The Washington critic., 1886-02-12

will provide for you. lie said so him.
self" didn't hep
Jlortense colored fiery red.
II don't want him to provide for
me" said she. "a will be dependent
on no mans charity, least of all
Toms"
"Well, / declared" said Mrs. Ben.
ncr.
And she carried the tidings straight
TO Tom himself, who looked grave.
Il see" said he. "She hates me as
Dauiy as ever"
"f've no patience with her" said
Mrs Benner cxcitedly tanning her.
self. "To quarrel with her own bread
and butter In this sort of way"
I'VE must be gentle with her,
mother" said Tom. "Sho is young,
you know, and sensitive"
"Fiddlestick - said the stepmother.
"But II is scarcely generous of her,
thought'Tom, ITO prolong the old feud
of our childhood into these days"
ut Is cruel of him to hate and despise
me STILL" pondered Hortcnsc, ".and |
won't stay here to be looked down on
and scorned." "
y
Both of these silly young people
made up their minds at one and tnU
same time. Hortcnso packed her little
trunk, crying great salt drops into 1t.
Tom flung few necessaries into his
valisc, and then came down stairs, two
steps at a time.
dHortense," said he, "will you spare
me few minutes2"
"Just exactly" thought Hortensc,
"lile the caliph of some eastern coun-
try ordering his slaves around"
But she said;
ooh, certainly-of courscp
| II have been here six weeks now,"
said Tom, with courteous frigidity.
"All my mothers financial affairs are
in perfect order. have placed to her
account in the bank q sufficient sum to
| provide for all her wants and-yours. !"
81 won't touch cent of it," flashed
out Hortense.
But Tom only frowncd and went on
in the same slow, calm way:
"And now l have one last favor to
ask of you. 1t is that you will break,
as gently as possible. to my mother,
the tidings that / am gone. l sail to-
day."
| fIortensc turned deadly white.
Sail" she gaspcd. "Saill Wherey
"Back TO Nassau, Don't look SO
startled, Hortense. hoped when
returned to remain here permanently
but l know that things are as bad as
ever. You and cannot live under
the same roof. My mother will, per-
haps, miss me little at first, but"
Don't 90 back to Nassau, Tom,
faltered Hortense.
He set his handsome, well-cut lips
firmly together and slightly shrugged
his shoulders.
ut is too late now," said he; "my
mind is made up"
"Please stay, Tom" sobbed Hortense
"for your mothers sake"
at will be better for me to go back,
said Tom, with well feigned indiifer
ence.
But as Hortcnse lifted her brimminl
eyes to his in q sort of pathetic plead
ing there was something in the expires
sion of his face that sent vague thrill
through her. 1t was a last hope, bu
yet-yet surely 1t was worth trying.
"TOm," she whispered, hanging
down her head, "stay--for my sake =
His eyes lighted up; he took STE
forward.
"Hortense, do you want me to re
main here he cried.
Eyes, Tom," she murmured, almos
inaudibly.
He flung his hat across the room
kicked his valise down stairs an
clasped Hortense in his arms.
"Then," said he, "1'll stay"
Mrs. Benner could not be made I
comprehend matters at all.
"They never could endure eac
other" said she, "and now they are er
gagged to be married, and you neve
saw q couple so infatuated in your life
OF course I'm pleased, for Tom will b
contented to stay here now with M
, but can't understand it in the leas
And if ask Tom he says he doesn
, know himself how 1t happened, an
, Hortense declares over and over agail
4 love him' and that is all she wi
q say. But do hope he'll be happy {
last.-poor, dear Toni"