The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-08-13

pleased-a month ago should have been
ready to laugh at myself; but for me this
was the one woman Of all women-my love,
my life my fate. knew 1t now, IL I had
not realized it during the long days of rest
less torture which had passed since 1 last
saw her.
Her face was paler than it had been then,
l saw, and her whole expression was more
subdued, more pensive than it was when we
conversed in the railway carriage. There
was something in her eyes which could not
understands far-away dreamy look as
though the mind were engaged upon quite
other scenes than those which were impressed
upon the retina- A pang of jealousy shot
through my breast as noticed this.
How dear she was to mel That what
I whispered to my heart 1t seemed as
though I had known her and loved her all the
days of my life; and when once, with a
gesture which had observed when sat OPP
posite to her in the railway carriage, she ad-
justed one of the dark brown tresses of her
hair, the sweet familiarity of the movement
made my eyes moist with sudden emotion.
Her companion was little man, plainly.
almost shabbily, dressed. whose gray hair
and bent frame indicated that he was adj
vanced in life, and who showed by the man.
ner in which he used his glasses that he was
shortsightAd. could trace no resemblance
to her in his features. Once or twice she
spoke to him, and saw that when she did
so he always turned toward her with a quick
movement of attention, and that his withered
old facs lighted up with smile of love-
/ stood half hidden by pillar, feasting my
eyes upon the sight that was so dear to me,
and absorbed in it to the complete exclusion
of everything else.
Somebody touched my arm. turned and
saw Harding standing beside me with a
cynical smile upon his face
"This is worse than l expected" ne said in
bantering tones; IL never thought that you
Of all men won have succumbed so quickly;
but have been watching you for the last
ten minutes, and I'll swear you have never
taken your eyes off him for the whole of that
time"
Him. About whom are you speakingp
asked. impatient at the interruption.
He laughed "What innocence! What
blissful ignorance As if there could be
anybody here this morning worth looking at
save the man of gold! Your instinct did not
deceive you You are quite right in suppos-
ing that shabby old gentleman sitting beside
the pretty girl in navy blue to be Mauleverer,
the millionaire"
"You don't mean to tell me" began in
dismay.
"That the specialized gentleman in the gray
coat and the venerable felt hat Is Maulever-
err Yes, do. But surely you knew it be-
forehand; for you have looked at nobody
else since joined you, and you were so COM
pletely absorbed in studying him that you
never saw me till touched your arm"
From the height Of joy felS myself sud-
denly plunged into the icy-cold depths of
despair. The man beside whom the girl I
loved was sitting was none other than the
millionaire himself 1t seemed as though a
great gulf had been instantapeously opened
up between us. could still see every feature
of the dear face, but she herself had been
removed to distance from which she was
inaccessible to me-
Harding eyed me closely.
"You do not look so well as you did when
you came into the grounds, he said presently.
"Are you unwells Let us go back to the
seat where you met me. We shall see them
pass when they go to the hotel"
He put his arm in mine, and led me away.
made no resis stance; and yet felt as though
/ were leaving the best part of my life behind
Inc. By an effort nerved myself and said:
ado you know anything of the lady who
was with himf'
az know that she is wonderfully good
looking-quite the prettiest girl on the
ground-and that he seems devoted to her.
But we shall soon know all about their rela-
tionship, if there is one, and whether she is
or is not likely TO carry off the grand prize
Trust the matrons of Scarborough to find
out everything on that subject"
l sat silent and perturbed. The thought
that was uppermost in my mind was that l
had only fou1d her again in order TO lose
her altogether.
And even as / was chewing the cud of this
bitter reflection, Harding lightly touched
my arm and whispered in my ear something
which could not catch. looked up quickly,
and there, approaching us at distance of
not more than dozen feet. were Mauleverer
and the girl whom l loved Suddenly she
saw me- The pallor which I had noticed on
her face disappeared. and rich blush dyed
her checks; for n moment her eyes met mne
and she bowed, with a smile that made the
sunshine itself seem dark beside it, and then
she was gone.
| had seen nothing but her as she passed
rue. Her companion. so far as any con-
seriousness of mine told me anything, might
have faded into space at the moment when
she smiled upon me- But Harding had
noticed him. He turned to me with a look
of bewilderment
$50 you know the young lady, do you, my
quiet friends You ought to be proud of hav-
ing produced that scowl of jealousy which
saw upon Mr.. Mauleverer's face just now.
1t is not every day, you know, that man OF
your age is allowed the privilege of running,
even in losing race, against millionaire"
CHAPTER III.
DAISY.
went to my room at the hotel in a state
of agitation which found it difficult to con-
ceal from Harding. had seen the woman
who exercised so strange a fascination over