Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-06-14


lamps will fall most judiciously upon
her. She is looking her loveliest, the
soft draperies of the best tea gown in
her wonderful wardrobe enhancing the
charms Of her exquisite complexion.
Her eyes are shining like twin stars,
and she has thrown an air of deepest
contritlon into them, and round her red
and parted lips. She even manages TO
convey the impression that she would
gladly kneel to him in her grief and
self-hatred. Meredyth regards her
with such open surprise that is a little
tinged with the old admiration-that in
spite OF her hardihood and her supreme
belief in her own charms, her heart
sinks little.
Wont you speak to me, George"
Her voice is low and sorrowful. Tears
have sprung 10 her eyes-tears of rage
and despair at the thought OF losing
Dornham and all its glories. They
make her even more lovely.
Even In Georges eyes she had never
looked so physically perfect as at this
moment when he Is despising her with
all his heart and soul.
"Oh, yes, know" the low voice Is
saying. You think me in the wrong.
And so | am. But not so wrong as you
believe me, George" She moves closer
to him. laying one delicate snowy hand
upon his arm. She might perhaps have
raised 1t to his shoulder but for a slight
stiffening Of his whole figure on his
part. There is something very live
aversion in it. as she does not fall TO
see. with an inward wrath that makes
no sign in the beautiful repentant eyes
uplifted to his.
."You are hurt with me, dearest, You
are disappointed with me. And-to my
anguish, George see you have every
cause, but" with an attempt at emotion
most admirably played and that yet
fails of its effect, you should remember
I am only a woman, dearest. very
nervous woman, and the thought, the
bare, first thought, that you had killed
some one, stunned my love for you,
stunned only, not killedit, George"
ct is very good of you" said Mere
dyth, calmly, ito come here and tell
me this. OF course / shall always be
glad to remember that you exonerated
me from all suspicion of my cousins
death-when the evidence was quite
clear"
His own calmness hardly so much
surprised him as his extraordinary in
difference to the pleadings OF this girl
whom only yesterday he had thought
he had wished to marry.
"Ah! What a tone" cries she vehe-
mently. yet unsteady. "Oh, George,
don't look at me like that. Only yes
terday you loved me, and now, now am
so different? I am the same, dearest,
as was then" Meredith, with a Bit
ter smile. acknowledges the truth or
this. You doubt it," She has quite
misunderstood the smile; but am. II
T distrusted you for few brief mo-
ments-if your cousins death Chinted
TO me as of your dOings) alienated my
thoughts. my affection for you, for the
time, still" Here she does rise both
her hands to his shoulders, drawing
herself very close to him-touching him
even with her small warm body. and
bringing her beautiful face so close TO
his that he could have kissed her by a
bare movement-"yOu can forgive me,
George. can you not? You can forgive
me"
mo" says Meredith.
He takes down her hands deliberate
". His face is very white and very
unloving.
"Ahw She draws back. Her hands
so quietly rejected are now hanging
straight by her side, clutching and un-
cluthching her pretty gown. Not yet,
perhaps" she says. still clinging madly
to last chance, though hope has died
out of her face "Wp have been very
dear TO each other, George, for four
months. You can't forget pas
sionately, defy you to forget that-and
in time you will forgive"
81 don't think So" Meredyth's voice
is not only cold but Indifferent; there
is in it even Though he had striyen
hard to suppress it, touch OF disgust
There is not a vestige Of regret in II.
All at once her face changes.
A flame lightens her eyes and a HOOD
of angry crimson dyes her cheeks.
so It is at an end between US, says
she. in low, quivering tone, replee
with hatred. You think me false; but
what are you? You would have me pc
lieye that my stupid mistake OF this
morning. when heard your cousin was
likely TO live, is your excuse now for
breaking your engagement with me.
Rut IL is not. You lie wheA you say
that TO Yourself or TO me. You nave
been false to me for long time IN your
beart-and | know who made you so.
Don't you think this discussion mas
gone far enough" says Meredith, a llt'
tie hurriedly.
"Ah,Lthat touches you, does it not?'