Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-27


 Some man must support me, and should feel the obligation less keenly if that man were my husband. !"
 But, Monica, it would never do. I know you better than you seem to know yourself. You speak of toleration' when you have it in you to love with a depth of passion of which not one woman in ten thousand is capable"
 ''Do not know?" the younger wom- an said, raising her somber eyes swiftly. "I know there is a scarcity for loving in me that is tearing my heart to tat ters. I know that could worship some man well enough to walk barefooted through world of snow with him, to lie ill the dust and let him trample upon my neck, to give him all, all But men don't want that sort of love nowadays. It is much better to tear the troublesome heart out and be good housekeeper to MT. Hartley. He will be away from me a great deal during the days, in the evenings after dinner while he sleeps in his chair can gaze across at his pros- porous purple face and think what for tunate woman am.
 ''It is useless my talking to you, 1" Mrs. Leyton said, with shrug "I don't think quite understand you, Monica'
 "A telegram from Dick" Mrs. Ley ton said a little later. "Mr. Hartley cannot come to dinner tonight, and Dick is bringing some one else-Mark Grover. am so glad. have not seen Mark for months.
 "Who is he?' Monica queried listless- ly.
 Don't you know, or was 1t before you came to us? Why, Mark is the incest fellow I know-a barrister, a member of parliament and Dicks greatest friend. He has been ill South Africa since the dissolution, and we have missed him greatly, for he used to be our most con stant visitor, and he is such good com pany. Oh, I'm awfully glad he's com ingr'
 Evidently" Monica said, with Q half laugh. II shall expect great things of Mir. Grover after this enthusiasm. |"
 "You are sure to like him." Helen said emphatically. And, oh, Monie! !' she ran on, almost dancing in her ex- citement. II have it, now-such capi- tai idea! You shall marry Mark. I am so glad I thought of it. He is just the kind of man for you-handsome, intel lectual, sympathetic. I am sure you will fall head over ears in love with him di- rectly. What possessed me to think of old Hartley for you with such splen- did fellow as Mark to the fore !"
 II am sure I don't know" Miss Newman said, laughing outright. "I wish had faith enough in my charms to believe your latest scheme feasible.
 If she had no faith ill her charms, she was at some pains to heighten them that evening before MT. Grover came. Helen declared she had never seen her sister look better than she did as she swept in to the drawing room, with the soft black chiffon of her dress bodice relieving the creamy curves of her neck and arms and the deep gold hair we'll waved about q slightly flushed face.
 II know Mark will be enchanted, '' Mrs. Leyton said. II am so glad you are not yet engaged to MT. Hartley"
 Miss Newman smiled. Hope springs eternal ill the human breast, and she al, lowed herself to drift into thoughts of a slightly brighter future than of late she had dared to picture.
 Mir. Grover looked upon her with very friendly eyes as they shook hands. Al one time or another he had heard great deal of Mrs. Leyton s sister, and he liked those of the family he already knew well enough to be favorably disposed to- ward her. Monica was struck by his face. It was not handsome exactly, but n1a l, that looked out on life with the utmost cheerfulness and friendly feeling. As he stood by the window chatting to her he looked like a perpetual antidote to de spair, and the girl felt her spirits rising Mrs. LeytOn contrived that he ant Monica should spend much of the even ing together, to the entire satisfaction | of both parties, as it subsequently, ap peared MT. Grover was rather fond oi | hearing himself talk, and Miss New man proved q more satisfactory listener | than generally fell to his lot-in St Stephen s, for example. He thought ht had never met q girl of more excellent | ly discriminating qualities when ill tho course of conversation it transpired tha i she regarded him as one to whom thI | things. She had followed his politica career with interest she always made , point of reading every line of his speech es. It was done so delicately that Mir Grover failed to perceive the art of it and, liking the valuation tho girl SC upon him, did everything in his powe to confirm it. Monica fancied she coulC See an actual swelling of his proportion as he poured recital of his doings int her eager ear.
 After dinner he made his way to he with a pleasure evident i'll his face tha set her blood dancing She played whil he gave forth something of Tosti the startled night, and then gold hea and brown came close together in th singing of duet. It was an exceeding ly pleasant evening-one of the plea' antest MT. Grover had ever spent, | assured Monica at parting, with fir pressure of extended fingers-one of tl pleasantest Monica had ever spent, sl assured herself as she laid slightly f. verish cheek against her pillow.
 They met often after this during il June weather. Every evening on whfC l hS SOuAu IOoS1D1y tSS1L IAA1SSA away 4IO the ''house" found Mir. Grover at tl pretty suburban villa, and he took Mol ica out a great deal-to the theaters, Earl's Court, to Richmond and Kew for long days on the river, where tho drifted on with the tide, watching u green land laugh back to the golden SUI the blue sky reflected ill the rippli1
 water, looking sometimes into each ot
 CTS eyes as they smiled and talked.
 It was all like a lotus eater's drea
 to Monica Newman. If there was al
 cry ill her heart in these days, it W
 that sensuous "let us alone" For
 was summer, and, after all, she W
 young yet, and for her, with her pa sionate, clinging woman's heart, heav
 had soon resolved itself into two haz eyes that looked out of Mark Grover face. He had not yet asked her for t