Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-16
"You will not confess any love for


of me, and you cannot blame me if you
suffer for your own folly"
81 have great deal at stake. Do not
trife with me-"
"Trihe? 1t is rather late to hang out
the danger r-signal. When unskilled fen
GERS trife with sharp swords in place Of
the wooden ones they have practiced
with, it is no wonder that they are
wounded. They deserve to be-"
"You mean that you have not escaped
injury any more than have?"
"No; do not mean that, in the sense
you do. am sorry for you, but do
not love you. All can think of now is
my wicked folly"
He stood frowning in silence for few
moments, watching the tears that shone
on her dropped lids
"And you send me awayW
eyes; and the sooner you forget me
the better"
"And the sooner go the bctter2"
''Perhaps, since your staying will do
no good"
"Do you fatter yourself that you have
won the prize in this wretched contestW
Hush! You have been as much to
blame as l. You need not taunt me-"
"I have been, do not deny, but am
not now. You will live to be sorry for
this, trust"
He was gone before she could stay him
with the unnoticed gesture of her hand,
and, woman-like, she would have given
the half of her kingdom to have called
him back.
She went away the next week, into
the mountains with her sisters, and
when she returned to Springfield in the
fall she held herself aloof from all soci-
ETY. for few weeks, and then went off to
California to spend the winter.
As for Norman, nobody knew where
he was. 1t was generally understood
that the bitter had been bitten at last,
but there was not much sympathy for
him. With human inconsistency, how
upon Miss Dana's offending head.
Over year after the climax of his
woes, Norman found it imperative to at
tend to some business in the hated town.
He went about it as quietly as possible,
and hoped to get away without meeting
any society magnates; but he came face
to face with the brightest star in the
constellation, and one day found himself
keeping an engagement to lunch with
Mr. and Mrs. Winston.
An hour after luncheon, as he sat in the
little lady's sitting-room, the postman
brought around the afternoon mail.
''Three letters for me 2" she cried, as
the maid handed them to her. "How
| delightful One from old auntie, one
from Sister Tibbie, and one--hum one
from California
The word California did not seem to
awaken any emotions in Norman's breast,
if his face was an indication. Mrs
Winston concluded that he did not know
that the whole Dana family had moved
| to the Golden State on account of the
| Judges health.
81 have a delightful correspondent out
in that charming State, Mr.. Norman
Would you like to listen to this letter ot
hers2n
"Oh, certainly. I have the Californi,
fever very strong, and read everything
sec about it."
Mrs. Winston did not take the precau
ton to read the letter privately at first
] but began, without preliminary explana
tion, bright newsy letter, in which n
personal mention was made of anybod
except "papa,' whose health was steadil
l improving, and "mamma and 9Th
girls" Then came the closing part of tn
r epistle that performed its mission as it
writer had little dreamed it would do.
5 ''If you continue to urge me so per
sstently l may come East next summe
, and stop for a week or two at Springfield
J to visit you. Nobody else will, in al
r probability, care to see me, as you sa,
, you are the only one who has ever for
given me of the double sin of robbing so
ciety of William the ConGueror, as wei
ing him to my feet q have looked a
your last letter-that is exactly the way
you worded it, Well, you have done
better for me, in forgiving me, than
shall ever do for myself. That l shall
neoer do, especially the bare falsehood ]
told him when l said that did not love
him. Before he had closed the door af.
ter him / realized that had sent away
the only man on the green earth who
ever could be anything to me. 1t was
all pride, Margery. l am sure, yet, that
he would always have thought, though
he might not have said it, that | had
been seriously exerting myself all through
that contemplate game we played, to
win him. Rather than marry him under
such an impression, chose to break my
heart as well as his. Indeed, think his
stands much better show of being
patched up and glazed over than mnt
ever can. l shall live and die an old
maid, in sedate penance. Forgive this
sentimental confession In your eyes at
least, | wanted to be understood
Mrs. Winston did not read the name
that was crowded into the last corner OF
the full second sheet. She looked across
at Will Norman's blazing eyes.
SIS that letter from Miss Dana"
'You know it, l see. She will never
forgive me for reading it to you, but
| could not resist the temptation. If
, had hesitated moment would not have
Q read the last part; but he who hesitate.
G is lost 1t was golden opportunity.
4 think you had better try again, Will"
, He was walking the floor in his excite
ment.
''If you will please give me that lctte
a | will take it back to her. he said, a
r length. 81 am going to start for Cali
r fornia tomorrow morning"
A week later he was viewing tn
C placid waters of the Pacific from tn
: wide piazza of pretty villa on tn
mountain-side, just above picturesqu
y Santa Cruz. The January sun poured
/ flood of springtime warmth upon gree
t lawns and Towering geraniums, an
upon his own uncovered, golden head
: Since you insist upon it, and tn
notion has been growing upon me, wi
endeavor to transfer my worldly posses