Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-05-05

During the first week of their stay
at the seashore together, before his
engagement was announced, Julia
indeed made all the advances that
good taste permitted. And he-in
remembrance for past triding-was
just sufficiently attentive to induce
her to go as far as she would. 1t
was during this skirmishing that
Gwendoline's jealously had been
aroused.
Vincent took his way in leisurely
fashion over the sand dunes. Heck
pected to find Gwendoline in tears,
to be passionately reproached, eager
ly forgiven, and at last tenderly
adored.
But GWendoline was not in tears.
She stood upright in her black
gown, her arms hanging listless, her
hat on the rock at her feet, her face
lifted in sort of mute appeal to the
gray sky. Vincent sauntered slow
ly along to her.
You make US both rather ridicu-
lous," he said. eve northerners
don't do things in this high tragedy
fashion. What is the matter ?"
She turned, and he quailed little
the same sort of feeling he had had
when Blanche laid her firm white
forepaws on his shoulders.
We will not be ridiculous any
more" she said. "Our engagement
| is at an end, Mr.. Vincent"
"You are hasty, Gwendoline, and
absurdly jealous. You are jealous
if look at another woman"
81 suppose l am jealous, as you
say" she replied quietly. Love
means so much to me. / can't con-
ceive ii except as entire, except as
complete. These fragments Of fir
tation-but Ill not talk. You love
your own vanity more than you do
me. | was a stranger here aud in
your power. There was a rumor
that you were marrying me for mon
ey. You did not take the trouble to
let your conduct contradict it. You
exulted in exhibiting your power
over-more than one woman. Well,
| leave you-to the other ore. /
couldn't take half heart. | have
loved you'll love you. But I am
too exacting to take the return you
offer. will 90 back-to my dogs
She frightened him a little for the
first time.
y" Upon my soul, Gwendoiine, l
love you alone"
F." You permit Miss Marquand to
make fun of me. You half encour-
age her."
"Yery we'll, let us leave Miss Mar
quand's society. Let US 60 to the
mountains-anywhere away from
here"
Run away from a rival If
it came to that | would RATHER"
"What 2"
mo matter. | should shock you
if | said it. | don't care to shock
you. But l will not be cowed into
submission as l cowed poor Blanche.
You remember she was jealous"
"This is triaing talk. What can
[ do to suit your"
Nothing more-that you are will
ing to do"
$50 be it, then" he sa sngrily.
"You are wholly unrea enable. l
accept your release"
He turned away. He did not see
poor Gwendoline's lifted hands oil
entreaty, nor hear her faint cry to
him TO return.
She was only stormy hearted
child after all, undisciplined, spoiled
and she loved him with all the might
of her rich nature. He had tried
her unfairly. He knew all this, and
might have forborne with her.
But Vincent had cold, selfish
vein il his nature which her love
had not yet reached down to- He
was indeed very fond of Gwendoline
bat he had decided that the forbear-
ance must be on her side. He had a
momentary pang of doubt as to how
truly she meant what she said, but
he was pretty sure she would "come
around.n
An hour later Gwendoline, walk
ing YEARLY along the hot sands, saw
Julia Marquand and Alex Vincent
standing hand in hand, waiting tc
take the cool, blue breaker that was
rolling toward them.
"He has gone back to her-sc
easily" was GKendoliue's choakipe
thought.
She went to her room and sal
thinking. Miss CbaLwolth was {
mere "tame cat,n not to be thought
of as source of counsel. Gwendo
line had to settle the problem fol
herself. She felt herself grow ole
and staid. She felt that it was fol
her, first of all, to sustain her digni
ty. She had broken her engagement
in peremptory style. But she mus
not act childishly. Alex had &C
cused her of subjecting herself t.
criticism. She must bold her i'm
pulses in restraint and behave as be
fitted proud old Gideon Danes grand
I A