Evening star., 1893-09-09

chsu nimseil-out II was too late.
What should know of her? said he.
"Cowardr cried. and left him. My en-
gagement ended that day.
Seven months afterward I had a letter
from her I went to her; she was dying.
She told me all; she showed me his letters.
Sne gave them to me. II you wish to see
| them," this contemporary, you can! ]
wrote to him at her request under a feisned
name. He was then In India, and IT took
some time to get the answer When IT did
come she was dead But-you can see that
| answer. too"
i don't want to see it," says We're.
hoarsely.
still, you SHALL" with cold determination.
shall post all those letters to your quart
ers tomorrow. IT." proudly ''pleases me
20 90 So. Well. she died. i saw that she
was properly buried. 1 had come into some
money then. and was more or less my own
mistress 1 suppose he heard of the money,
because ne wrote again. He denied every
thing about Miss - about Minnie He did
& nos know had the letters. 1 answered,
refusing him. / did not explain. / could
not He" she pauses. her hands clenched
together, he you say. died, declaring /
had been false to him"
inere Is silence again.
thaty' '' nc Sa'o
"Yes-and-" he hesitates, terrible as all
the foregoing has been to him, there has
sun peen balm In 1t. but there remains
something that seems more to be desired
now than anything else on earth.
What more?"
He said you had given him up to marry
another-richer man."
Must i answer that?" says she wearily:
Is not all this enough? Well. IL was bur
gov'
Florence" says he. falling at her feet
and catching a fold Of her DRESS have
mercy. l was mad. / know it. BUTT
was madness born OF my love for you!
Hear me! pity mev'
Nor. The word rings out right royalty.
She looks like q queen standing above him
In her exquisite robe Of clinging silk, and
with the diamonds flashing on her neck and
brow. AS you would have behaved to-
ward me. SO I behave toward you now"
She points to the door. Co
There IL quite a gay scene on the i'm
promptu grand stand. though these races
are q thing got up In q night. as it were.
as q merely local amusement Every ones
thoughts are for Sir Digsy We're, who has
elected to ride that well-known misde-
meanant Ftrewater. against the advice OF
all his friends. They have started by this.
and are well over the first hurdle, Capt.
Warnings mare-a plucky little thing-lead-
Ing by three or four heads. The second
hurdle is past now, and some one in the
grand stand says that Ffrewater is gaining
ground. Florence Gascoigne, who is lean
ing over the ledge Of the balcony. gives a
start. and putting her glasses to her eyes
scans the scene beyond. Yes. beyond all
doubt. Firewater is overtaking the others.
Slowly-slowly he is creeping up.
And now-now-they are at the stone
wall. Ffrewater refuses it-there is a
seconds pause-a short. low, terrible cry
from Florence, heard only by her sister.
who lays her hand in warning on her arm I:
and now Firewater is over it. his rider still
upon his back. After that all stands out
In q little mist before Miss Gascoigne's 8
eyes. and 1t is not until now. as they sweep
round the corner, and are tearing toward
the water jump that her senses quite re-
turn to her. She sees now! She throws UP
her head: the light returns to her eyes.
He is leading. Firewater Is a good head
beyond all the others. He is racing mady
for the water jump. We're lifts her well.
she rises to it-she Is overi
over. What is this? What is this sick
ening heap upon the ground? The horse
one can see the horse. but the man
Somebody carries Miss Gascoigne fainting
out Of the stand.
She is kneeling beside his bed. They had
given her permission to enter a while ago.
He had been restored to consciousness last
night. and had spent each hour since-at
intervals-asking for her. demanding her.
The doctor had at last said she must be
brought to him II they wished to hold him
back even for a little while from the land
OF death Mrs. Margrove, her married
sister. had brought her. but outside his
door she had begged piteously to see him
alone. and even the doctor had not the
heart to refuse her.
You have come" says We're. softly,
faintly. For all answer she lays her cheek
against his hand.
1-wronged you"
''Oh. no-no-no," cries she, you shall
not reproach yourself. And what is your
sin to mine. Digby1 You condemned me
unheard. know-but II heard you say
you were going to ride that" with a shud-
into tears. Il said nothing to siissuaie you.
Oh, 1t was not that I did aot love you.
Digby-only-only-I thought
Il know! You could not bear 10 lower
cry like that. I could not bear to lower my
pride, either; ! said. do you remember, to
Carlton. that I would not hear an explain
alton from you. But l."
''Oh. IT wasn't that" .ays she, lifting her
head and looking at him through lovely
tear-stained eyes 1T wasn't pride OF that
sort Ny pride was that 1 was sure you
would win, that You would conquer Fire
water. f."-hurriedly-'ff I had thought
there was any real danger for you IL
would have gone to you. to dissuade you
from riding him, even II mad to run in to
the mess room before them all"
In spite Of his weakness he laughs a lit
tie at this. He holds out his feeble arms
to her. She creeps into them.
You are nobler than / am" says he. 81
wonder you ever came near me again. 1
wonder, too, Florence" looking at her very
sadly, IF you do really In your heart for
give me. You are sorry for me now seeing
to what a sad pass I have come. But II i
were TO get well, and strong agaln-would
you forgive me tbenr'
He draws her yb him-eyen closer-but lac
does not attempt to kissNher.
What do you take md fpr?" says she,
half laughing. h3f crying; There is moth
1ns S.Se TO fSssS, fsqsiS:n aaa 'vse srs sa'-Why.
"Then-if yen have-and IL you love ne
e,,Gbtam,Sb, eyeR littts he srmDlehsy. you
why. I've been bngins = kiss you /"
lips to his.
Now. shall ut ,weli.zukys he. smiling
There is. howsyerJ o. Wiling 1 don't for
give" says she. ~ g happy self come
tie sitting on the d - BY his bedside. and
And that, my own"
THAT you didn't win that race. I was so
longing to see You come In at the head of
them ALL" ~
Never mind. I have won something
else: something far better; the best in the
world. he draws her to him again. II
have won you"
UNHAPPY CONDITION OF RUSSIA.