Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1896-01-29
ALMOST PARTED.


in love VIII and marry Miss Campbell,
how nice it Ncald be said stout, good
natured Mrs Gay TO her companion in
a loud aside.
"For her-yes, was the curt reply.
"He is wealthy enough i'll any case. but
what would half of old CampbelPs
property be for one brought mp as she
has been! hear the place is mortgaged
heavily, and the old man lost by specu-
lation before he died. so his niece is not
the heiress we fancied. Yes; it would
be a very lucky thing for her if Colin
Delorme should ask her TO marry him,
and have no doubt she would jump at
the chance.
Madam, /" said a clear voice at the
woman's chair, which made her start
and glance hastily at the fair young
face above her. Madam, you honor
myself and my affairs too greatly"
Voice and face belonged to the girl
of whom they had been speaking, Honor
Campbell, and as the gossip stammered
forth some sort of apology she turned
and glided from the room, every pulse
in her body quivering with anger,
wounded pride and perhaps far keener
pain.
Why had she allowed herself to be
coaxed into appearing among the guests
of her cousin, to whom the old man laid
so recently in his grave was nothing,
while to her he had been dear as a
fatherg
Why had she brought her mourning
robes and her mourning heart forth
from retirement, even when friends
pleaded with her to do so?
And they thought her poor enough
"to jump at the chance" of marrying
Colin Delorme because he was to share
her uncle's possessions with her and had
wealth of his own-Colin Delorme,
with his frank, handsome face and his
CHEEKY voice and his heart of gold,
which any living woman might prize
more than the crown of king
How heartless and material people
were, she told herself, as she went hur-
riedly out to the little garden, which
sloped down to a sheltered spot-a dell
often visited by her.
In the path, with its checkered light,
she came face to face with the object of
her thoughts-Colin Delorme.
"How pale you are, Honorv' he said
to her, looking with eyes of tenderness
which she did not see into her young
face.
"Are you ill?"
"Thank you. No."
"Then let me tell you what / have
been thinking of, Honor. Our uncle di-
vided all he had between us. Let us
make no division, dear-and let as join
our lives and leave the old place as it is
Do you think l could make you happy
as my wife, Honor, my darling? would
try hard. think / could succeed. Will
You risk your life in my hands? Honor,
you are as white as death. Have / star
tied you? thought you knew my heart
this long time know uncle did. "
Had he said such words to her but the
previous day, but an hour before, how
gladly she would have put out her hands
to him and said:
Eyes, Colin. know your heart, and
/ will trust my life in your hands, 1t
has known no love save that which you
have taught it, and ] am only happy
when you are near mel"
But the words of the gossip were
fresh in her memory, the humiliation
which they aroused still ragged holly in
her breast
With low little laugh she turned
from him to gather up the long train Of
her black dress, and her gray eyes grew
bitter.
"You are far too generous, +" she said
coldly. 81 learned today that you are
quite expected to ask me to marry You,
Colin. by our kindly acquaintance.
You have not disappointed them-you
have asked me, but ] am not yet so poor
in soul if / am in purse. will not
marry you for the sake of keeping the
old home, dear as it is Thanks, Colin,
for your generosity. am not tempted.
/ take no advantage of it. +"
His face was quite white as she spoke
those cold, hard words-she who had
ever seemed so sweetly gentle, so softly
womanly to him.
''You put it in a very singular way,
but suppose you mean that, since you
have no love for me, you will not marry
me for any more material reason" he
said at last 81 am glad of that
would not buy wife. But when you
do accept the hand of some man, Hon
or, my beautiful darling, pray heaven
be may love you as truly as / do. The
old place is yours would not touch a
leaf on a tree there. Goodby, dear J
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