Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1888-02-03
miscellaneous.
CAN SHE TRUST HIM?

Inez Claire turned her naughty dark
face from the gypsy, and crossed the
sward to where her lover aud cousin
stood.
"What did she tell you, that your
lips curl so, Inez ?" asked Roy Alton
with smile lone would almost fancy
the old witch had tried to make you fear
some evil"
"She did," answered the girl scorn-
fully, her dark eyes flashing; "falsc-
hood and treachery are evils, are they
not !? She said they were about me
falsehood on the lips kissed. troachery
in the hearts trusted. Bah how
foolish it is to give ones hand to such a
creature and allow her to say such
things"
Zone never does SO in faith" laugh
ed pretty golden-haired Beatrice I.aven,
the cousin, who, being orphaned and
penniless, owed all things to the genor-
Gus and wealthy Inez.
"And why not, my beautiful lady ?"
asked the old crone, who had followed
Inez, and paused near. ''Is it that you
doubt, because my eyes might pierce the
mask you wear, and my lips might speak
of the arts you use, by which you make
a man false to his plighted word, and
plunge into the heart of one who has
been kind to you dagger keen enough
to STAY her? Your fair face is pale,
lady, and your blue eyes are full of fear;
yet you paled not when you stole out to
meet another's afianced husband, and
you feared not that be who was won in
falsehood would be as false some day to
yourself All, blue-eyed beauty with
the traitorous heart, will you let me
read the lines of your hand and warn
you ?"
Beatrice shrank under the eyes Of the
sorceress. and chung to Roy's arm, her
fair face deathly in its wilderness.
"Shc is horrible Let US co. faltered
the rose-leaf lips.
And the crone laughed as they went
slowly away from her through tho sun
light.
"Pride and love and treachery and
falsehood y muttered the gypsy "Of
such things can prophesy to all. and
never speak amiss But for this fair
beauty, and the man beside her--[ was
abroad last night, and they did not see
me, as they talked of love which must
be kept secret. Bah such love must
die. as die the roses. I read all human
hearts, and they give me gold, thinking
| read the stars
Meanwhile, through the scents Of the
May time went the three, and Roy whis-
pered a low word to Beatrice, which
Inez did not hear.
Untroubled by the crone's predictions,
with faith as strong as the love in her
proud true heart, Inez never dreamed
Of suspecting that her lovers whispers
could be "but stricken air." or that the
hearts she leaned on and fully trusted
planned their treachery at her very side.
Roy fingered at the stately home of
Inez until the moon was high, and she
accompanied him down the steps and
part of the way to the gate that divided
their fathers lands.
There, in the clear light of the full
May moon, they said good night and
she stood watching him as he went, un-
til the shadows hid him from her.
my love--my kingly loyal love"
she murmured.
Then sudden thought came-she
had not told him Of certain plan for
the morrow, formed by herself and Beat
rice.
She would Airt after him, glide up TO
him ere he reached the gate slip her
hand 10 his, and laugh at his glad sur
prise.
With light feet she hurried after,
reached the shadows which had embodied
him, passed through them and paused,
like q startled doe, on their edge, fierce
incredulous scorn growing in her eyes,
her proud face blanching, swiftly, sharp
ly, as blanch the faces of those smitten
suddenly to the heart.
He stood before her, only few feet
aWsy-her lover, her promised hus-
band-with slight white figure
in his arms, dainty golden head, un-
covered to the moonbeans, nesting close
TO his heart, while her cousins red lips
laughed merrily up at him, and her