Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-15


she drew the child to her
Marina, | want to speak to you
quietly. You are very young, dear; your
ignorance of the worlds ways is pretty.
You hardly seem to understand the rules
of society,"
Marina glanced up wonderingly.
"You have no mother, dear, and must
not quarrel with me for giving word
of warning Really, my child, I must
ask you to be more careful, and not
dance quite SO often with Sir Denis"
us that all?" laughed Marina softly;
II thought must have done something
very dreadful"
But she drew apart while speaking
and shivered slightly.
~ have not been with him more than
usual, have I?'
''But this is SO public; and, my dear.
he is a terrible firt.
Eyes"
Then Lady Katharine lost her temper.
Don't stand there so calmly and think
you can carry on as you like, and make
a fool of such man as Arthur Heath
cote with impunity. Bahl you little
fool; you have been played with like a
doll, as many another has been before
you. Ask your gay lover when he last
saw his wife. Badly as he treats her,
she may claim a little respect, and it is
not decent to see you flirting publicly
like this with him. tell you he is
married man."
81 know it."
Not tremor, not movement sug-
gusted the agony of the child standing
with head erect, facing her foe, and act
ing the lie so bravely that her listener
was foiled. She had meant to crush
this beautiful little being to the earth;
and, behold! the blow seemed to have
glanced harmlessly aside.
"You knew it? And are you not
ashamed-you, who pretend to be so in
nocent, so far above the vanities OF ife?"
Pardon, Lady Katharine. How often
have you not tried to instill into me some
of the worlds righteous doctrines? And
is it not one of its first articles of belief
that marriage opens the golden gate to
Irritation? You yourself-would you be
so very angry if some one were to flirt
just little with a married woman?"
The shot told, but Marina only no
ticed it with sort Of pity. She used
her weapons of self defense with heavy
heart; she longed for escape-for death;
but her voice never faltered.
SIT is different altogether" cried Kath-
arine wrathfully. "a married woman
may do as she likes; but for young
girl to lead man on so disgracefully is
abominablel'
"We have only been amusing each
other, Lady Katharine There is no
harm done," said Marina, with little
laugh. Besides, have only forestalled
my privileges slightly. l shall very soon
be married to Mr.. Heathcote, and then.
you see, can do as l like"
The elder woman caught her by the
arm in frenzy of rage "It is false!
You are lying to me. You have refused
him?"
mo, have accepted him." smiled
Marina. "And now really must run
away. for he and Sir Denis will be ex-
pecting me and your guests will be look
ing for you"
Ouo cSCdptu, Dut ucr IdSh WAS uOb
quite over. A look and very few words
sealed her fate, and Heathcote could
scarcely believe in his happiness.
Then, unable to bear more, she rushed
blindly out into the night, down to the
surging, sobbing sea, out to the cold,
kind breath Of heaven. There Denis
found her, his little sea maiden, whom
the north wind had kissed so long ago.
To him she could not lie; to him the
whole story was laid bare.
"Swear to me, Denis, as you love
me-or, rather. as thought you loved
me"-
"I do love you. You are the one pure
love of my life" And he spoke the
truth.
"Swear to me she shall never know.
She tricked me so cruelty. Oh, Denisl
do not let her triumph altogetherl"
81 promise"
Poor little butterfly, all the gold dust
was brushed from its pretty wings, all
the sunlight gone.
They looked over the waste of waters.
"Slumber song, love song," she mur-
mured-"and now the death song, too"
Lady Katharine, as often as she meets
society's favorite, Arthur Heathcote's
beautiful young wife, feels dumb rage
and shame possess her, for she knows
only too well which has triumphed.-
London World.