The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-04-21

hotel, and Ned had made up. his
mind while dressing to be q little
more attentive TO Mollie but to his
surprise he didn't find Mollie Annes
shrinking under her m others wing,
had been her. custom. A num-
ber Of her old friends had arrived
while they were at dinner, and they
were about her, ,Eand while she gave
him (Ned) a smile from the distance
he found it quite difficult to get
near her. Then a light tap on his
arm informed him that Miss Lovel
was asking him why he was SO pre-
occupied, and, as Mollie and Stone
went circling by joining the walters
he followed them with Miss Lovel.
"a rather pronounced Irritation, /"
Lee laughed, later, when he and
Mollie stood on the hotel terrace,
watching the moonlight on the sea
and strand, and one solitary couple
pacing slowly along beside the wa
ters. Both knew who they were, for
a moment before they had seen Ned
Tremaine place that pale pink scarf
about the shoulders of Miss Laura
Lovel as he led her across the ter
race, too much engrossed in his task
it would seem, to notice Mollie or
her companion.
"Oh, everybody flirts more or less
at a seaside hotel one has nothing
else to do. you know" Mollie an
swered Lee, with little ripple Of
laughter, and he looked down on
the pretty face 10 which the moon
light was SO tender, his voice sink
ing to almost a whisper as he spoke
to her.
"lt is a cowardly pastime for a
man." he said softly, "and for a
woman it is q cruel one"
Again she laughed, while arrang-
ing the bracelet on her arm a touch
of mockery was in the rippling
voice.
"And you-it is pleasant to know
that you are cruel or cowardly ~
or cowardly ?" she questioned. Zone
is tempted to become personal when
such remarks come from one who is
said to count his cenquests with
cruel pride, and to whom the world
gives no higher aim than to iasci-
nate-and remain careless. Am /
too plain ! Forgive me-"
II forgive you freely-as would
forgive you all things, Miss Annes
but neither you nor the world fully
understands me. / may seem a
triher but, were the woman | love
to love me in return, no smile would
be to me so sweet as hers, no pres
ence half SO dear.
M.llie had been watching the
couple on the sands going slowly
back and forth in the moonlight
now she lifted her sweet young face
and looked at him with sort Of
wondering pity.
"Do we all wrong you then p she
asked, gently. 'Have you failed in
your wooing y Can you not win
where you love p
His face flushed little at her
words, and she watching it, was
struck by its strength and beauty.
How did it chance she had never
noticed before.
Il am not left the chance too WOO
or win her, he said, slowly "she Is
another's promised wife. "
"Ah," she said pityingly /; and
she gave him her hand in sweet
womanly sympathy, never for an
instant connecting his words with
herself. He lifed the small hand
reverently to his lips, and drawing
it through his arm turned toward
the beach. As he did SO he found
himself facing Ned Tremaine and
Laura Lovel, who were coming in
from the moonlight, and he noticed
that young mans face was quite
white, while there was a half scorn-
full smile on the lips of the fair belle
of the seaside. But the two couples
passed each other in silence, the one
going down to the stretch of glitter.
ing sand, the other going in to the
dancers.
A week later, and Mollie had just
come in from a long hour, peaceful
and calm, spent with Lee in a quiet
nook among the rocks that over
hung the ocean. He had been read
ing TO her there some of the sweetest
poems given to the world by genius.
Her heart had thrilled as he read,
and new, strange feelings had stir
red it. When he closed the book
he suddenly looked up and
found her eyes filed with tears.
And now in her own room she
was asking herself how it was that
what she had commenced but for
/ a. - = = e ~