Daily Republican., 1888-08-16
ILLUsIoE AND CoNrU ION .
BY MARTHA E1LHEN HoLAHAN,


with sneering laugh which reache
land grated upon Marie Vayne's shel
like car, "as to be dangerous. A te
low might easily forgive you If som
LOT these days you stopped to make
lady Of her; but q woman
Paul Darnleigh frowned and flushe
slightly. He had seen pink way
sweep over the girls bent face. II
was not sure she had not heard.
"Fate got the start Of me and ever
other man." he returned, sternly
breaking into the others words. ''Mis
Wayne Is lady already"
And coolly he continued sorting tn
papers in his hand as If there were n,
more to be said. ....=
II An ugly, malicious CLEAN flashet
into Carrington's full eyes. He flush
led, jerked the ends of his long mus
tache, tipped back his chair moment
then, rising:
Beg your pardon, old fellow" h,
said, aloud, in his sneering, drawlipl
way. Had no idea it had gone 81
far, assure you, Is ma belle Blanch,
acquainted with this new, rare anC
unique acquisition of yours2" slowly,
and watching the while his compan.
ions handsome, disgusted face. "Be.
Icause, you see, might get you into a
heap OF confusion worse confoundedi
by mentioning the fact unless | was
warned just how the land lays"
The young broker arose and con.
ironted him, deadly white and stern.
The facts | have taken no care to
hide from Miss Beresford. But beware,
Darlington, lest your vivid imagina-
tion lead you beyond them. | am not
u man to be tritied with, aud my be.
trothed wife is lady OF sense, as l am
man of honor, though | hardly ex-
peci you to appreciate that fact"
When the handsome, eyileyed man
had departed, Darlington walked over
to Marie Vayne's desk with the as.
sorted papers.
He stood there moment, feeling
somehow soothed in her presence, al.
though her brown eyes were bent, her
def white hands flying over the linen
paper.
she telt his gaze, and colored.
AS II attracted by that lovely, wild
rose color, he drew nearer and bent
above her.
Her golden hair touched his mus
tache. What should there be in bit
ot soft, golden hair that its sudden
sweep against mans face should
thrill and unstring his senses2
Paul Darnlelgh was man of the
world, strong, well balanced, and, as
he had said, a man of honor. Yet he
never knew just how it all hap
pened.
Afterwards he had a vague sense OF
the madness with which he pressed
kiss after kiss upon the rose-red
cheeks, the rose leaf hands which
never before had he dared 10 touch.
Then, as one waxing from dream,
he became conscious that she had es.
capped his strong arms, and stood in
corner of the room at bay, her glorious
eyes dilated with shame, surprise, re-
proach, anger-God knows what notl
And in the doorway-horror of hor-
|rorsl-stood Harold Darlington, basi.
lisk triumph in his eyes.
"De trop as usual, by Jovel" he
laughed. 81 only returned for my
umbrella, old fellow. Don't let me
interrupt you!"
Then he was gone again, and upon
his going Paul Darnleigh realized fully
the enormity OF his crime.
''Forgive me, Marie" he groaned
hoarsely. Ill was mad-madF"
She sprang away from his touch.
"You--you coward-villainl" she
painted. III will never forgive you
never, here or hereafterl ] hate
Oh. God"-in passionate misery
"how | hate you and all your kind
that would insult me because of my
accursed beauty and iriendless posi-
tioni'
All he could say was of no avail.
She repudisted his apologies, spurned
his atonement.
Then business callers flocked In and
he WAS compelled to attend them-the
most miserable being in existence
probably.
Two hours later Marie came to him
in his office.
"I have arranged everything in
order" she said coldly, without look
ing at him. "Here is the key to my
oftice--you will find all documents
labeled" +"
He groaned aloud, and then, tor the
first time, she dared let her swollen
eyes meet his.
A moment she stood trembling;
then, as if drawn by the intense mag
netism of his gaze, went slowly to his
side.
"You-you are in trouble she said
softly, cut to the heart. "lt-it 1t is
hecause-because of me, pray don't.
great, gulping etfort-"I
Iorgiye you, now, since We will prob.
ably never meet again. pray God
we may not"
"Will you sit down, Marie2 No; l
will not touch you. l want to talk to
you, if | may"
She complied at once.