Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-23

Miss Granger, ne salo, anu 20 SO very
heartily. 1t is not everybody that is so for
Beatrice stopped and halt turning faced
him.
"What do you mean, Mr.. Bingham?" she
said. 81 do not understand your dark say
''Meanl oh, nothing particular, except
that wished to congratulate you on your
engagement"
my engagement What engagement"
''It seems there is some mistake" he said,
and struggle as he mi ght to suppress it his
tone was one of relief. 81 understood that
you had become engaged to be married to
Mr.. Owen Davies. II am wrong l am sure
apologize"
"You are quite wrong, Mr.. Bingham, L
don't know who put such a notion into your
head, but there is no truth in it.
"Then allow me to congratulate you on
there being no truth in it. You see that is
the beauty of nine affairs matrimonial out
of ten-there are two or more sides to them.
If they come off the amiable and dIslnter-
ested observer can look at the bright side
as in this case, lots of money, romantic cas-
tie BY the sea, gentleman of unexceptlonable
antecedents, ETC., ETC., etc. If, on the other
hand, they don't, cause can still be found
for rthankfulness-Iady might do better after
all, castle by the sea rather draughty and cold
in spring. gentleman most estimable, out
perhaps a little dull. and SO on, you see. !"
There was a note of mockery about his
talk which irritated Beatrice exceedingly.
1t was not like Mr.. Bingham to speak so.
it was not even the way that a gentleman
out of his teens should speak to a lady on
such a subject. He knew this as well as she
did, and was secretly ashamed of himself.
But the truth must out; though Geofrey did
not admit it even to himself he was bitterly
and profoundly Jealous, and Jealous people
have no manners. Beatrice could not, how
ever, be expected to know this, and natur-
ally grew angry.
81 do not quite understand what you are
talking about, Mr.. Bingham" she said, put
ting on her most dignifed air, and Beatrice
could look rather alarming. "You have
picked up piece of unfounded gossip, and
now you take advantage of it to laugh at
me and to say rude things of Mr.. Davies.
It is not kind"
''Oh, no; it was the footsteps, Miss
Granger, and the gossip, and the appoint
ment you made in the churchyard, that
unwillingly overheard, not the gossip alone,
which led me into my mistake. Of course,
have now to apologize"
Again Beatrice stamped her foot. She
saw that he was still mocking her, and felt
that he did not believe her.I
ness by his biting but unackuowledged
jealousy, for she was right-on reflection he
did not quite believe what she said as to her
not being engaged. "How unfortunate 1
AMI have said something to make you
angry again. Why did you not walk with
Mr.. Davies? 1 should then have remained
guiltless OF offense, and you would have had
a more agreeable companion. You want to
quarrel with me; what shall we quarrel
about? There are many things on which
we are Numerically opposed; let us start
one"
1t was too much, for, though his words
were nothing, the tone in which he spoke
gave them a sting. Beatrice, already, dis
turbed in mind by the scene through which
she had passed, her breast already throbbing
with a vague trouble of which she did not
know the meaning, for once in her life lost
control of herself and grew hysterical. Her
gray eyes filled with tears. the corners of her
sweet mouth dropped, and she looked very
much as though she were going to burst out
weeping.
'It is most unkInd of you, j" she said. with
a half sob. eff you knew how much L
have to put up with, you would not speak
to me like that 1 know that you do not
believe me. Very we'll, will tell YOU the
truth. Yes, though L have no business to
do it, and you have no right-none at all
to make me do it, 1 will tell you the truth
because L cannot bear that you should not
believe me. Mr.. Davies did want me to
marry him, and L refused him. L put him
of for a while; / did this because knew
that If I did not he would go to my father
1t was cowardly, but my father would make
my life wretched," and again she gave a
halfchoked sob.
Much has been said and written about the
effect produced upon men by the sight of
lady in or on the border line of tears and |
there is no doubt that this effect is consId-
cradle. Man being in his right mind is
deeply moved by such a spectacle, also he is !
frightened because he breads scene. Now
most people would rather walk ten miles in
their dress shoes than have to deal with a
young lady in Mysteries, however modified.
Geofrey, putting the peculiar circum.
stances of the case aside, was no exception
to this rule. 1t was all very we'll to cross
spears with Beatrice, vino had quite an
equal wit, and was very capable of retalia-
ton, but to see her surrender at discretion
was altogether another thing. Indeed, he
felt much ashamed of himself
PLEASE don't, don't-be put out" he
said, he did not like to use the word "cry."
81 was only laughing at you, but ought
not to have spoken as did. 1 did not wish
to force your confidence, indeed 1 did not.
I never thought of such thing. 1 am so
sorry"
His remorse was evidently genuine, and
Beatrice felt somewhat appeased. Perhaps
it did not altogether grieve her to learn that
she could make him leel sorry.
You did not force my confidence" she
said defantly, quite forgetting that mo-
ment before she had reproached him for
making her speak. 81 told you because
did not choose that you should think 1 was
not speaking the truth-and now let us
change the subject" She imposed no re-
serve on him as to what she had revealed;
she knew that there was no necessity to do |
so. The secret would be between them-an-
other dangerous link.
Beatrice recovered her composure and they |
walked slowly on.
"Tell me, Mr.. Bingham" she said pres
emily, show can a woman earn her living
1 mean q girl like myself, without any spe- |
cial qualifications? Some of them get on" |
"Well, ne answered, that depends upon |
the girl. What sort of a living do YOU |
mean? You are earning a living now, of a |
kind"
'Yes, but sometimes, if only could man. |
age it, think that should like to get |
away from here and take another line |
something bigger. 1 do not suppose that 1 |
ever shall, but like to think of it some |
times"
81 only know OF two things which a wom-
an can turn to-" he said, "the stage and |
literature. OF course" he added, hastily, |
''the first is out of the question in your |
case"
'And so is the other, / am afraid" she |
answered, shaking her head; ''that is, if bv |
literature you mean imaginative writing, |
and 1 suppose that is the only way to get |
A. r IL T