The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1893-11-11
VOL. IL.

e1~F do it, at my
time of life; but she is unquestionably
charming woman. She made him
happy, and--I am afraid am fool !
feel, however, as though owed It al
most to his memory, and some thing to
her, too. Yes, there is no doubt, owe
her something in that line-and yet
good heavens! | am not doing it on
that account ] love her desperately,
down TO the ground.
Dick" she said TO me yesterday.
looking straight at me with her won
derful blue cyes--"Dick, why do you
ask me--now?''
Better late than never" answered.
She began Five, six years ago
you and stopped
II know | was fool, Lucille. /
never once thought Of it, though You
see, the idea was foreign to me. !
never intended to marry"
And now?''
with your kind assistance, do in
tend to-"
"Why?r
Her question almost bowlcd me over.
gazed at the carpet, wondering how
could best put 1t to her. Presently
looked up, and rs our eyes met
blurtcd out: because / love you, OF
course"
did not mean to say that just then;
the truth is, that the idea OF ''repara-
ton had got sole possession of my
brain, and bow to express it gray
eled me-
Lucille laughed lightly. 'That, Dick,
Is a second thought, and mot a bad
one for man who is offering himself
as husband. Still, / want your first" !"
II was thinking that, love apart, you
have moral claim upon me-"
great wave OF color rose and fell,
leaving her beautiful face pale as
marble. "A claim-really? A moral
claim? Why moral? Why not ma
terial? When turn huckster, Dick, /
Will traffic only for gold"
saw what she meant Loves gifts,
being no impoverishment of love, en-
tall no Indebtedness upon the rccipient.
/ Love is paid for It's gift Ia tI.o ki,i.-e
Z This, thought was q counsel of per-
fection and better suited to angels and
and angelic loves than to men and
women in an earthly, highly conven-
tional and British society.
"Aud that IL why you wish TO marry
me?" she added
felt that was on thin ice. mo,
darling, it is not love you. There's
no harm in that, hope?''
mo, not bit. 1t is very good rea-
son. Genuine, Dick?'
Quite, on my honor"
"The honor of an English general
more, of an English gentleman-more
still, OF well-tricd friend--that is good
enough for me. Here's my hand on it,
Dick
That was only yesterday; it seems
twenty years ago. Poor Robethon--he
knew little. ! do not think was to
blame acted loyalty enough by him.
u was like this, you see Robethon
and were pretty close friends. |
spent much OF my time at my clubs,
and at one or other of them was al
ways coming across Robethon. The
taste Tor chess was mutual, and was
the ground of our first acquaintance.
"DVab thC HdAAlC ttkt, iitduluR
last Tor fifty; he was short and stout,
was long and lean. / had been all
over the world, while he had never been
outside OF England; sometimes fan
cled he had never been outside of Lon
don. II he had be was careful to con-
eeal the fact We were both bachelors;
nus chambers were close to st. James
street, mine to Piccadilly; we never Wis
itcd each other, though. He was part
ner IN well-known firm OF bankers,
nut had not entered their place of bust
ness Tor twenty years He had read
world beyond me and was a gentle,
Vnpathetic, clcan-souled gentleman.
wish could say as much truthfully
VI myself; no false modesty should keep
me from writing it down. Still Robethon
odrea Tor me and | am deuced sure
cared Tor him. His reticence was charac-
.eristc OF the man; il was like suit of
s'eel armor covering him from head to
ioo@ sometimes think it was, funda-
~ehtaliy, shyness-not of the ordinary
A,no, OF which there was not a trace
o"out MIN, but deep, spiritual shyness.
on the other hand, IL might have been
uue 10 an austere selectness of spirit,
sensitive, delicate pride of soul The
s.uomen held him in great esteem. in a
manner were proud of him, considered
nm an authority on disputed points of
aonor and the like and accepted his
judgment with docility and reverence.
ohe day met lady on Pail Mall,
,'' lalr' straight as dart, and with
isce mat fell on me like vision. !
u and watched her, and while SO
song She suddenly halted, turned
,, esnu and came toward me / stood
.siil In passing she gave me momen-
sary glance. Ha, she was very lovely,
month or six weeks later there
. "as reception at certain foreign
I. Ipassy and happened to be present.
80 not my kind of thing at all, bnt
ehanced to be an old acquaintance oi
ne ambassador in question. There
t'm s pig crowd and dancine was in
- s.as swing. Passing by the ballroom,
dauu dsoou Tor moment to watch the
aneers laa,s The first thing saw was tn,
~. Wy y ran Mall, gloriously arrayed
"a,szing with a German.
kua' "ho Is shc7" / asked Of man
ohoh Maich one2 Oh, that divine sym.
Pfnony of color there. eh2 Thai Is Mrs
Trsnchard.n Z M ''n''' ? saiA
n Ana who 4 Mrs. Trenehard2o
~saaV0k W. lead. She Is widow