The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-05-12


S. echoed Miss Beauford,
angrily. "You are very much mistak-
en- if you think would stoop to jeal-
ousy, but when you so far forget
yourself as to hirt outrageously with
every handsome woman who crosses
your path it is time that I should pro-
test.''
"Really! Then I presume that I
have orders not to speak to Mrs.
Gresham when I meet her, notwith-
standing the fact that she is an old
flame Of mine?"
"If you are DESTROYS of re-establish-
ing your friendship or love for Mrs.
Gresham I will not stand in your
way. You are at biberty henceforth
and forever to please yourself. Here
is your ring"
"You don't mean to say, Nell, that
you wish to break our engagement on
account Of a triflipg misunderstand-
ing?'
II wish you distinctly to under
stand that release you from letters
that evidently gall you.
AS Eric Thorne did not attempt to
take the ring from angry little Miss
BeaufOrd, she sent it spinning across
the piazza.
With q smothered exclamation he
picked it up, thrust it into his pocket,
and strobe away in towering rage.
X
can old fame OF his, am II" queried
Mrs. Gresham, as she slowly rose from
the lounge on which she had been re-
clining. This lounge stood directly
under the window outside OF which
Captain Thorne and his affianced had
stood to SETTLE their dispute; thus
tional listener. Ellis old flame! I
wonder how he recognized in the
wealthy widow, Edith sprague, the
poor music teacher OF ten years ago?
His old flame!
Through the open window came the
sound OF sobbing, and upon looking
out Mrs. Gresham saw Miss Beauford
weeping as though her heart would
break.
"Miss Beauford!"
The widow laid her hand gently on
NelFs bowed head. The girl sprang to
her feet and Mrs. Gresham resumed:
"Miss Beauford, allow me to intro
duce myself am Mrs. Gresham"
Nell bowed.
"You will forgive me for intruding up
on you when confess that 1 accident
ally overheard your conversation g.
few minutes ago with Eric Thorne!'
"Indeed!' replied Miss Beaufort,
drawing her small figure to it's most
dignifed proportions.
eyes, 1 overheard him tell you that
Twas on old flame of his, and I
thought you would be benefited if I
narrated the whole story OF
that little affair of ours. Ten
years ago, when I became engaged to
Eric Thorne, was earning my living
as a music teacher. He was then
comparatively speaking, a poor man,
but just one month before our we'd
ding day his uncle died and left him
sole heir to all his property. Then
Eric asked to be released from his
engagement, giving as his reason for
doing so that it would be ruin for him
to hamper himself with a. wife who
had been bred in poverty A year
later | married Mr.. Gresham. Now
as his widow | am richer than Eric
Thorne ever will be, and I have come
to Newport this summer solely to
settle my old score with him."
odd you love Eric very much, Mrs.
Gresham?" asked Nell, after a. mo-
ment's silence. H.. -.
I thought so then, but I found out
later on that had been mistaken"
"Ah! then it was not so hard for
you as it is for me to give him up, for
Lob, Mrs. Gresham, I love Eric
Thorne better than my life."
"And yet he is the most detestable,
thing-a male firt!" said the widow
scornfully.
"No, no! Eric is vain and admires
pretty women, but at heart he is
good and true. I admit he is some
thing of coxcomb," said Nell, rue
fully; handsome men are apt to be,
you know" a.a
Still, for fear that he might firt
with me, you broke off your engage
ment with him."
IL knew that you were wealthy,
beautiful and fascinating; Twas afraid
you would win my lover from me,
and-and-"
Miss Beauford could get no further
with her defense; indeed, when she
came to look at it calmly, it seem
ed a. very childish piece of business
altogether, and she was heartily
ashamed Of it.
"Miss Beauford," said Mrs. Ores
ham, kindly, "let me take this matter
into my own hands, and promise
that within three months Eric Thorne
will be at your feet agsin, and think
! may also promise that he will be