Los Angeles herald., 1890-12-25

stence? l could not strike that girl and
crush her where she stood. Oh how L
longed for man in her place! for had
he been the Benicia Boy | should have
pounded him then and there. Morally
certain that the white haired young crea-
ture was dying of love for me, half per-
suaded that she was going to marry me
then and there by force, what could l
say? / stared blanlly at her, while a
smile of wonderful sweetness stole round
her lips. rs she murmured, half to herself:
''Let the world say what it will; love
like mine puriies ali. We will be very,
very happy"
Tender of heart, began to pity the
young woman. Laboring under terri
BILE hallucination about the future as she
WAS, there was still something almost
sublime in the faith she held in the power
of her love. Its spell began to work on
me. Rapidly ran over my chances for
the future if fell into her views. al
most legan to waver, though half uncon-
sciouslyy, as | said:
"You would be sacrificing everything.
Mr. Goldwin's fortune is immense,
and"-
"Goldwin's fortune! had rather love
another with the coat upon his back un-
paid for than that creature in an emper-
ors robes"
By Venus! she seemed in earnest.
There was that in her eye could not dis
believe. But how in the world did she
know that my coat was not paid for?
That it was fact did not make it sub
ject to dwell on; and then it was SO deuc-
edly unsentimental Still the girls sin
cerity and evident truth SO touched me
that it was very meekly returned to the
charge, and then l only set up objections
for her to knock down.
But in throwing over Goldwin," l
said, more gently, ''you do not reflect
how you risk your own fortune"-
My own fortune! Oh, you have never
loved as | do, or you would see that
could not weigh one grain of sand. My
fortune! Can you think me selfish, base
enough, to set that trash for one mo-
ment against one single look, one single
word, of lover
Now that was no doubt very noble,
very heroic, but then it was also decid-
edly indiscreet. 1t might have done on
the stage, bat hardly here. had not q
dollar, as she well knew; and yet this
inscrutable young female could not
only make love to me off hand, but could
talk of her fortune whistled down the
wind us if it were not ten cents in
stamps.
"But there is no danger of that" she
added, carelessly, ''for my aunt could
not be angry with me week. She
would forget her disappointment-we
should both be equally dear to her."
Here was balm in Gilead; for the an
cient Griffin, besides the Grove estate,
was reputed every warm" | looked
thoughtfully into the fire, and the words
fell upon my shocked modesty and sore
wonderment like soothing balsam. Rail-
road shares-bank shares-corners in
Erie-brown front Cn the avenue-all
passed in rapid panorama between my
eyes and the glowing Goals. There was
half relenting in my voice as l said,
care you very sure OF that?"
Very sure But what of that? He
whom l love''-and the girl fixed her
eyes full upon mine with never Il blink
nor tremor-"he whom | love would
value it all rs trash"
The deuce he would. Then l little
knew myself. But the information just
given was sufficient, and | began to see
daylight. | actually believe for the last
ten minutes had forgotten the very ex-
istence of Bette Blythe. had not even
remembered the little shock to my pride
at finding out her duplicity-had lost
even my ire at Tom Jones perfdy.
was doing little sum in mental arith-
metic, in which the White Mouse waa
the exponent of an unknown power Of
farm, manor house and woodland.
But could not restrain my desire to
speak at least part of the truth. She
was leaning now upon the mantel, her
pale forehead resting upon her right
hand and her left hanging carelessly by
her side. took that left hand in my
own, not without twinge Of conscience.
"You and have long been friends" l
said. I'VE are sympathetic, perhaps,
but we hardly know each other we'll
enough yet to speak surely of certain
things"
She withdrew her hand very gently.
why not?" she asked.
Because it may be-that is"-Gt was
horribly embarrassing to explain)-"are
you very sure that You love-a-that you
know your own mind?"
"As sure as that 1 live!" She spoke
earnestly and absently, but looked
straight into the fire and not at me.
"And you do-you think-that is you
have-in your own mind you have reason
to trust that
Had not u certainty beyond trust
beyond reason" she broke in-'I had
been false TO my sex to speak tonight to
you"
Wonderful power of love Wonderful
confidence of passion
But where III the deuce had ever given
her one reason to believe cared for her?
Once more the triple jury held hasty
session over me; once more I was tri-
umphantly acquitted.
"Anpa," | said-very gently now
perhaps your aunt would not forgive.
Would you be willing to sacrifice every
thing to endure poverty even, for the
sake of your lover" The girl only looked
at me for answer, but that strange smile
fiickered once more around her lips.