The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-27

Sc an SO sorry"
could not enjoy the pleasant day. too. She
half hesit5ted before she finally closed the
d.or-but only half She could not divide
herself in two, and her mother was a con-
hrmed Invalid and used to being left, and
daddy would be so lonely without her.
Beatrice Danvers rose from her couch
quickly as the two left the room. with more
CELEBRITY than would have been expected from
so fragile woman. She looked after father
aud daughter as they passed by-two tall,
slight, erect figures, walking with the
peculiar grace OF strong, loug-limb-d peo-
pie. The sun was shining holly, the sea
ripping iaZly. humming song as il stirred
the Shlng.e. The eSplanade below was full
Of id'e, well-dreSsed folk. The sound of
their voices, the scent Of the mems cigars,
d0ateI upward on the summer air to the
sUre-heaTted woman as she stood, a world of
angry, passionate thoughts in her heart,
watching the only two souls that were kin
10 her. Il would not be jealous if ! were
you" her husband had said to her. It was
such M easy thing to say, hardly so easy for
her t. fall IN with. 1t was no such pleasant
thing TO feel that tortuTing pain that cor
r0dtd her heart. For now and again,
notably at such times as this, she could not
but acknowledge to herself that the accusa-
ZION was quite tTue-She was jealous. She
had loved her husband so passonately, had
idOilzed him so completely, that she never
realized that the object of her wifslv devO-
ton was but very common clay. In fact,
even now she considered that the fault must
in some mysterious manner be hers still.
In the first glad days OF her wlfeh0od and
IN the almost gladder days Of young mother
hood, she had often said TO herself that
never woman HAD been more blessed-and
now. impeTcepubly, all happiness had glided
from her. She counted nothing IN the
lives II the twain whom she loved so passion
atrly; and this was the tragedy The COM
moupace ridiculous little tragedy of Beat
rice Dauvers' lie.
How had it all come about? It was so
gradual she could not explain it herself.
she had never been oyeTStrOng, the climate
Of India had tried her, ana lately, now that
they had come back to the Old country, her
husband and daughter had Insisted on her
inyalld!sm JUDGED, IriX had never known
her otherwise than iuvahded At FIRST ii
had been sweet to have her husbands
loving care, his strong arm TO lean on, to
see him laden with her cushions, her scent
bottles and fan, and what not, his manly
bearing y such great contrast with the gen.
tile offices he had chosen TO perform. 1t was
sweet to be the OBJECT of so much tender
sJlictude; ard unconsciOuSly she had fallen
into the ways he had. so to speak, marked
out for her, until at last all other paths were
closed 10 her, and little by little she saw
herself shut out from the CompaniOnship of
the tWain-they were all in all to each other.
1t was not iriX's fault; her father had
found her grown to wumanhOod cOmpan-
IOnabie and charming, and perhaps he had
she had TO admit II even Of her idol-a
little weakness for charming woman but
was she jealous Of her own daughter?
She sat with bent head thinking Of this
all, and the bitter tears fell fast. TrX loved
her father devOtedly, but she also loved her
mother How could she then be Jealous of
. her-hrr own child, the child of her young
happy love! And all this sunny afternoon,
when every one seemed so happy, Beatrice
q Danyers sat with that singing pain at her
heart. reviewing The past. She saw herself
young and sought after, giving herself
without one instants doubling to the man
she we'd. That she had been well lowered
by fortune she had never dwelt upon; it
would have been too humlliatng to herself,
too vile Of her Horace. Even now she could
not bear to think Of him as naught but
vulgar iortune-hunte-. She had given her
self to him without thought of her dover;
why should she think of it now?
And 50 she sat this summer afternoon re-
.- viewing the past-but not Tegretting it, for
but little had been sweet-and loathing the
bitter present, until a knock at the door
reused Ter fIom her miserable musings A
fresh young voice answered her lstless
d" Come in, and l am so glad to find you
alone, Mrs. Danvers," fell upon her aston
lshed ears.
She half rose to greet the intruder. a
young man with face more boyish than his
years, by reason Of the curved corners of his
eyes.
"Why, Mr.. Ormistonr' she exclaimed.
Ralph Ormiston blushed to his own in
Unite disgust. If he had not been so much
interested IN his mission he could not have
failed TO have noticed the disturbance on
Mrs. Danver's face. However, he was hap
PLY obliyious Of it and plunged in medias
les with all the headlOng enthusiasm of
selfish youth.
Ithink," she said, without further pre-
aUble, you are well disposed toward me;
indeed" he added, with not ungracefui
lugenuonsness. Il have tried to make you
like me, Mrs. Danyers."
And you have succeeded very we'll" she
answered, gravely. In truth, he had been
c0uEteously attentive when others had oft
times been neglectful.
81 want you to help me-" he cried, land
II you but knew how all-important matter
1t was to me you would not refuse your
ald-yQu would do " hat you could
Indeed | will" she answered quickly. for
her woman's intuition had revealed Raloh
Ormiston's secret to her long ago, and she
knew for what matter he had come to entreat
her help. Even in the midst of her bitter
thoughts she had said to herself but few
moments since ihat she would rather see her
IrlX dead before her than leave her exposed
to life such as her own had been; and
now with rush OF thankfulneSS, she owned
that Irx need never know suffering such
as mad been, nay, was, her mothers Ralph
Ormlston, ehlyalrous, true-hearted gentle
man, would always love. honor and cherish
the girl " hon he sought ID marry. She
looked INTO his eyes, which were neither
very large nor very handsome as Horace
Danyers' were, but so brmful of honesty.
ami telt great joy rise up within her heart
at the thought Of the happiness that might
be N store Tor IriX.
She IS so very beautiful" said Ralph.
1oIgetiul that no name had been mentioned
but then he knew that her mother under
stood.
The mother smiled.
And ] am altogether such a homelv
looking fellow" he continued despoudingly
how can l hope that she would ever con
descend to love me? Will you be on my side.
Mrs. Danvers?"
You overrate my influence" she an
swered a little bitterly; and then she added
quickly, unwilling even in so small a matter
10 blame her hid. "Of course Trix must
decide for herself"
II would not have it otherwise" he an
swered, nor do | want you to plead for me-
| always hold man who cannot speak for
himself is a poor sort of creature, but
wanted to know that you yourself have no
objection to me-"
decidedly. Il think that If Trix said yea
to you you would be kind and good to her all
the days of your life, and would strive to
shield her from all ills as far as lay in your
power"
That | woudp cried Ralph Ormiston,
enthusiastically, and he grasped her hand
and pressed it so tightly that she could
scarcely withhold a cash Of pain. you