Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-07-29


N And you are sorry2' he asked sue
: denly, taken both her hands in his.
Yes, | am, she murFpred. 'Wh
: not confess 2 The murdekis out now
: with little attempt at laughter ths
was a complete failure.
She did not withdraw her hand
! and he still held them, but he locke
down upon her with not altogethe
{ lover-like expression.
Poor Toni he said, after a pause
and dropped her hands abruptly.
They walked on for few steps il
silence, Isabel far too much astonishet
at such conduct to speak. Finally h,
stopped, took her hands once NOR,
between his own, and said
4 had no right to question you be.
fore-before this, but your very con.
iession has given me that right. Why,
are you sorry Tom is coming so soon
ltyou care for the man you have
promised to marry, why are you
sorryp Tell me.
'Because--becaNse- she faltored
Because you donot love himp'
! She gave one glance at the earnest
face leahiGs ebove her. She fancied
she read hope that the answer
might be yes, in those eager, iaplor-
ing eyes, and instantly all thought OF
honor fled from her mind, as she i'm.
agined it had fed from his. She
threw herself upon his breast and said
with little sobs Yes | do not love
him--I do not care to have him come.
And how long has this been SO p
he asked calmly, though his heart
beat trumultuously.
Her head was resting on his breast
she felt its qaickened action and
smiled a little smile Of triumph. He
will surrender yet, she murmured to
herself
But Bolton was very far from doing
that The alluring notes Of the siren
were in his ear, but the voice Of friend
ship spoke too strongly in his heart
q
for him to yield. He could not wreck
Toms life. But strive as he would he
could not leave her without word
MydBrlIfss MnsvrvF 3svlrsfJ.l
~ would have spared you--spared us
both. You knew | loved you even be.
fore was aware Of 1t myself, 80 why
should | not say 80 since it is the only
consolation left me? For---for any
thing else is impossible Il could not
play an old friend false. | shall go
away-you will easily forget such
folly, and all will be WE'LL
Leaning down he kissed her, then
turned and went away 80 quickly that
his tall figure was almost instantly
lost to sight on the billy road beyond
the lane.
Isabel stood silent for few mo.
ments. She was very angry for
awhile; her color came and went rap
idly, and her eyes flashed.
I should have dropped Tom first,
| suppose, before / led hin to such |
length, she said, as she wandered
back TO the house. Perhaps / did
not do right, but I'm not sentimental,
as some are, and p don't believe in
marrying the man you're engaged to
when you've happened TO fall in love
with another And 80 she went back
determined not to marry Tom.
But her resolution speedily changed
when she reflected that Bolton had
refused the gift she had absolutely
laid at his feet. Her own pride came
to aid Tom when he begged that their
wedding day might not bo far distant.
One month from the date .of that
memorable meeting in the lane Isabel |
become Toms wife, and Bolton, read |
ing description Of the gorgeous we'd
ding in the leading society journal, |
prayed earnestly for the cripple's hap.
piness. Life would henceforth be a
blank to him, he thought, but he |
blessed the courage that had kept him |
from running that Of his friend.
Two years later he read another |
notice in the same jourDal--the death |
Of Tom.
~
Three years from certain sufSher
bridal Bolton with bis fishing pole |
upon his shoulder loitered aiinlessIy |
beside a we'll known-river, and at sum |
set went forth once more upon the |
old, familiar path. Isabel and her
mother were occupying their former
quarters at Mrs. Walters he was
visiting friend.
She does not know am here, he |
said, i wonder If she ever comes
through the lane at this hour for |
memory's sake, or--or has she wholly |
forgotten?
AS II in answer to this inquiry a
tall, 1.-THE figure came down the nath |
before him. He recognized II, and |
his heart almost ceased TO beat. II
seemed AZ II hia feet refnaed IN carry |