Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-09-28

pacing slowly along oesiue tne
waters. Both knew who they
we're, for few minutes before they
had seen Ned Tremaine place that
pale pink scarf ABOUT the shoulders
of Miss Laura Loyel as he led her
across the terrace TOO much en-
crossed in his task, 1t would seem,
to notice Mollie or her companion.
"Oh, everybody tlirts more or
less at a seaside hotel; one has
nothing else to do, you know"
Mollie answered Lee with a little
cipple OF laughter, and he looked
oa the pretty face to which the
moonlight was so tender, his voice
sinking almost to whisper as be
spoke to her.
"It is cowardIy pastime for a
man." he said softly, "and for a
woman it is a cruel one"
Again she laughed, while ar
ranging the bracelet on her arm
touch of mockery was in the
rppling voice.
"And you is it pleasant to
know that you are cruel and COW
ardly?" she questioned. "One is
tempted to become personal when
such remarks come from one who
is said to count his conquests with
cruel. pride, and to whom the
world gives no higher aim than to
fascinate - and remain careless.
Am 200 plaini Forgive me-"
81 forgive you freely-as would
forgive you all things, Miss Ames;
but neither you nor the world fully
understand me. | may seem a
trifer; but we're the woman l love
to love me in return no smile would
be to- me so sweet as hers, no
presence halt so dear"
Mollie had been watching the
couple on the sands going slowly
back and forth, back and forth IN
the moonlight; now she lifted her
sweet young face and looked at
bim with a sort of wondering pity.
"Do we all wrong you, then y
she asked, gently. "Have you
failed in wooing' Can you not
win where you love3"
His face flushed little at her
words, and she, watching 1t, was
struck By it's strength and beauty.
How did it chance that she had
never noticed it before!
IL am not left the chance to WOO
OF 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 lifted the small hand
reverently to his lips, and drawing
it through his arm turned towards
the beach. AS he did so he found
himself facing Ned Tremaine and
Laura Loyel, who were coming in
from the moonlight, and he noticed
that the young mans face was
quite white, while there was a half
scornful 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 the glittering sand, the
other going in to the dancers.
A week later, and Mollie had
Just come in from a long horr,
peaceful and calm, spent with Lee
in quiet nook among the rocks
that overhung the ocean. lie had
been reading to her there some OF
the sweetest poems given to the
world by genius. Her heart had
filed as he read, and new, strange
feelings had stirred 1t, When he
closed the book he had 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
the purpose of annoying Ned had
in cne brief week slain all her old
resentment against Miss LOvel, and
made her thoughts.tuTn constantly
not to Ned Tremaine, who was her
afianced husband, but 20 Lee
. Stone, who was termed the greatest
Airt at the beach. What was
changing in her life? When she
now met Ned and Laura, it did not
pain her as 1t used to. Was it be-
cause a handsomer face, stronger
and a nobler face than Ned's was
constantly pear, ready to turn to
her with devotion, ready to light II
she smiledl
A servant broke her ponderings
by bringing two messages-one, a
bouqust of white flowers, with a
few featbery sprays OF fern among
their wbiteness and one crimson
, rose cleaning red from their cen
ter, and in il was a note from Lee
asking her to go for drive with
hin by moonlight; the other was 9
lew angry lines from Ned, asking
if she remembered that she wal
5etrothed to him, while she allowed
every gossip at the hotel to chatter
I of her Irritation with Lee Stone.
? 81 have been patient, waiting al
a opportunity of speaking to you,