The Penn's Grove record., 1895-07-19

EhIAlNL1 JACK H0L1OrQ was HUI
atall modern or else he would have
~ understood that to q girl like
Maud Seymour, who had known pow.
erty In Its most trying forms oil the
days Of her life, the chance of catching
a millionaire like Cecil Higgins was an
almost irresistible temptation. If Mr..
Higgins had not appeared on the scene,
or If he had not openly shown his adj
miration for her and pointedly express
ed It to their hostess, Lady Sciva, who,
Of course, had passed it on to Maud Gin
confidence" matters would have differ
ent. Then she would have been con-
tent to give her hand where she had
bestowed her heart, and happiness
might have followed the marriage. But
now her mental equilibrium had been
upset. She dreamed of jewels in heaps
and gold In streams-she who had been
obliged to sell her one bracelet of any
real value in order to provide herself
with some ready money for her visit,
and whose ornaments were in conse-
quence quite modest In their simplicity.
She knew that by a single word sno
could cover herself from head to foot
with priceless diamonds. Had not Mr..
Higgins talked hourly-and not per.
haps with overmuch good taste-of o
certain riviere Of diamonds which he
had bought at a fabulous sum at the
which he intended as his first present to
his future bride, when he had found
her? And had not every n except
Jack Holford ut once looked at Maud
Seymour as much as to say: "Thou art
the womanr" 1t was enough to turn
the head of any girl, and so 1t is not sur
prising that Maud Seymour's brain
had not proved superior to the intoxi-
eating influence to which she vas ex'
posed.
All that she had to do was to say
"No" to Jack at the right moment, and
then "Yes" to Mr.. Higgins. Could any
thing be more easy3 A little firmness,
o little common n and the thing
was done. Then farewell forever to
poverty. Moreover, she would put the
case so sensibly to Jack that he would
quite understand, and agree that she
was acting for the best.
But when the thing was done, and
Jack had not taken it sensibly-had
gone away, IN the contrary, with an
ger and despair painted on his pallid
cheeks, leaving behind him, moreover,
the smart of several home truths, which
he had planted In her self-esteem-the
outlook did not seem SO decked with
roseate hues as 1t had appeared in an
dcipating.
Jack had said that he should leave
the house at once, and that he hoped
he would never see her again; and this
appeared to her little short of dreadful.
So far as she had contemplated the
possible consequence of her conduct
which was not far-she had intended
that her rejection of him should make
no difference in their friendship. He
would be angry, Of course, and horri-
bly, Jealous; but she would smooth him
down, and his devotion to her would
eventually prove lord of all. And what
\ comfort a really faithful and disin.
terested friend would be when-well,
when she had accomplished her fatel
1t may be remarked that II she had
given her entire thoughts TO 1t, she
could scarcely have invented a more
dangerous program than this one which
seemed to her so full of the most idyllic
promise.
On the following day two important
vents happened. Jack Holford, who
iad been summoned suddenly to town
On important business-so Lady Sciva
said, and, as hostess, Of course, she
ought to know-went away early In the
morning-so early that only n or two
sarly-rising men were about-and there
was no general leaye-taking. In the
afternoon Mr.. Higgins, who was a big
man with a great red face garnished
with huge sandy whiskers, proposed
10 Miss Seymour in the library, where
hey found themselves "by accident"
Ind was accepted.
So c~uriously constructed, howeves.
q the feminine temperament that In
the very hour Of her triumph a nj
If indescribable loathing for her ac-
.epted bridegroom came over her which
aot even the appearance of a magnif-
cent diamond ring could remove. There
ore 1t was decidedly unfortunate that
ihe haDpy aancs should have made