Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-01-13
CHAPTER, XVII.

Meantime Mllucent and Gerald MaSSa-
reene are standing in the warm sunshine
in one corner of the tennis ground. Miss
Grey, who had been playing, but has
now resigned her place and her racket to
another, is looking at her companion
with an expression half wistful, haIf mis-
chievous-perhaps wholly mutinOus.
''Time is flying" says the young man
ardently ''Have you not come to a de-
cision yet2 1t is almost the last hour.
After tomorrow there will be no grace
left. He returns them
Grant? Yes"
''You must choose between me and
him. You know that, and still you hest
tate When he returns it will give him
e WUrIu on MS Slde-hIS very
presence gives him an extra chance. If
you could decide-if you could let me
speak before he comes. >
81 don't see how his presence or alb
sence can influence the matter. There is
to me only one thing to be considered
whether or not we can live happily when
quite poor
at wouldn't be quite, - interposes he
eagerly. 'There would be the eight
hundred year,
''There would be starvation
''If you choose to term it So says he
a little haughtily, his Irish blood afame.
"And as you so choose, it of course de-
" I1C llldI you nave Dlttuo your
mind not to share it, He looks at her
for little while with his head well
drawn up and his eyes full of an indig-
nant entreaty. Miss Grey, receiving
this look point blank, knows that the
moment has come to keep him or lose
him for ever
''YOu are so precipitate-sO impul-
sive," she says, with haste that is suffi-
GENTLY we'll bred to re devoid of the APP
it. II understand the case as well as
you do, D." petuiantly. at is poverty with
one man, misery with the other One
has to decide between them-and-one
does not Ike pOvertyr'
docs one prefer miseryf'
''N-O. / suppose not.'' Then she
pauses and locks her fingers together,
and then unlOcks them. ''It is misery
either way she says.
Not if there is love-" entreats he
softly. "And-you will have to make
up Your mind now"
you mean that you will not wait to
receive my decision later on?'' asks she,
with a sudden swift glance from her
eyes.
Yes, that is what I mean,'' says
MasSareene
1t is to be now or never, then! She
realizes the situation at once, and adnires
her true lover d little the more in that
she knows he will abide by his word
and that if she now trifles with him, he
will be over the border tomorrow ere
daylight shows the land, and beyond all
recalling. he the voice of the charmer
never so sweet.
You mean, tOo''- she says, temper
ling Il little.
Nothing but that. Make your choice
now, to-day, between me and him. To-
morrow there viii be no choice left. If
you do not love me, that will matter not
at all, and | shall have had an escape
from one who merely used me as toy
wherewith to pass the time. If you do
love me, it Will matter so far that you
will break all bonds and defy all discom-
fort to link your lot with mine His
face IS very pale as he says this, but his
eyes are light with resolution and his voice
is firm. He is almost handsome as he
looks at her, with his glance fond but de-
termined and his right hand resting Oh
his heart inside his coat as though to
still its tempestuous beating,
Miss Grey, with a tremulous smile,
draws nearer to him.
Il have decided" she says gently.
"NOw and forever"
us it to be him, or me?'' Though his
accent is steady, she can see that his
very lips are blOodless
''YOu, yOu!' she says. And then there
is Il long, long silence between them.
They are standing in a corner of the ten
mis- ground open to all the world, so that
any demonstration of joy or gratitude OF
love is impossible. But even when ac-
ton is denied, the eyes can speak.
my belovedn' says Mr., Massareene in
tone so low that she can barely catch
it, but it is so full of infinite delight and
love that she tells herself it is sufficient in
itself to atone to her for the enormous for
tune she is willingly flinging away for his
dear sake.
''There is only one thing more,' she
says after little bit FEDo not speak of
this until tomorrow has gone by. 1t will
distress auntie and Lady Valworth, and
spoil her party
But, if | say nothing, when Boyle re-
turns he will still regard you as engaged
to him and-and he may eXpect"-
''He will expect nothing. We have
never been loving couple, [ assure you.
No. Let the matter rest until Lady Val
worth has had all her enjoyment out of
her sons birthday ball.
1T shall be as you wish, of course"
Then, forgetful of everything save of her,
he takes one of her hands and holds it
closely. 'Millicent! tell me you have no
regret-that you do not think l have done
you harm instead of good
Il think of nothing except that I have
given myself to you for veal or woe, as
the case may be, and that believe it will
be for weal.''
''But If not, my darlingf Now that
have really won yQu, grow fsint hesrteA !