The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-02

Has he told you how he won the friend
ship OF Jerome Lenox and his daughter"
Marianne held up her hand command
ingly.
al think you must let me make things
little clearer, Miss Lenox. Then you will
see that l came here of my own accord
with the earnest desire to serve you. He
does not know ! am here.
ITO serve me"
ITO serve you. Sit down, my child. /
have suffered too much myself not to
recognize the signs of 1t in others. L will
not detain you long"
Jeanne sat down in strangely docile
mood. There was something inexpressibly
soothing in this woman's low cultured
voice, something imposing in her quiet
self-possession.
you imagine, do you not, my dear,
that the world, all your world, will soon
be wagglng its head over Jeanne Lenoxs
folly. You imagine how the story OF your
giving your first girls fancy (only fancy.
dear y TO married man" Here
she was fercely interrupted.
He is a wretch Don't mention his
name in my presence. l hate himl Oh,
how l loathe him !"
II do not intend to insult you by men,
tioning his name any oftener than is need
sponsible for your trouble that dared
come to you. l am here for your good,
and yours alone. Miss Lenox, please be-
lieve that, aud hear me quietly to the
end"
Jeanne's breast was heaving tumultu-
ously, but she made gesture for Mari
anne to proceed.
when | went away from my husband,
with view TO testing his ability for earn
est effort it was because wealthy patrons
of art here in the city were beginning to
notice him. and l imagined | was drag
| on his ambition. Indeed, he told me so.
| was not far-seeing enough to calculate
some of the evil possibilities of giving him
| his liberty. He had never been what is
| called a lady's man. In fact, l knew he was
too self-absorbed ever TO form a deep
attachment for any woman. | believ ed he
wanted his freedom as an artist and gave
| it to him. But that his handsome face and
smooth ways might ever prove Il snare to
others had never thought, or, il | did,
| put 1t away from me as the foolish fancy
/ of jealous woman. For that result of my
blindness | am here to beg your pardon
and TO make reparation.
"What reparation can you maker"
Jeanne asked, bitterly.
| Marianne looked at her with a wistful
smile.
My dear, you have already found out
that the only wound is to your pride"
"Yes, l have; but that wound"
"Is the one l am here to heal"
"Then be quick about it, am smart
ing at every pore. l will die-of the shame
OF it."
what church doyou attend?' Marianne
asked, abruptly.
Jeanne, wondering more and more at
her own dociity throughout this strange
interview, gave the name and location OF
her church.
at is large and fashionable one2"
"Yes."
"Your pew conspicuous"
Eyes"
'Thsn, my dear, wish to accompany
you 10 church tomorrow"
Jeanne started and colored violently.
do not be afraid that you will ever
have to recognize me afterwards" said
! Marianne, proudly: but here is para
! graph | wish to have inserted 10 a society
column on Monday. All the world. your
world, will read it; and all the world.
your world, will wag its wise head and
say, we must have made a mistake
there is nothing wrong there 1t will be
a disappointment 10 them, for doubtless
they think just now that they have an
unusually sweet morsel to roll under
their tongues"
Il wish | might know you-have you
for a friend. You must be strong, and
good, and unselfish, or you never would
have thought of sheltering me. For am
| wicked-desp erately wicked"
Marianne smiled down upon the
troubled child with a sort of wistful tend.
erness. She was so young and unsheltered
My dear" she said ''if a little white
dove, who had been robbed OF its brood
ing mother, should tumble ignorantly
from its soft nest into the mud and mire
of the roadside and soil its pretty wings
would YOU pass by on the other side and
call that little white dove a desperately
wicked thing?"
Jeanne put out both hands impulsively
"If were like you" she said, 81 sup
pose l would pick the silly thing up,
smooth its soiled plumage and put it back
in its nest"
Tears were shining in her eyes. Mari
anne, drawing her close within the shelter
of her arms, laid the tired young head or
her shoulder.
"And that is just what want to do, my
dear. II is only the plumage that il
soiled, and mine be the hand to smooth
it."
1t was a strange scene, but one upoI
which the angels must have smiled.