The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-14

longing, longing with all her heart and
soul to let herself drift into the full de-
light Of hearing his words of love-but
no, he was fiirt, it was his way, he
meant nothing, and she was proud, and
firm, and resolutely strong.
MAY say nothing else?" he said,
with oh! such world of entreaty and
yearning in his voice and eyes.
There is nothing else TO say" she
said, in frozen voice.
An hour later, Lumlcy said to Mrs.
Jock: III want you to do me favor I
must get to town early. Will it be pos
sible for me to catch the eight o'clock
train?"
"Of course. But George-you are
coming again?' anxiously.
~ say, Mrs. Jock, it's kind of YOU to
ask me to come again, but can't while
Miss Nugent is staying with YOU"
but why? II thought you liked
her so,"' the little woman exclaimed.
George, has anything happcned?"
Miss Nugent definitely refused me
last night" he said, in an odd, unmoved,
wooden kind of voice.
George, am very sorry" she said,
winking hard to keep the tears out of
her cyes-they were plainly to be heard
in her trembling voice--"but indeed I
think there is quite n misunderstanding
i am sure We're likes you-how could
she help it," she added, with uncon-
scious flattery.
"No"-shalsing his head--''it is no
use. wouldn't ask her to marry me
again if you told me she was breaking
her heart for me. believe in a lady
knowing her own mind when a man Of
fers her all that he has and is and ever
will be-
In two minutes he was gone and Mrs.
Jock saw the tail of Vere's blue serge
gown disappear into the drawing room.
Mrs. Jock went after her and shut the
door. We're" she said abruptly, "why
did you refuse George Lumley?"
"But MIR. Lumley never asked me to
marry him." the girl stammered. 'He
said something about the sitting for his
Penelope. and then-he-he said some
thing very vague and uncertain about
his wishes, and all that, and-and-I
knew he was one of the greatest flirts
In London, and-and-I cut him short.
that was all. But he never asked me
to marry him, Mrs. Jock, swear to
you."
"Oh! yon silly girl, Mrs. Jock almost
screamed. las if any man goes down
Oh his knees and offers his hand and
his heart formally nowadays. And
you've sent him away-wretched--
wretchcd"
81 am wretched, too,".vere burst out,
Indignantly
$50 You ought to be, SO you deserve to
be" Mrs Jock retorted, passionately.
"And then YOU say hos flirt Who
told you that? Not II He can't help
half the women In London being in
love with him; he can't help being the
most charming, delightful man in the
world. Fat n dirt he never was. I've
known hum for years-years. | never
saw dear old George flirt yet, though
I've seen dozens of women trying hard
to dirt With him. And you've broken
his heart, sent him away wretched and
misci.lble. and wish I'd never asked
you 10 come down here at all, or him
cithcI yos, do"
1t was not often that Mrs. Jock
worked herself up into a regular
passion, though she could, as Jock
could have borne witness; OF that par
ticnlar occasion, however, she was in a
boiling passion, and what the end of it,
all would have been / really cannot
say, had not We're created a diversion
by suddenly fiinging herself down upon
the nearest sofa in g positive agony of
Eeproachfnl grief. For moment or SO
AIRS. Jock was startled into silence.
then her kindliness reasserted itself and
she SAT down and drew the sobbing girl
20 her heart
There there, dear. was horrid
and urkind and a perfect beast to you,"
abe cried Don't cry like that, dari-
sag. fsEez siant-I HAser mean half
sas ssiasa i'na In ranss ~ Je0iE wSSssss