The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-09-12

Put them in the firel'' And he u,
10 do SO.
'No, no, nor' I cry, springing for
ward and laying OBTAINING hand on
his arm. "Oh, don't, Jaokp'
why not?" pausing. "You don't
want them, and I'm sure DON'T"
"I-I do. Please give them back to
me-"
'What for?''
"To keepl To remind me''-
"Of my folly?"
"Of my own. p
"Your folly is over and done with.
Our engagement is broken off, he saws
modify. "Better forget it ever exist,
ed"
II cannot do that" with an irrepress-
IDLE little sob. 81 am waiting for those
letters. -
'Take them, then" And he throws
them down on the table. keep them
to compare with Horne's if you like. T
don't care"
"How can you insult me so? What
right have you to think me so mean, so
heartless?' I cry Indignantly. "And
you cared for me once, or pretended to. I"
81 did care, care now, though I
know I'm only fool for my palms,
bitterly. "Heartless, do you say? How
can I help thinking you heartless after
your conduct last night?''
"My conduct? And what of yourss
If danced with Frank, and, yes, fiirt,
ed with him little, you were firtina
all the time with Celia and Mollie, and.
oh, there wasn't girl in the room that
you didn't fiirt With You know there
wasn't
eyes, and you should know that there
is safety i'll numbers, " he retorts, fixing
his dark eyes on mine reproaohfully.
"But you, Maud, you fiirted with Frank
all the time, and no one but Frank--a
very different thing.
"And what was I to do when you
deserted me? Sit still and look misera-
BILE? Thanks, no. Really, you are un,
reasonable. F."
"You forget that I did not desert
you, as you call it, till after you gave
me to understand that wasn't wanted.
You told mo to go, and went.
You ulu-On bne instant.
"And you blame me for that now
Did you not moan me to take you q.
your word?"
''Not like that" slowly. "You wen,
oh, yes-as if you were glad to 60. .
dare say you were, but you needn't
have betrayed your feelings quite en
plainly"
81 haven't the smallest intention of
betraying my feelings for your gratifi-
cation,' he says, with some warmth,
''You have treated me shamefully, but
| see little use in discussing 1t now. r
don't want to roproach you for jilting
me. You've doneit, and that's enough"
"Jilting you'll Oh, Jackp'
"Call it what you please" and he
turns away YEARLY. eve went quar-
rel about that. Celia was right, see."
''Celia?"
eyes. She said would only make
matters worse if I saw you. didn't be-
lieve her, butt
Cecilia tried to stop your ooming?"
eff you like to put it in that way,
yes, +" with look of surprise. "But I
thought I ought to bring those letters
myself, so came"
Cecilia seems to have been unwarrant-
ably busy wiSh my affairs" say cold
ly. 81 don't know, Of course, what she
may or may not have told you, but this
I do know-that / have never trusted
her, and that trust her less than ever
now
"You are ungrateful surely. She tried
to spare you this interview"
Had it not been for her it would
never have been necessary. But go to
her, since you'd rather take her word
than mine" passionately. go to her
and tell her that she has succeeded,
thanks to my folly and your
I break off, unable to speak for the
rising sobs that choke my utterances.
and turn away abruptly to the window.
Succeeded? Cellar" he repeats more
to himself than to me. "Maud, what ia
the meaning of all this? Is it possible
that Celia misunderstood D.
"She misunderstood nothing" I
speak in dull, expressionless way and
without turning round. "She is far too
clever for that 1t is you who misunder-
stood and l."
"What have I misunderstood? Oh, il
you won't tell me, I must go to Celia
and''-
eyes, go to her. What are you stay
ing here for?"
"Nothing now" And he walks to
the door. In another instant he will be
gone.
Can I let him go like this? No, q
thousand times no.
"Waitr And I turn impulsively.
"You-you have forgotten something"
"Have I? And what?"
"Your ring. 1 have no right to it
now, as you say
st never said so, but''-he checks
himself it to me, them"
"Come and take it. "
''No, dear, don't want it. If it Is
to come off at all, you must take it,
sIt seems almost pity, doesn't it?'
/ say softly, and my voice is scarcely as
steady as it might be. He makes no re-
ply, but passes his arm around my
waist, and his hold on my hand
tightens.
GIVE got used to it, you see, and I
should miss it, May keep it, Jaok?"
'On one condition. r
"And that isl kKs-
ssThat Won keen me tOon ~@~f