The Washington critic., 1886-09-25
THE C0NQUER0R.

such weddingl No bridesmaids,
no music, no breakfast, no reception; |
declare, should not feel us IL | had
been married." exclaimed Marion viii.
loughby, throwing herself down upon
the low fauteuil In her own elegantly
appointed drawing room. and drawing
off the delicately tinted gloves which
served as a finish to the exquisite
Partisan toilet.
There was only one other occupant
in the room, man. tall and handsome,
standing with one hand resting on the
back of her chair. She did not glance
up as she spoke, or note that Chester
Thorleys face had lost color.
"You are speaking of Miss Marvine's
wedding" he said. "There Is one es.
sential TO most marriages you have not
enumerated in your list of things lack.
ing. Was love wanting?"
"Ob, no. ! believe she loves him.
She certainly must do so to an almost
absurd extent. They are to go to
housekeeping in an questionable 10.
cality up town, where he must be away
from early morning until quite Q
o'clock. He occupies some salaried
position-clerk in a bank, believe
and she might have married any
bodyl"
"Honest labor degrades no man,
Marion" came the firm, quick an.
swer. "Even clerkship is not al
ways found, and | would rather break
stones in the street than live on money
acquired dishonesty or doled out of
charity; though in such case would
ask no woman to share my lot"
This looks like breaking stones,
does 1t not p she laughingly answered,
letting her own jeweled fingers close
over the mans hand where 1t rested
hand whose shape betokened its aris-
tocracy, and which was soffand white
as q woman's.
At her light touch his strong arm
quivered. He bent and let his lips rest
an instant caressingly on her hair, for
the girl beside him was his aflianced
wife,
1T could break stones, though. dear,
and don't know but it would make
me better man. Suppose lost my
money, Marion Suppose 1t were all
swept away from me in an hour, and /
had a position offered me--a position
which would enable me to live humbly,
live--tell me what you would do ?"
"You are only talking to try me,
Chester, and hate such questions. In
the first place, it is entirely oui of rea.
son; for even were IT. so, papa, you
know, is very rich, and our home could
always be with him."
81 said to you that ! would rather
starve than eat the bread of charity.
Therefore, putting this possibility
aside, tell me what you would doy"
Her fingers released their grasp upon
his hand. Was there significance in
the action? He smiled bitterly as he
saw 1t. His face was very pale now.
Except that he stood still behind the
chair, she must have noticed it,
"You are utterly absurd this after
Ioon, Chester" she said, petulantly.
Have ! not just told you that Edith
Narvin's wedding was more like a
funeral than wedding? And though
i presume l shall one day have to at
t,nd my own funeral, will not, as
,ure you. be a voluntary agent. Have
YOU nothing more agreeable that you
can find TO say to me?"
The man shook off certain some
thing which seemed to envelope him in
IN aln.ost Invisible cloud, and he
answered with the old courteous grace
which suited him so well, and made
his rover with women almost a
proverb
Money always seemed to belong to
him by an Inherent right 1t was so
natural that he should be rich. No
one could have imagined Chester
Thorley poor. He knew so we'll how
TO expend his wealth. He gave it so
generously, yet without ostentation,
that no man envied him.
Yet he knew half an hour later,
when he left his farewell kiss on
Marion Willoughby's lips, that 1t was a
farewell to all hopes and happiness.
The blow had already fallen, He
was ruined man, with scarce shill.
ing he could call his own; he had had
no wish ungratifcd money could pro
cure In all his thirty years of life. II
had fallen, too, through no fault of his
own, though there was feeble comfort
in that. There was comfort. howeve,
in the knowledge that he owed no man
and that he might start afresh In tht
world with no burden on his broad
shoulders or his conscience.
Tue, there was n deep wound in his
heart. lie had loved Marion so vel
that to give her up was to voluntarily
renouuce God s sunlight. But all hcl
life had been spent amid luxury. II
was to her necessity, Deprived of It,
she would droop and fade; and better
any lot than to see her struggle, and
know that he had brought 1t upon her
Beside, she had made her choice.
To her wedding meant flowers
music, friends, the toilet Of bride.
The future, the communion of two
hearts. the solemn responsibilities in
cured, were but secondary considera
tiOns
Goodbye, my darling" said he, a
they parted but when she aldc |
Until tomorrow" he added neither
yea nor nay.
ITO morrow" the world knew tha
Chester Thorley's ship had gone upor
ihcrocks. Many Of his business assocate'
would have held ont to him u help,ng
hand, but firmly and kindly he refused
every offer,
He wrote Marion few lines recall
ing to her mind the conversation of tht
day before, and released her from heI
VOWS 20 him.
II any good fortune comes to me.
lie concluded, you shalt hear Of il. ii