The Bossier banner., 1889-11-07

/
promise, have all your spoony letters
read, and all you folly laid bare for the
delectation of a scofing public, to say
nothing of being mulcted in twenty
thousand or SO. My dear fellow, is the
game worth the candleP'
"'Tis useless for you to talk, Barring.
mean to put my fate with Gladys Dali
ton to the touch tomorrow"
"Well," replied Barring, as they
pulled up at the door of Lord Ninter,
bourne's house in Grosvenor square,
''Fll leave you to your own medita-
tions, my dear fellow. But, for
heavens sake, try to realize what an
infatuated idiot you are making your
self"
There is no reason to suppose that
Viscount Winterbourne did not profit
by his friends parting advice. For at
three o'clock on the following afternoon
his cab drew up at 1901 Grafton street,
the residence of Miss Gladys Dalton.
She was at home, and he was ushered
into her presence. As he glanced
round the drawing room he was re-
lieved to find that his char1ner was
quite alone-that not even her mother
was present, and he felt still more re-
lieved when, in answer to his inquiries
after the old lady, Gladys told him that
she was suffering from neuralgia, and
forced to keep her room.
But though he had come with the
full intention OF doing the desperate
deed. and fortune had thus favored him
with tete-a-tete interview, it was
some while before he could screw up
his courage to the necessary point.
At length, however, after some ten
minutes commonplace talk, he broke
through his reserve, declared his pas.
sion in a string of ardent words, and
laid his hand and fortune at GLADYS
Dalton feet.
A little cry escaped her lips; and
drawing away the hand which he had
tried to take, she rose, and stood con-
fronting him.
"Do l understand, my lord" she
said, that you offer me marriage?"
''By Heaven, l dor' he cried eagerly.
II will make you the greatest lady in
the landr'
The expression of her face softened,
and into her eyes come a lock that
spoke of pain. Then she appeared to
make a sudden resolve.
"My lord" she said, ''you are an
honorable man, and l will wrong you
no further. am about to confess to
you what l would confess to no one
else alive. You will respect nv secret?,
Before Heaven, IwillT he answered.
''Listen then" she began, ''you must
forget, Lord Winterbourne, that you
ever cared for me. I am married al
ready"
married." he cried despairingly.
''To whom9 Why did you not tell me
this before?"
Il have not told you BEFORE" she an-
swered, 'for the same reason which
now makes me pledge you to secrecy.
And should not have told you now,
were it not that the words which YOU
have spoken have touched my heart.
and made me resolve that. however |
may continue to treat the rest, / will
wrong you no more!''
''Your secret shall be as safe with
me as with the deadr' he returned.
II am confident of it. Lord Winter
bourne! People say of me-do they
notP-that am a grasping, avaricious
woman, whose only object is to extort
valuable gifts of jewelry from my ad-
mirersr'
'Let people tell what lies they
please" he answered, ''it makes no
difference to me. know you better
than they dor
Pardon me, Lord Winterbourne,
but fear you do not know me so well.
What they say of me is quite true"
What do you mean?' he cried.
81 mean," she answered, looking
straight at him. and never flinching for
an instant, that my sole object is to
extort valuable presents from nv ad-
mirers."
He gazed at her in astonishment; the
calm manner in which she made this
confession bereft him of all power of
speech,
People also say" she went on, ..that
| part with my jewels for money. In
that they speak less correctly. I do
not sell them; l give them to my hus-
band, and he sells themr'
"Who, then. is this mean scoundrel
who sponges on you in so disgracefui
. manner?" cried Lord Winterbourne
IN indignation.
81 will tell you his NAME" she said.
'but do not forget your pledge of Sc
Il swear l will never abuse your con-
idence," he replied. but your hus-
)and-who is hep
my husband, Lord Winterbourne, |
s-Mr. Chouse, the jeweler. London
Truth.
All plants and trees consume water
n large quantities. Sir John Laws
discovered that an acre of barley will
AXE up 1904 tons of water in two days.