Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1890-08-09
TRANCE me from you, Benedict" said the
girl quivering. But"
"But2 Well! l am waitine."

'uon De TOO marsh with me- If you
only knew how I have suffered-how
anxlously have striven to do right-you
would not be SO unkind! Oh, think
you ought to help me instead of making
it all so hard
If you will explain what all this is
about, perhaps"
u will explain, she interrupted, ris-
ing. "Severini-you remember Sever.
ini'' she stepped herself to ask, in pit
iful, pathetic attempt to gain time.
II should think So" remarked Payton
with grim sarcasm.
eyes. Well. He-he is dying"
"Dying7'
And it is I have killed him.
"You killed him" shouted Payton.
Look here, my girl, are you in your
right senses? Come to yourself, Geor-
giana." The lover was thoroughly
alarmed
Georgiana slowly shook her head. All
her agitation had subsidized and she was
very calm.
"No, I am not mad, though you think
| am. l see my duty very clea,ly.
don't expect ,you to see it in the same
light. But-but-I have come to the
conclusion that it would be very wicked
in me to marry you. 1t would bet
would be like marrying over grave"
Payton stood in stony silence.
II could never be happy; my con-
science would never rest. If you will
think Of it you will see tnat it would be
impossible.' y
ALI her faltering phrases broke against
his obdurate silence as against wall
She raised her eyes at last appealingly to
his. But there was no help in them.
81 don't know" Payton said finally,
''what to think of you. Either your
| conscience is morbidly diseased or you
are the cruelest creature God ever made y
"Oh, don don't say that, the girl
walled. And then she saw that he had
turned toward the door. "You-you
are not going from me so-without a
| word?' she faltered.
"What would you have me say2" was
| Benedict's savage response. And then
GcRrgiana was left alone again.
Those were dreadful WI eka that fol-
| lowed for her, but she was upborne bv
the consciousness Of having done duty
that must have been sacred, because it
was 50 very very hard to perform. Pay
ton had already sailed for home without
sending any sign Of relenting or toward
forgiveness And thus it seemed to
Georgia that the sacrifice was fully
consunmated. To all that her elderly
friend could say she only replied:
Il could not be happy over the
wrecked life of another They tell me
that that poor man is dying for love of
me. 1t seems to me impossible, in
credible, and yet they assure me that it
is so
Yes, it is rather incredible, " said the
older lady drvly. Men have died and
worms have eaten them, but not usually
for love
"Yes,' Georgiana humbly assented
II am not worthy of it in any way. But
it is so. And II cannot be happl
knowing III
"The~l,gical process by which vo'
each that conclusion is not apparent t
aLv one but yourself" ("
AT last the day came that preceded tn
one fixed upon for their departure from
Paris Georgiana was nursing he
wretched thoughts in her own Groom
when her chaperone precipitately entered
it.
well" she remarked, and sh
stopped. looking at Georgiana.
"What is it, said the latter, listless
lv.
''Prepare yourself for surprise
Georgiana looked as though nothiu
: could ever cause her surprise again in thi
world.
The Marchese Severini is ia the no
tel. have just seen him.
Georgianas face changed
J "He is not alone, pursued the eide
lady. ''In short, my dear, who do 30
suppose he has with himf His wife
GeoEgiana rose.
! His wife,
She trembled like an aspen.
3 The elder lady burs. into irrepressib
laughter.
Actually. His wife, an Americs
girl. she is. too, with lots of money.
i found out the whole affair before con