The Washington times., 1894-07-22
LAURA YELVERTON'S CHOICE
pY FrTZGERALp MoLIoY.

BIT FITZGERALD MoLLoY.
Author OF "How Came He Dead?" "a Mod.
ern Magician" etc.
Laura Yelverton sat in the sheltered alcove
OF narrow window-a letter in her hands,
her large, melancholy, hazel eyes gazing out
on the wide, grassy lawn sloping to the river,
studded with trees OF centuries growth and
protected by high, red brick walls, against
which cherries, plums, and apricots ripened
in the sun. She had received the letter that
morning and had read it over again and
again, until she had committad to memory
every phrase and word in which Captain
fulness of his heart and strength Of his man
hood prayed for return Of his affection and
besought her to become his wife.
So forcible were his words, so natural their
expression, that she fancied she could hear
them spoken by that clear ringing voice that
had ever an undertone OF tenderness when it
addressed her, could picture him standing be-
fore her. his figure tall and straight, his we'll
cut face scorched by tropical suns, his close
cropped hair already iron gray, his straight,
heavy brows shading the gravest and darkest
of blue eyes that looked into hers beseechingly.
1t was not without keen sense of pain she
thought Of answering his letter. and assuring
him she could never be his wife, For al
though she respected and admired him, placed
implicit faith in his honor, appreciated his
worth, it was impossible for her to give him
the love which had gone out of her keeping
long before.
In her heart Of hearts she knew that George
Gerard, the man who had gained her affec-
tions, was in all ways inferior to Captain
Hungate; but 1t may have been the mental
and moral weakness of Gerards character
her desirous to guide his ways and protect
him from himself-that had finally won her
love- For, after all, love neither comes nor
goes at our bidding or desire; but wanders to
and fro, up and down the world at his own
sweet will, finding refuge and rest in the
strangest and most unlikely places.
Mora than twelve months ago George
Gerard asked her to become his wife. and she
would have accepted him had not her father.
whCse will was to her as law. forbidden her
10 wed Il worthless idler and confirmed
gambler She implicitly obeyed the only
loved and revered. and broke off all connec-
t.on with George Gerard. whom she had never
since seen. Looking back on this brief year
Il seemed as if her life had undergone n COM
plete change. No word of complaint passed
her lips; no look of reproach flashed in her
eyes at being obliged to relinquish the man
she loved but void had crept into her heart,
4 sense OF loneliness fell on her days. exist
snce lost the flavor of its sweetness.
Since then her father had died, leaving her,
his only child, the sole mistress Of his fortune;
leaving her likewise quite alone in life, save
Tor an elderly cousin, who now acted as her
companion, and was as much out OF sympathy
with her young relative, as far removed from
The current of her thought and feelings, as IL
hey lived in separate worlds.
The afternoon wore on as Laura Yelverton
rat and thought OF these things-the answer
The must presently write Capt. Hungate rising
continually in her mind. Though it was
iarly spring the day was sweet and warm;
.hestnuts and hawthorn were bursting into
,loon on the lawn, the sun was giinting on
he placid river, and the song of the thrush |
llone broke the stiffness of the hour.
Suddenly the entrance Of a servant aroused |
Ter from abstraction, and mechanically she
ook up the card presented to her on the sal |
rer; but when she read the name she started, |
md when, after moments hesitation, she |