The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-11-01


ready TO turn TO any one who ad.
dressed her.
"The Count bores her." thought
Stanton Harcourt. "He is all very
well as dancing partner, but his
eternal brag and sentiment are get.
ting wearisome TO her"
He waited his opportunity: and he
had to wait some time, for il was the
most difficult thing in the world to se-
cure quiet tete-a.tete with her. She
was in much request, having so many
friends, and living in perpetual
whirl of gayety. Besides, people had alb.
solutely no sense of discernment.
Often and often, when he thought the
right moment had come at last, some
loud voiced boy broke in on the quiet
corner and dragged her away or dis.
tracted her attention.
At last, in despair, he wrote to her
for a private interview, ms he had
matter of the utmost importance to
reveal TO her To this letter she sent
no answer, but, meeting him in the
evening ut party, told him, with a
smile, that the whole thing was very
improper. but if he would call on the
Friday at o'clock-well she could
not promise, but il was possible.
He walked home in a state of such
ecstacy that he was almost oblivious
of his surroundings. The result was
that at the corner of Hertford street
he was knocked down by furious
hanson, stunned, and so severely in.
jured that ne was taken up for dead.
He was not dead, however, though
he lowered for long time between
life and death. His constitution tri.
umphed at last, and he began TO get
well. His first thought when his
mind recovered its equilibrium was
that he must make haste in order to
make up the lost time.
As he became convalescent, friends
were allowed to see him. He inquired
eagerly after the Saltertons.
"Oh, they are in Scotland. You see,
since Lady Roses wedding"
Lady Roses wedding, almost
screamed Stanton Harcourt. Which
Lady Rose do You mean?"
"Why, the daughter, Of course
the beauty. She married that Aus.
trian fellow, Count Clar Chirafou-
Charafau. OF course, you've been
i'll so long, poor chap! Don't you re-
member tall, dark man with mus
tache, who was always very much in
attendance"
Stanton Harcourt's brain seemed to
reel rs ii again under the influence of
delirium. Rose married-to the Aus
trian! Why, she loved him! And If
she loved him, why had she married
another?
"a capital match, of course" con-
tinued the unconscious friend. "And
entire nous, am told that it is very
good thing for Lord Salterton, who
might have had some difficulty in
'sneetrng mis- creditors if his son-in-
law had not proved obliging."
In flash Stanton Harcourt saw it
all-his adored was victim, a pale
sacrifice on the altar OF filial affection.
While he was lying helpless and sense
less, unable to speak and declare his
love, tho pressure of the inevitable
had come upon Lord Salterton, and
the heartless father mad commanded
his daughter to save her family at the
price OF herself. No doubt he hal
urged that the man she loved was at
the point of death, would never rise
from his couch again. In the mean.
time, here was this Austrian, rich,
generous, devotedly attached to Ter.
Why shouldn't she save her fathers
honor and provide for herself! She
could not wear the willow forever for
n man to whom she was not even en-
gagged.
Stanton Harcourt nearly frettei
himself into fever at the thought,
and SO great was his mental anguish
at the picture which he conjured up
that it seriously delayed his recovery.
1t was year before Stanton Har-
court met the Countess Chirafou-
Charafau, and he was spell-bound at
the sight of her. She was then at the
height of her loveliness, and her
charms were enhanced by the mag
siticent tiara of diamonds which
crowned her hair. She showed no
trace of sorrow and, true to the law
which forbids n woman to show her
feelings, she received him with none
but the most ordinary emotion.
Stanton Harcourt, on the other
hand, was pale and haggard from the
effects OF his illness and excitement.
When the Countess expressed her sor-
row for mis- accident he almost broke
down. 1t seemed to him that he must
throw himself at her feet or die. For
tunately he resisted this impulse, and
limited himself to inquiring when he
could call. Then his hour would have
come, He would not reproach hei.
She must have suffered enough with
out that But there should be no
longer any secrets between them.
Later in the evening he heard the
Countess voice and his own name.
'Poor Sir Stanton" she was say
ing 81 WAS unite shocked IN sac him