The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-28
rHE ROANOKE TIMES, THURSDAY. SEP EMBER IS 1898.


He is the most picturesquely handsome
man have ever seen and in the meri-
dian of his strength. He is a gentleman
by birth. The blood of ladies and gen.
tlemen for generations flows in his veins.
All, hal lots of girls in his own set would
stay Mt home and chase no more the poy-
erty stricken duke if they thought there
was u chance of catching Richard Monk
low. l have no objection to him. He is
everything ! admire and commend.
give my consent, Virginia"
Since his illness Virginia had grown
accustomed to treating her father like a
pettish child. She went to him, laid
both her warm palms on his bald crown.
and smiling looked tenderly at him.
mo, daddy. don't want to marry.
I'll stay with you yet awhile"
The sudden fury of his gaze was like
the leaping of an unlocked for flame
from a dead fire.
$50 you'll be fool, will your You'll
say no? You'll fling away wealth that
could give me, in my last accursed days,
a few of the luxuries was accustomed
to? And why? Oh, you foolr' and his
blue, quivering lips seemed to spit out
the words, "and why2 Because you are
still thinking of that fellow, that scamp,
that Murray, who gave you the go by
Don't | know? You sentimental idiot,
he had no romantic memories to hold
him back! He has looked TO it that his
bread will be plentifully buttered. Read
today's paper. After a splurge in Eu-
rope. courtship on the steamer coming
home, he's going to marry General Bau.
doines widow-a woman worth mil.
lions. Do you hear? Refuse to marry
Monklow, and I'll never forgive you"
He was terrible sight in this sudden
spasm of rage-repression, his lifelong
habit, fallen from him like a garment
loosed by his palsied fingers.
Virginia Strengthened her young figure,
her arms hanging loosely at her sides
and rs white as 1.-The Masker" laughing
beside her.
The patience and silence of the past
fed away like shades, and resistance.
fully armed. took their place.
Then you'll never forgive me, for
do refuse" she said steadily, but scarce
ly louder than breath. 'What sort of
life have lived here at your very side?
Will you hear. now, at last? You flung
away your money while you could. You
thought wholly of your pleasures. You
gave ME nothing. You didp't think.
You didn't care. And 1 have worked
with my hands, my brain, at anything /
could find to doves, often while YOU
slept. Now you have said all you could
to wound me-" and there was an angry.
sobbing break in the accusing voice. 81
could bear even that. But you shall not
take all. father-not my body. my soul.
They are my own"
Everything was dark as she went
blindly from the room. She had n faint
intention of going out Sin the rama
sense of supreme and awful loneliness.
The door closed upon her, and she would
have stumbled had not strong arms
caught her. She looked up and saw
Richard Monklow. One glance at his
face. drained of the hue of life under
meath the brown, the lips contracted, the
kind eyes sad. and she saw he had heard
all.
Il asked for too much. Forget my
words. Virginia" he said when he could
speak. Forget all save these-that l
can only live if you will let me serve
you. see you sometimes, be near you. 1
em yours. Use me as you will"