Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-02-01

WOTIu gives no nlSner aim InaH 10 IdScl-
nate, and-remain careless. Am l too
plain Forgive me-"
Il forgive you freey-as | would for
give you ali things, Miss Annes; but
neither you nor the world fully under
stands. | may seem tri1er; but, were
the woman | love to love me III return,
no smile would be to me so sweet as
hers, no presence half 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 race
and looked at him with sort of wonder
ing pity.
asked gently. "Have you failed in your
wooing. Can you not win where you
love ?''
His face flushed little at her words,
and she, watching it, was struck by its
strength and beauty. How did it
chance that she had never noticed it be-
fore?
81 am not left the chance to WOO or
win her." he said slowly; ''she is anoth-
er's promised VIE"
"Ah," she said, pityingly, and she
gave him her hand in sweet, wom-
anly 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 toward the beach. AS he did so
he found himsel facing Ned Tremaine
and Laura Lowell, who were coming in
from the moonlight, and he noticed that
the young mans face was quite white,
while there was half scornful smile on
the lips of the lair belle of the seaside.
But the two couples passed each other
IN silence, the one going down to the
stretch of glittering sand, the other 60
ing in to the dancers.
A week later, and Mollie had lust
come in from long hour, peaceful and
calm, spent with Lee in quiet nook
among the rocks that overhung the
ocean. He had been reading 10 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 stirred it. When he closed
the book he had looked up and found
her eyes filled with tears. And now in
her own room she was asking herself
how it was that what she had but COM
menced for the purpose of annoying
Ned had in one brief week slain all her
old resentment against Miss Lowell, and
made her thoughts turn constantly, not
to Ned Tremalne, who was her affianced
husband, but to Lee Stone, who was
termed the greatest male f1irt at the
beach. What was changing in her life ?
When she now met Ned and Laura it did
not pain her as it used to. Was it be-
cause handsomer face. stronger and
nObler face than Ned's was constantly
near, ready to turn to her with devo- |
ton, ready to light if she smiled?
A servant broke her ponderings by |
bringing her two messages-one a bou- |
quet Of white flowers, with a few feath- |
cry sprays of tern among their white |
ness, and one crimson rose cleaning |
red from their center; and in it was a !
note from Lee, asking her to go for
drive with him by moonlight; the other
was few angry lines from Ned, asking
if she remembered that she was be-
trothed to him while she allowed every
gossip at the hotel to chatter of her flirta-
ton with Lee Stone.
II have been patient, waiting an OPP
portunity of speaking to you,' he wrote,
but you will not give me one, SO | write
to ask you if you wish our engagement
broken; to all it would seem so'
She trembled little as she read, and
her sweet face changed color; but she
went to her desk, drew from it every
letter he had ever sent her, formed
them and his ring In a package and
wrote the following note:
cit was | who was first taught patience,
while my existence was forgotten for
one who was what you babe me become
"a society character Why should |
fancy that you wished an interview with
me of late? 1t is not so long since you
could not spare a moment for me from
Miss Lovel. Do I wish our engagement
broken? Perhaps we both wish it, Ned;
at least let us break it, since [ so dis
please you. [ send you your letters and
ring"
Then, although a choking sensation
was IN her throat, she penned brief
note to Lee:
81 will be pleased to go with you;"
that was all; and in the starlight-the
moon rose late-she went with him out
over the beach and far along the coun-
try.
Was it strange that he noticed she no
longer wore Ned's ring? Was it strange
that he told her of his love, and that she
listened silently, believingly, with a
strange hutter at her heart? Was it
strange that when they drove back,
lingering beside the sobbing ocean, an
other ring should deck her finger and
another bond should lie upon her life
Well, two others walked upon the strand,
two whom the gossips called lovers; and
yet when it was told that Mollie Annes
was to place her happiness in the keep
ing of the ''f1irt of the beach" one man
who heard it turned white IS death and
shrank from the sight of the beautiful |
woman beside him, although men called |
her fair, and many said she had won him
from his faith; yet Mollie was too happy
to regret, although she still sometimes |
remembers.