset.
He has not seen how his words have
stricken the warm light and color from
the piquant face, nor how those red,
mocking lips have blanched TO trem-
bling whiteness. So, after one indie
scribable moment, in which she is too
dazed to move or even think, Amy
draws long, tense breath and realizes
that she is mistress of the situation.
"Checkmate, Mr.. Owen CASTOR T.
she cries out exultingly. "You thought
to win my heart and break it for idle
pastimc, did you? You fancied you
would leave me love-lorn and despair
ing, while you went to the city to ,ed
high-born, fashionable bride, did you
not? All but I think l have avenged
myself right nobly. For you love me,
Owen CASTOR, as you will never love
her-no, never And well, l have
carried out my purpose, hard as it was,
and he will never know that my mocking
heartless coquetry was all sham, for--I
shall never-see him again.
She shivers as she walks on through
the warm, golden sunshine, and despite
her triumph, a great change has come
over the bright beauty of her face.
Such riante, sparkling face as it
has always be4n--the red, curved lips
smiling saucily over little pearly teeth,
the witching dimpled chin, the bonnie
bright eyes, the arched brows above
them, and the glossy curls gathered up
and knotted loosely at the back of the
little graceful head, all as brown as
the ripe nuts cleaning here and there
among the fallen leaves.
No wonder Owen Castor often for
sock the brilliant coterie of fashion up
at the hotel yonder to spend hours in
the more modest but quite as charming
home of Amy Lester. No wonder,
either, perhaps, that his reputed fiancee
fair, naughty Isabel Goldwin-has
become bitterly JEALOUS of her lovely
rival.
Certainly nothing less than jealousy
of the most malignant type could have
prompted any high-bred lady to do as
she had done few weeks since,
Standing on the veranda one soft
September evening she saw Owen COM
ing straight from the direction of the
Lester cottage, with look on his
handsome face which she-beauty, belle
and millioDaire's daughter that she was
had never been able to bring there
for single feetiug moment.
Her fair face darkened with an ex
preston which boded no good to the
village beauty who had dared to rival
her in the heart of the man whom she
had determined, by fair means or foul,
to win.
"rll put stop to This little romance
without delay" she muttered, clinching
her jeweied hands in the folds of her
silken skirt. "If the girl has any pride
at ail-and there is world of it ex-
pressed in that dangerously beautiful
face of her's-Ill work ON it 80 artfuIy
that l will come off winner in this
game, and with flying colors, too
And so it fell out that on the follow
ing morning, as early as propriety could
possibly allow, fair and beautiful lady,
in dainty walking suit of pale blue
surah and modish white chip hat, took
her way, with sweetly smiling face
and cruel, unaltered purpose, TO the
pretty, home like cottage mile or
more down the sun-lit road.
She asked at once for Miss Amy
Lester, and the two girls had long
and strictly private interview.
What was the subject or substance
of their conversation nobody knew;
but when, at last, Miss Goodwin stood
upon the broad doorstep, bidding Amy
lingering and gracious ''good morn
ing
~ thought it my duty to warn you,
as friend, my dear Miss Lester" she
said sweetly, as she raised her elegant
blue satin-lined parasol and bent her
queenly blonde head to adjust the fas-
tening of her glove. "Of course l
could not well speak to HIM on the sub
ject of his Irritation now, since l do not
wish to quarrel with him; unfortunately
l love him too well. But"--with a
steady, searching look into the pale,
beautiful face beside her-"when once
married / shall endeavor to cure him of
such disreputable folly. And, now,
once more, Miss Lester, must beg you
to respect my confidence and regard
this interview strictly as secret be-
tween ourselves"
"You need not fear that l shall ev-
er betray your confidence, Miss Gold
win,in any way" said Amy, ,meaningly.
And, having charmingly expressed
thanks, Isabel sauntered gracefully
back to her hotel, conscious that she
had planted sting in one proud, gen
sitive heart, and "thereby spiked the
enemy's gun" as she Willingly expressed
it to her own thoughts.
From that hour poor Amy has had
one stern, unwavering purpose to
avenge herself upon the man who, she
believed, has tried to win her love only
to cast it aside unfeelingly when he il
ready to return to his city home.
And she has won No practical city
belle could have led lover ON mor'
skilfully, or refused him at the las
with more finished cruelty than she
And, though her heart aches horribly
with the pain of it, she is still glat
that she had the courage to strik,
Owen Gaston's pride that crushing
hlow