Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-10-27


ehauted purses in the childrcn's fairy
tales bottomless. II enabled me to
reach the Transvaal gold-felds
worked hard there. saved little
by and by I speculated much. Some
times people grow rich there in a
month--a week. Twas one Of them.
Whatever 1 touched seemed to be
burned to gold; whatever did va,s
right Money came to me in thou
sends tens of thousands-h hundreds
even. On the day sailed from Cape
Town five weeks ago, was one of the
richest men in South Africa And if
~ sa not been for you / should b
i IN a suicides grave
Something glistened on her Iashes.'
She dropped her eyes and toyed with
the feathers Of her fan.
u am glad, very glad you have sue
ceeded.
He gazed lingeringly on the subtle
outlines of her figure, the curve Of her
full white throat and check, the brown
hair with the waves Of gold which
waved and curved about her brow and
neck.
And you, his voice sank lower
still-'.you have not married?"
no, as you see. But it is probable
that l shall lose my freedom soon
Does that mean that You are en-
gaged?"
''It means that Lord Hythe pro-
posed to me by letter this morning,
and that am to give him his answer
tonight.
eAnd it is to be yes?p
She laughed little.
DO you know that is a very strange
question to put on so short anacquaint-
anee, and that our conversation is be-
coming unusual in the extremel Mr..
Landeek, you seem to forget that we
were introduced only half an hour
ago.
You we're present at the most sol
emn moment of my existence. Let
me a little behind the scenes Of
yoiu own life, he urged.
She hesi;ated, and cast rapid
glance AT him. Her lips, quiyering as
with some hidden emotion, strovc to
smile.
We seem fated to have strange con
fidenees, you and l." she rid. and
laughed uncertainty. III you are
very curious to know, it is yes. /
shall accept him."
Perhaps it was only fancy oi the
iiekeriug of the lamps. but it seemed
as though a sudden spasm crossed his
face, born of disappointment, or of
pain
s.You care for him, of conrse?''
An uncomfortable i'm p,,lse moved
the woman = dash aside the barrier Of
conventionality and give expressl, :
to what she felt. She raised her eyes
to his. They met, and the anguish in
them touched him to the heart. She
shook her head merely, then turned
her face away.
"Then tell me why you are going to
marry him. >
8sBecause he is rich, and my fathers
property is mortgaged. may as well
ten You the reason; everybody will
know
s'You intend to sacrifice yourself
for your family's sake?"
.Saerifee? What an ugly way Of
putting it, | am going to make a
marriage of convenience. Other
women are doing the same thing
every day
There was silence save for the drip
ping Of the water among the ferns
and grasses in the rockery and the
subdued sound of distant music.
They were alone.
In the dim, religious light OF the
richly colored lamps the man was
blind to all but the white-clad form
against the mass Of foliage The
heavy perfume Of the exotics seemed
t,.rise and stihe him; the woman i
Hauty intoxicated his senses; the cop
ssiousness OF her presence thrmed III
very sonl-
He leaned over and touched her gen
~ on the arm.
Sylvia, we are scarcely more than
strangers, you and l. Perhaps You'll
fell me | am mad, bnt / love YOU
Heaven knows I love you. ! believe
! loved you-then. Sylvia, will You
-oh, for PHYS sake, take me instead
Of him'
"A most romantic affair, said the
society papers when they were mar
lried. '.He proposed to her the first
time they met ~ Yankee Blade.
The Worlds Miles.
ltwould save a great deal Of trouble