The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-10-12

the restoration.
Entering the library, he walks like one
in dream TO the upper end of it, where
near the fireplace. Miss Disney is stand
ing with a beating heart and all her soul
in her eyes.
But her eyes grow dim and her heart
dies within her as she marks the express
sion of his face, and as he draws even
nearer she palpably shrinks from him.
To him this shrinking is u fresh proof of
her INCONSISTENCY There is still some
grace left in her, some pity for the for
lom wretch she has betrayed" he tells
himself grimly, mistaking her nervous
ness for remorse
IL have como to you at your own re.
quest, lie says sternly. "Though think
this appointment-made by you-is
mistake. 1t is useless to talk of even a
friendly feeling between us again, after
all that has come and gone. There is
nothing so keenly desire as a formal
separation between us.
Stunned, bcwildered, she gazcs at hiu,
in n spcechless sstonishmcnt too fresh as
yet for grief.
III have coms tc set you finally free"
he goes on. ~ say nothing do not
accuse you; and it is too late, VIC both
know. for hope or cXpostulation of any
kind. 1t is impossible to misunderstood
that, at least. have now to return you
ths"-laying the innocent instrument OF
their undoing upon the table near her
"and this" BY its side he lays faded
bit of natures handiwork that week
ago was the nlarguerite's gay sister,
plucked among the moonbeams, and given
him by the girl standing before him, pale
and mute, and, in his eyes, most false
A terrible sense of utter dcsolation falls
upon him us lie turns away undelayed 10y
any word from her. Even at the door
though inwardly cursing his own weak
ness for SO doing, he pauses, us though
in q wild hope that she yet may call
to him to come back to her; but 10
sound breaks upon the heavy stiffness
that seems to have fallen on the room
and, opening tho door, he goes out quick
ly, closing it firmly behind him
Tho click of the lock rouses Miss Disney
from tho spell that has taken her in, {,
full possession. With little gasping
cry, she sinks into n chair and covers her
face with her hands. What does it all
mean? What has happened?
Slowly -slowly thought dawns
upon her that he has rejected hcr-has
spurncd her overture and treated her
poor attempt at reconciliation with
ignominy, He had not wanted to be
reconciled. lie was perhaps glad of the
chance Of escape she had first afforded
him by her senseless encouragement of
that hateful Sir George (alas! how tho
great are fallenD; and she had tried to
force herself upon him, and lie had come
himself to tell her lie would none of her.
| Oh!-
She starts to her feet and clasps her
hands together to prevent hcr1clf from
bursting into tears of cruel modification.
She walks rapidly up and down the
room, planning deep thoughts of ven
gcance. but no help, no comfort, comes
TO her For long half hour she SO
| ponders in fruitlcss search after n calm
that will not come, and ut tho end of it
her courage forsakcs her She confesscs
to herself that she is unhappy, niisrr-
able that all men are dctestabc, and
that above and beyond all his fellows
Mr.. Ponsonby is the most detestable, and
that she hates him, and she doesn't care;
and then she filings herself into hugo
arm chair, and. letting her face drop
upon her lovely naked arms, breaks into
bitter weeping
| MIR. Wilding, entering tho room Il few
moments later, finds her in this condi-
ton. She tries, indeed, to rise suddenly,
and turns her face from him; but to
conceal tho fact that she is in great dis
trcss is impossible.
"Never mind me" says Mr.. Wilding,
going up to his poor little cousin and
patting her shoulder tenderly. 'I'm
sorry it has come to this, because he's an
uncommon good fellow He has Just
told mo all about it..
lie is wretch!' says Miss Disney.
with startling fcrvor.
you ought to he the last to be down
upon him" says her cousin rcprovingly.
Even supposing he did give you piece
Of his mind think you should be the
ono to make allowances for slight dis
play of temper. No fellow likes being
done in that sort Of way"
"Donc!"
"My dear child, what's the good Of
keeping it up before me? know all
about it from start to finish"
"Oh, you dol" says Miss Disney, in a
tone of bcwildcrcd resignation.
"Ics; and, though am not, as rule,
one of the obnoxious u told you So sort
of people, still, l foresaw that when you
did do it you would be sorry for it."
"Ah, you saw that" says Miss Disney,
in a tone Of even greater bewilderment
and resignation.
"Ccrtainly did"
"Ics? And what was it you saw, dearT'
asks she ncclly.
"Oh, SAY, you know" says MIR. Wild
ing, in high disgust-"that is no way to
treat a fellow who is almost your brother,
you know. If l must be plain, think
it is excessively foolish of you to throw
up Frank Ponsonby for the sake of an
empty title"
"Is that what he told you:" cx-
claims she, flushing with Indignation.
".Now, hear the truth from me. It's
it's a horrible thing to have to confess;
but Ill trust you. tried to make friends
with him and sent him flower, and
he wouldn't have it; and he came hero
and told mo he wished to set me finally
free (sucll way of putting it9; and
her cousins arm is round her by this
time, and she is sobbing her heart out
IL; II, IIJ ~
py girl in all the world!"
"Bless me! there must be a mistake
somewhere" says Mr.. Wilding, at his
wits end
"You won't betray me, will you:" sobs
his pretty but deeply afflicted cousin.
Nonsense! OF course not But tell
me about that unfortunate flower
She tells him.
"show it to me-" says Mr.. Wildins,
at the close Of her confession, assuming
the barristcr air that gains him daily
commentator from the bench. Together,