The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-12-25


my own fortune. Ga. yoa LAY. never
loved as ! 10. or you w.,tli ~. that
could not weigh one grain ~ a,.n . ~
fortune. Caa you think iae So. H. hare
enough, TO set that trash for one mo
ment against one single look. one single
word, of love?"
Now that was no doubt very noble.
very heroic. but then it was also decid-
eddy indiscreet. 1t might have done on
the stage. but hardly here. l had not u
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 as 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
Gent Griffin, besides the Grove estate,
was reputed very 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 on the avenue-all
passed in rapid panorama between my
eyes and the glowing Goals. There was
half relenting in my voice as said.
Are you very sure of that?"
Every sure. But what of that? He
whom l love'-and the girl fixed her
eyes full upon mine with never a blink
nor tremor-''he whom l love would
value it all as trash"
The deuce he would! Then | 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 perfidy. l
was doing little sum in mental arith-
metic, in which the White Mouse was
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 upSu 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" |
said. I'VE are sympathetic. perhaps,
out we hardly know each other well
enough yet to speak surely of certain
things"
She withdrew her hand very gently.
"Why not!" she asked.
Because it may be-that is'-fit was
horribly embarrassing to explain)-''are
you very sure that you love-a-that you
know your own mind?'
GAS sure as that 1 liver 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 l not 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 in the deuce had I 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.
Anna" l 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 love?" The girl only looked
at me for answer, but that strange smile
hlckered once more around her lips.
"And suppose you do another more than
justice-suppose your loss of fortune
should change feelings you now be-
lieve"-
Never she said. my love is too
secure for that"
''And would it override all obstacles?
Would it forgive recent rivalry and the
love that is even now scarcely driven
from the heart you would make your
own?''
Anna Bolton, the White Mouse, turned
short upon me. Something in my words
TRANSPORTED her. She was very Py-
thoness, and her eyes flashed fire as she
drew her slender height up before me.
"Silence, sir" she cried. "Perhaps I
am rightly punished for forgetting was
still maiden who should not speak.
When you spoke of money, you merely
injured me. To intimate the possibility
of rival is insult! After all have said
to you, after all you know, it is bitter
Insult which 7 will not listen to"
And the young person swept out Of
the room, utterly ignoring the hand I
out to detain her.
looked stupidity into the fire.
And even as gazed the face that rose
before me was not Annals, but Bette
Blythe's.
M pTFR "