Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-04-02
THAT GIRL IN BLACK.
BY MRS. WORDSWORTH.
TcoNTINUED.1


first evening II I could-just to-but
unluckily l am not the sort Of woman
TO succeed in anything OF that kind
/ However"
She stopped; steps approaching then
were heard through the stiffness. Maisit
turned. II have nothing more to say
and / do not suppose you wish to con
tinue this conversation. Good-by, Mr..
Norreys."
And almost before be knew she had
gone, she had quite disappeared. Des-
pard was q strong man, but for mo
ment or two be really thought he was
going TO faint. be mad grown deathly
white while Maise's hard, bitter words
rained down upon him like hail-stonesi
now that she had left him he grew SO
giddy that, had he not suddenly caught
/ hold Of a tree, be would have fallen.
at feels like sunstroke," he said
vaguely To himself, as he realized that
| his senses were DESERVING him, not
I knowing that he spoke aloud.
He did not know either that some one
I had seen him stagger and almost fall.
A slightly uneasy feeling had made
Maisie stop as she hurried of and glance
back, herself unobseryed.
"He Ooked so feariully white" she
said; "dO-do men always look like that
when girls refuse them, wonder?"
/ For Maisie's experience Of such things
actually coming TO the point, was, a:
should be the case with all true women,
/ but small.
81 thought used to think 1 would
enjoy seeing him humbled. But he did
seem IN earnest"
And then came the glimpse Of the
young fellows physical discontinue
/ Maisie was horribly frightened; throw
ing all considerations but those of hu
manity TO the winds she rushed back
again.
perhaps be has heart disease, though
he looks so strong" she thought, "anC
IL so-oh, perhaps have killed him"
She was beside him in an instant. A
rustic bench, which Despard was too diz
" 10 see, stood near. The girl seizeC
hold OF his arm and half drew it arount
her shoulder. he let her do so unresst
ingly.
TRY to walk step or two, Mr.. Nor
reys," she said, II am very strong
There, now" as he obeyed her mechan
ically, "here IS seat, and she some
how half pushed, half drew him on L
il. please smell this" and she too
out little silver vinaigrette Of stronl
and pungent contents, II am neve
without this, for papa is so delicate, yol
know"
Despard tried to open his eyes, tried
TO speak, but the attempt was not yer,
successful. Maisie held the vinaigrett
close 70 his nose; he started back, tn
strong essence revived him almost a
once. He took It into his own hnad an,
smelt it again. Then his face grew
crimson.
II beg your pardon a thousand times
I am most ashamed, utterly ashamed o
myself" he began.
But Msisie was too practically inter
ested In his recovery to feel embarrass
ed.
Keep shifting at that thing" sh
said, you will soon be all right. Onl.
lust tell me" she added anxiously
there isn't anything wrong with you
heart, is there?"
For il so, she added to herself, 81
must at all costs run and see IL there il
q doctor TO be had"
Despard smiled-a successfully bitter
smile.
''No, thank you" he said II an
surprised that you credit me with pos
sessing one, " he could not resist adding.
"The real cause OF this faintness is
very prosaic one, fancy. 1 went a Ions
walk in the hot sun this morning."
"Oh, indeed, that quite explains it,
said MaiSie, slightly nettled. "Good-b!
again, them" and for the second tim,
she ran of.
Gall the same, will get Conrad OIL
somebody 10 come around this way
she said 10 herself. Il will just say
saw a man looking as II he were faint
ing. He won't be likely to tell"
And Despard sat there looking at TIT
silver toy In his hand.
Il did not thaAk her." he said to him
self. Il suppose 1 should have done
as much, or more, for a starving TRAMP
on the road"
Then he heard again steps coming
nearer like those which had started
Maisie away.
They had apparently turned of else
where the first time-this time the!
came steadily on.