The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-02

been sometimes lacking In discretion.
a "A jewel of gold i'm n swines snout.
so is a fair woman without discretion"
quoted Teddy.
She is older now" pursued his aunt.
And knows he observed, that a girls
reputation can only be preserved by the
utmost caution. and a married Woman's
only lost through the utmost folly. I'm
engaged for this dance and he moved
nonchalantly across the room
About a fortnight later Miss Fairfax en-
tered her mother boudolr at ~ O'Clock
one morning and found her absorbed in
the contemplation of sundry dishes which
would have tempted the most rigorous abb
stainer from breakfast.
Lad Mary had Il most rooted objection
to meeting any of her relations before
What do you want. Dorothy?' she said
CURLY.
Miss Fairfax sat down ny the table and
dress or white muslin. with soft ruth hes Of
lace. and som pink fosebu1s fastened
Il shan't keep you long, she remarked.
Il only wanted TO tell y3u tdat Lord
Avoncourt proposed to me last night"
"Oh, is that alp
She was relieved TO find that the ma
tutinal visit did not mean on this occasion
a request for checks. Experientia docet.
Il accepted him. sail Dorothy.
Then i hope he is well off. Most peers
are so wretchedly poor in these days"
My dear mother. 1 naturally haven't in
quired into the extent of his income. L be-
lieve he has a house in town and one in
the country and a place in Scotland
Her mOlEeT looked at ner, ana observed
that she was as beautiful as people said
she was. She also failed % discern the
faiptest trace of enthusiasm in her coun-
Ask him to lunch.' she said. and waved
her hand in a manner that enthusiastically
conveyed n dismissal.
Dorothy left the room. and she -eIurned
tite.
wanted Dorothy to drive or walk in the
park afterward. but she declined. She had
something. important 10 do. Her tiance
was not best pleased that at this early
urlIted INTO a place of secondary impor-
He had fallen suddenly and desperately
In love with this beautiful girl with the
calm, statuesque features. and the je ne
sans quoi suggestive of experience in her
She was rather too independent, he
thought. as he saw her drive away alone
I'm a hanson, but she was dressed so plain
~ in black, with a close-itting black hat
and veil. that he concluded that she had
gone on some charitable mission, perhaps
to visit the sick in the East End. He had
riage.
Miss Fairfax drove IN the direction of
South k~ensington. At the Museum she
stopped, paid her fare and entered the
building: She then proceeded to the pic
ture gallery, where a solitary fgure-that
He came forward and bowed to- her.
,Ihis is the most public place of ALL
odiu MISS dlTldX, ana Il Wish 10 speak to
you In private. You know this place better
than do-take me TO a more private part"
Her voice was cold and restrained. He
led the way downstairs TO n more secluded
part. Till then he had hardly vouchsafed
her a single glance, now he looked at her
intently. The black dress made her slight
form look even simmer, the only color
about her was the warm richness of her
gold hair. There was an unexpected child
ish aspect In her white face.
"We1l," he said harshly, yet wondering at
nimsef Tor his harshness. Il suppose you
have come TO tell me? l nave heard il al
His face betrayed a certain logged pas
sion which brutally wounded, refused to ex-
plre. She. in an innocence of which he had
been powerless to rob her, had never I'M
d~erstood the full significance of this mans
love. She only knew 1T had nothing in COM
her GIRL friends dames Sybeen nonycrs OIL
tiCns had been repeated to her.
You knew" she said. rather .helplessly.
that 1t was a question of time"
1.-The greater than las / prophesied,"
he said.
Don't" she said. breathing hard.
sight of him now was positively loathsome
TO her. 1t was the first time she had
spoken to him since the day when it sud-
denly became patent to her that she had
narrowly escaped being made the victim of
a deliberate plot. Even as ii was. he had
Informed her that one word from him could
destroy her fair name forever. Joined to
| her hatred of the man was the knowledge
that he had a certain. power to make or
iAidi III luluit. III WOIlu IL HO leIllcnJ
in it's Judgment of women. and those few
penciled words of hers, innocently writ
ten. might be difficult to explain away
should they ever fall into the hands of any
one.
Mr.. lie Marchant." she said. II want
you to give me something. That is why I
He was silent.
| My letter." she said: there was a let
ter-gfve it back to me-"
His face was set i'm firm, rigid lines.
A sick sensation of fear passed through
Il will never give It up while live" said
LIE Marchant. so help me God,'
Dorothy fell down at his feet.
on, she cried. you can't be so cruel!
You can't Keep it-any day 1t might conn
to light"
Listen" he said. Il am going to keep
were ever free-now. it seems. YOU are 60
ing TO drag a third person into the i'm
broglio: Avoncourt-well. / suppose he is
Ike other men. and prefers a wife with a
blameiess future. if possible, rather than
one with even the suggestion Of a past"
The letter" she moaned.
He thought she resembled a picture he
had once seen Of Guinevere.
II will never part with it," he repeated,
The girl arose from her knees. spent with
emotion. her hair disheveled. her face tear
stained. Avoncourt had admired her for her
speech. her reserve. These subtleties were
swept away. by a consuming wave of pas
sion and pain.
There was no more to be said.
How well ! understand you now she
remarked: and. pulling her veil down over
her face. Miss Fairfax walked AWAY. She
held her chin, II possible. a little higher
than before.
He felt rather like dirt beneath that part
ing glance. and wondered If. after ali, he
had had the best of 1t.
ITO think Avoncourt should have herr
he said.
Then he drew out of his pocket a square
leather case. clumsy, but strong. and from
thence produced an envelope. 1t was get
ting yellow with age. and rather dilapidat-
ed. but still bore intact the crest of the
Fairfax family-a lion PEASANT. with the
motto "Fcrtfter ct recte' beneath. That en-
velope. with its contents. was the only proof
or sign left of the irdiscretion of Dorothy
Fairfax.
Miss Fairfax's wedding took place in the
was a very quiet affair. only immediate
relations or intimate friends being invited.
After a short tour abroad. Lord and Lady
Avoncourt went TO Greylands. their coun-
try seat. for the shooting season. Lord
Avoncourt had retired from the diplomatic
service just before his marriage.
Dorothy was sitting alone one December
evening waiting for her husbands return.
He had been out shooting all day. She was
not exactly lonely. but the country was be-
ginning TO bore her.
He came in about D o'clock. with a couple
of dogs at his heels. All three were very
muddy.
Have some tear said Dorothy.
Please"
He sat down and held his hands to the
blaze. BY the way" he went on. "who do
you think was shooting with old Carlton
to-day?"
II am sure / don't know" said his wife.
10 III ~ vi. II -