The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-08-22


led away. They met Sir Denia
'My dancer
mo; Lady Katharine wants me-"
Tho next. Them
Yes, the next"
A backward look and glad smile o.
they moved on into small boudoir.
Lady Katharine fastened the door. Then
she drew the child to her.
"Marina, I want to speak to you
quietly. You are very young. dear; your
ignorance Of the worlds ways La 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 a word
Of warning. Really, my child. I must
ask you to be moro careful, and not
dance quite 80 often with Sir Denis"
els that alp laughed Marina softly;
II thought must have done something
very dreadful"
But she drew apart while speaking
and shivered slightly.
II have not been with him more than
usual, have n"
"But this is so public; and, my dear.
he is terrible hirt."
eyes"
Then Lady Katharine lost her temper.
Don't stand there so calmly and think
you can carry on as you like, and make
fool Of such a man as Arthur Heath
cote with impunity. Bahi 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 little respect, and it Is
not decent to see you flirting publicly
like this with him. I tell you he is q
married man."
II know it.
Not tremor, not a movement sug-
gusted the agony of the child standing
with head erect, facing her foe, and act
ing the lie 80 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 harInlessly aside.
"You knew it? And are you not
ashamed-you. who pretend to be so in
nocent, SO far above the vanities Of life?'
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 it's first articles of belief
that marriage opens the golden gate to
Irritation? You yourself-would you be
80 very angry if some one were to f1irt
just little with married womanp"
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.
"It is different altogether" cried Kath-
arine wrathfully. IA married woman
may do as she likes; but for young
girl to lead man Oh 80 disgracefully is
abominable!"
1--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. shall very soon
be married to Mr.. Heathcote. and then
you see, can do as like"
The elder woman caught her by the
arm In a frenzy of rage. "It is falsel
You are lying to me. You have refused
himY'
mo. have accepted him." smiled
Marina "And now l really must run
away. for he and Sir Denis will be ex-
pecting me and your guests will be look
ing for you"
She escaped, but her task was not
quite over. A look and a 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 30 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-
81 do'love you. You are the one pure
love OF my ife." And he spoke the
truth.
"Swear to me she shall never know.
She tricked me so cruelty. Oh, Dentist
do not let her triumph altogether"
II 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 muir
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 we'll which has triumphed.-
London World.
Why She Succeeds.
II can't understand why she is so much
cleverer than l." said a woman of an
other, her rival In society and her SUI
perior in tact. EASY enough to under
stand" said her husband-it is only hus-
bands who dare to say disagreeable
things-"You, like other women, say to
4