The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-08-28

you, can see clearly that Lord Gains
ford is only waiting his opportunity to
ask you to be Lady Gaiusford."
"That old fellow !" cried Jasmyn
irreverently.
'He is thirty nine" said Mrs.
Meredith, smiling" "That does not
seem so venerable TO most of the world
ms it seems to you. DO you see nny-
thing else in him to complain of ?"
81 havn't thought. Why should r?
He is very well, I suppose, but | see
no reason why should care for him
more than for another.
"Ah, well, you must know him bet
ter"
And the opportunity was not long
in coming. 1t seemed rs if fate were
on the side of his lordship. Where
ever the Merediths went they were
sure to meet him-and he let it be
seen clearly enough that it was for
Jasmyn's sake he had come.
One night they were sitting out
dance which she had promised him.
He had persuaded her to go into the
conservatory instead of dancing, and
she sat ON n low seat, over which some
strange foreign plant leaned. An
odor that seemed like incense burned
on the shrine of some old time god
half intoxicated her. And there and
then Lord Gainsdorf tolA his love
story. She had charmed him from
the first, he said aud now he loved
her. Would she -. At that very
instant it seemed to her us il she
heard voice from far, oh, so far
away-a voice that said: "Wait -
And just then, before she had spoken
at all, her partner for the next dance
appeared, mud Lord Gainsrord said,
with that cool self possession that be-
longed to his age aud rank, 81 shall
see you tomorrow"
That night sleep did not come to
Josmyn. She lay with wide open
eyes, vaguely wondering. What
should she say to Lord Gainsford?
Could she love him--and why not?
Would she be happy as his wife?
| How much there would be to make
her so.
Then suddenly it seemed to her as
if the room opened its windows, to the
stars and the definite night, and she
looked far. far of, AS perhaps we all
| shall look when death has taken us by
the hand and led us far away from
what we call life. She knew that her
vision had gone beyond the sea, and
that it was room in New York, in
which she saw n young man writing.
He had just turned page. She did
not know how his letter began, but
she read these words:
are twenty-one. You can no longer
call me boy. | was admitted to the
bar year ago. | have succeed ed so
we'll that in October | shall make my
first important plea Remember that
you promised to hear it. | will cross
the sea and bring You back in time.
L shall be with you almost as soon
rs this letter. l have obeyed you
hitherto in keeping silence. | write
now because wish you to know be-
fore we meet that / am unchanged. +"
And when she had read thus far it
seemed to her that suddenly the win
dows that had opened to the vastness
of the night were closed and she was
| alone.
What did it all mean? She was not
asleep. 1t was no dream. Plainly as
il she had held the sheet in her own
hands she had read those written
words. Plainly as if he had been in
the room with her she had seen Robert
Marsh.
Yes, she would wait She would
decided nothing until she knew. She
turned on her side and drew a long,
calm breath, and then sleep, the deliE-
quent, kissed her parted lips and led
her at last into dreamland.
The next day Lord Gainsford
pleaded his own cause, but he pleaded
in vain.
"If you will wait two weeks" JAS
myn said, 81 will answer you then.
II say anything to-day it must be
NO. do not feel that l understand
myself. Will you give me time, or
shall il end here?"
OF course he gave her time. He
turned to Mrs. Meredith. Mrs. Mer-