Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-19
OR, THE QUEEN OF THE FACTORY.
by j. NOME FOSTER.
IAN Rights Reserved. ]


temporary inconsistencies and endeav-
ored. to fee after the disappearing figures
ofherIo lover and his three companions.
"Hush. hush!'' Mayhem Kissed as he
seized her. "Are you mad?'
al was mad to stand here with you
and let him pass without word, - she
sobbed in her despair. "'what must he
think fine? Let me go. Letme follow
them.' -.
s'Noue of them noticed you, 1 tell
ron Your face was turned away, so
that they could not see it. I was fool
not TO avail myself of the opportunity
that offered itself. If 1 had only drawn
Mark Eliot's attention 10 you ali would
nave been settled between you and him
for ever, he muttered savagely.
''Why did you bring me here?' she
asked, covering her face with her hands,
and shedding bitter tears at the trouble,
the scandal, that was gathering about
her fair name.
81 brought you here, Nellie, because
L
So once more. 1 cannot permit you to
throw yourself away on a fellow like
him, - nodding in the direction Mark
had gone. and don t mean to let him
have you. 1 will move heaven and
earth, do anything rather than be
thrown over for such man. q mere
common factory worker. -
"Thrown over. What do you mean?'
she demanded, her tears CeaSing to flow
and her brown eyes filled with the fire of
q righteous indignation.
al mean, - he answered, doggedly,
''that that fellow shall never marry you
while IiveI You shall not chuck me off
for him.
81 could never throw you OFF, she
retorted, with at emphasis bitterness,
that cut him to the very heart, 'Ffor
never cared a rap for you, and you
know it,
Bat if this fellow hadn't come you
would have done so, Nellie!' he pro-
tested. 81 know you would. My love
would have moved you in time!'
"NOI' was her cold answer. "And
il is useless for you to think further of
me-. / love Mark Eliot-have promised
10 be his wife when he is ready to take
me- Is not that enough for you?''
at Is not enough. l tell you that
nothing short of yourself will ever be
enough for mel"
Of you were a man-had little of
man s heart IN you-you would scorn 20
modest, to pain, to involve in trouble
one who can never be anything to you.
l have told you all this before, all along.
l never loved you-never shall. What
more can you need?"
land you want me to step to one side
now that this man has come between
as: To resign all hope of winning you
because of him? Surely, Nellie, - he
pleaded, ''you must see the difference
between a workman and a gentleman?''
1.-THE difference is all in the work
man s favor! she retorted in a cOu-
temptuous tone. "Mark Eliot may
not be gentleman according to your
notions, but he would never have
triclled me into meeting him as you
have done.''
Would you like to be a lady,
Nellie?'' he asked, disregardIng her
bitter iIbe.
''It to be lady means to marry
yOu-no!''
perhaps I have never been suf-
fciently definite IN my proposals to
you?'' he went on. "Perhaps you
think that my intentions are not
honest. -
Honest or otherwise, they are moth
ing to me,''
If | asked you to marry me-to share |
the fortune which will be mine some
day! Only think of it? You would need |
work IN the mill no more; you would be |
a lady; have servants of your own. All |
sorts Of luXuries would be yours. On the /
other hand, if you marry this workman |
you viii have to slave all your days-will |
be no better than the thousands OF work |
ingmen 5 wives you see around you. |
surely you must see the advantage of /
becoming my wifeI''
Walter Mayhew's passion had mas |
Tered MN at last. A month or two ago /
be had never dreamed that he would |
ever become so infatuated with the peer
less factory lass as TO offer her his hand |
IN marriage. He had imagined that he
would be able to conquer her without GO
lng to that length, but her stubbornness
had CONQUERED him, and now he was not
only willing but eager to go TO any dis
'Hhce-do anything to win her.
- thank you for your offer, Mr..
mayhem, Nellie answered when he had
done, but cannot think of it. [ sup
pose yon would expect your wife to love
He nodded.
= Well, that is impossible for me to DO.
need not tell you why.''
And you refuse me? Refuse my offer
u narrlage?' he,cried with gasp.
certainly? Do you expect me to &C.
cept you when love another. 1 think
now, Mr.. Mayhem that enough has been
SAID and that may go. -
This is your final word?''
1t Is. And if you have a spark of
honesty in you, You will tell Mark Eliot
no" you trapped me INTO coming here!'
she exclaimed.
on yes, he sneered, "I am likely
20 90 that. Is there nothing else also
mat can do TO make you and him happy
ana myself miserable?''
II you DON'T tell Mark, l will.
was fool not to brave the matter out
lew minutes since. -
ferhaps he would not have believed
you A man does not relish seeing his
."eetueart with another man in such
,i, as this and at night, and he may re-
use 70 give credence to your explana-
have your note-that will clear
NE g., she said firmly.
viii swear l never wrote it!''