Evening star., 1893-09-09
Copyrighted)
A HASTY JUDGMENT.
WRITTEN FOB THE EVENING STAR BY MRS.
HUEGERFORD,
Author Of MOLLY Bawn." LADY Branksmsrs. 10.

| N&e%>AeA>eSeSs
AFTER all. Digby, you are more forgiv-
ing than thought you," says Major Carl
ton. coming up to where Digby We're is
standing. beside a heavy velvet pcrtiere
that hides a recess beyond. waltz has
Just begun. and We're has the expression Of
one who is looking among the dancers for
some one particular person.
How so?" asks he. smiling. He IL q
specially good-looking young man Of about
| twenty-nine. and the smart Lancer uniform
he is wearing seems to suit him.
why. I've just heard from waring that
you have been Miss Gascoignc's devoted
slave for the past three weeks
''Slave-well. as for that confess.
however. that Like her."
Twill serve" says Carlton, laughing.
"And so you have forgotten the past then
You have condoned her sin. and all those
dark threats Of vengeance you used TO
breathe in India are SO much-vapor. /
| thought you were never going to forgive
her scandalous treatment Of your cousin
Sir Charles
What do you meanr' exclaims We're,
wheeling round TO look Mt him more in
tently. who are you talking about? The
woman who wrecked Charles Vere's life
was called Florence Grant,"
And is now called Florence GascoiSue." ="
We're bursts out laughing. there il terrible
relief in the laughter
| My dear fellow. you have got into a
muddle OF some sort. Miss 9ascoigne is
! Miss Gassoigne, she il not married"
Il know she isn't. But she has changed
her name for all that Only a year ago she
was still Florence Grant but a distant re-
| latton died, leaving her all her money on
1 haf Sho chop ood har m
| Gascoigne. See?'
There is q dead silence for q full minute;
| then
There must be many Gascoignes." says
We're in low tone. His eyes search Carl
| TONS as though tmplorfng him to support
him In this opinion. Carlton is shocked at
the change in his face.
Look here. We're. I'm awfully sorry. ia
nave cut nay tongue out If 1 had only
known. But" stammering. II had no idea
You were so hard hit-and. besides. lots Of
s'fiS fs,,o 90 that sort Of thing. you know-fiins
Al this moment there is q slight rustic
behind the velvet curtain. as though some
one has entered the little room behind and
seated him or herself upon a lounge. Both
men, however. are too agttated to notice It,
But not with the cold brutality that was
practiced by Miss Gascoigne," says Vere
IN IN = stern. hard tone. Miss Grant. rather.
II what you say is true. no wonder she was
gao OF the chance Of putting that name
behind her. 1t is useless any ones defend
ing her. Carlton. because had the whole
story from his own lips a month before ne
died. She deliberately led him on until he
was half mad in love for her. and then.
Tlcher man appearing, she calmly, without
h,s Anaiy haa, w9rd. hung him over. She broke
There is another sound behiad the curtain
now. as though fan has fallen with a
little crash to the floor
by 1ove" says Carlton. who is now
wishing himself well out Of IL, he didn't
look ike a fellow whose heart would be
eaSiiy broken; he seemed to get a good deal
Q. good out Of that little Irritation with the
colonefs wife up in the Hills. l." awk-
wardly. II shouldn't think 20 much about IL
N We're You. Digby. II you fancy her as
m much as you say I'd just put that old story
I IN my pocket and go in and win. II she
Never" says Vere with sudden violence
suppressed indeed. but perhaps the more
terrible for that LILO cast a Thought
On heartiess coquette like that. 1 swore in
inoia that / would seek her out and upbraid
her with her conduct to Charles; try to
wiring passing pang from her cold heart;
put now. Carlton. 1 confess that is beyond
me. She was dear to mel never knew
how dear until this moment, when I-know
1 snail never willingly look upon her face
again. 1t is all over, that dread dream!
Her face may be like heaven. but her soul
her soul must be like hell! Though 1T
cost me all the happiness of my life shall
cast her out Of my heart"
You will give her an opportunity to ex-
you-for your own sake. dear boy-do give
her a chance Of saying how 1t was"
mo. A woman like that! Do you think
she has not words at her command where
| with to twist and turn her phrases and
show herself the injured Innocent? ! re-
| fuse to listen to her exculpation. refuse
to listen to one word that she could say.
There. let us forget all this" turning
ghastly face to Carlton. but conturing up
smile all the same. what about these
races; you are riding?
mo, but I hear you have the choice Of
two mounts. I'm glad you are going to
| have nothing to do with Younge's Fire
water-a dangerous brute. Waring is mad
| for you to ride his mare. and he says you
Tell waring. If you see him again to-
night. that have changed my mind. how
ever 1 shall ride Firewater for Younge."
"Oh. I say. We're, l wouldn't II | were
man already. /"
Il shall ride him." says We're. impatiently,
He'll win IL l can only manage him. And
| besides-what does 1t matter?'
ut would matter a lot to the regiment II
anything happened to you. old boy" says
the major. almost affectionately. There's
Waring over there. ri go and talk to him.
| He may persuade you"
Carlton is hardly gone when the velvet
portierre behind We're is swept aside by an
imperious hand, and a girl. tall. graceful.
beautiful, with flashing eyes. and a face as
white as death, confronts We're.
| "Come in here" commands she, beckon-
ing him with a little royal gesture Of her
hand.
He follows her. She drops the curtain
| And in this small, dainty, perfumed corner
of the house they are virtually alone.
| "So?' says she, In q voice low and soft
yet trembling with passion, 'you had de-
cided on giving me no chance OF explaining
| myself. You were bent on refusing to listen
| to my eXculpation! You were prepared to
| treat me as the dust beneath your feet
you" vehemently, "you-who only last
night thought me worthy to be your wife Z"
"Ah!' says he. as IL stung to the quick
| last night"
But you shall hear me-" cries she. her
| beautiful eyes on fire. her slight figure
| swaying as IL her anger is consuming her
| Il will not be treated thus by you. You
| shall stand there" with a tragic gesture
of her hand. "there-before me-until you
| hear the truth. 1t is not a vindication you
shall hear-1 do not care to justify myself
In your sight-a man who would condemn
woman unheard. 1t is the truth of your
cousins story that shall lay bare to you