The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-01-04

feelings, Capt Rowe" I added signin-
eantly. NO; do not come near me.
You are cruel-cruelir
Ny resolution WINS fast oozing away
81 felt it slipping from me-and 81
Dick still continued to advance ! adopt
ed the most strategical move I could
think OIL ran out of the room. Up
stairs l sped to my bedroom, locking
myself in and pouring out my misery
in bitter sobs.
When mother came to look for me ]
told her I did not feel well-thst my
head ached badly. 1 could not bring
myself to tell her the CHASTITY truth
just yet She had, I knew, set Ter mind
on the drive TO Barstone cliffs, which
had been arranged for the morrow's
afternoon, and 1 did not see why my
troubles should deprive her Of the an
ticipated pleasure. Time enough to in
form her of my discovery on her re-
turn. We could leave Norfolk on the
following day. Yes, that would be
best.
Dick sent up a dozen times in the
course of the evening to know how l
was, but beyond a laconic NO better"
he got meager intelligence. Twice he
had the hardihood t o come upstairs
himself, tap-tapping at the door and
breathing my name through the key
hole. But to these oyertures, of course.
[ made no reply.
l do not think / am naturally of a
.indictiye disposition, but I believe
there is some shred of wisdom in the
theory that those whom you have loved
the best,when once you have seen cause
to detest them, you end by hating the
most. So, at least, it seemed to me
with regard to Dick. He had deceived
me; why should I not give him tit for
tat-why should I not also play the
double game? Moreover, circum-
stances invited me to the attempt. Less
than a week ago l had received a COM
m~unication from Freddie Walcott,
dated from Venice, in which he had
virtually made me an offer of marriage.
@NO" EACadAC- HICdSc6iUs tlt1CIOuS duu
wealthy-had known me almost all my
life, but as he had spent the last six
months upon the continent he had not
as yet heard of my recent engagement
to Capt. Rowe. In my supplemented
ness l had already shown this letter to
Dick, and both he and 1 had laughed
hugely owe it. But now l thought
better of it. l began to suspect / had
behaved rather shabbily toward Fred
die. His constancy, at all events, mer-
tied due recognition.
All hat night, my conscience grow
ing hard, L pondered over my plan.
Next morning 1 still pleaded my head
ache as an excuse for not appearing at
breakfast and lunch. Nor had I any
appetite for the food sent up to me.
Mothers anxiety induced her tc de
clare that she would forego the excur-
sion 10 the cliffs, and it required all my
persuasion to convince her that it was
unnecessary-that I would soon be well
again, and all / needed was rest and
quiet
An hour later / heard the rumble OF
the carriages as they passed down the
yew-fringed drive to the high road. Tx
cept for the servants, 1 was aIonej in the
house. Now was my opportunity. I
went straight to the morning-room,
took up a sheet of note paper, drew pen
and ink toward me and wrote deliber-
ately this:
NJ DEAREST FREDDIE: / can never
forgive myself IL you have formed the
opinion that / am negiecting you. Really,
/ think quite frequently of you. II I have
not hitherto shown the sympathy 1 feel,
0 must take my word for Il that there
are difficulties in the way which may rot
be apparent to you However, / intend 20
make amends from this day forth. We
will at once resume our friendship, il it
please you, and the ofteaer we see zach
other in the future the more shall be
gratihed. But / must warn you before
hand to beware of the ogre, When we are
in the company of others 1 shall expect
YOU to be OIL our hest behavior-none of
the rapture and endearments with which
in the old reckless days you were wont to
harasS JENNIE"
In the midst of my writing mothers
spaniel came into the room, but as the
SClSiOlC ltJb1C altludk saw Il WAS pItOC-
cupied he simply leaped into my lap
and curled himself up there good as
gold, until / had finished my scrawl.
Then / looked down at him. Immedi-
ately / sprang to my feet with a cry of
dlsmay. Evidently the dear pet had
broken bounds again; of a surety he
had been in the fishpond too. His coat
was still wet and plastered thick with
mud. And my dress-my dress, was
i~rretrievably ruined.
While / stood thus in CONSERVATION
the sound of approaching footsteps
struck upon my ears. L would never do
~ be seen in such a plight; / must
change my dress at once. For that pur-
pose | darted upstairs to my bedroom,
fargettihg. in my and trepidation,
all about the letter. to Freddie which
Jay exposed to the prying gaze of any
one who CHANGED to enter the room.
Presently a hurried tread echoed
along the corridor; it stopped outside
my door. Dick-who 1 afterward found
rad not gone with the coaching party |
at all-Dick called to me in a loud inn
perious voice:
.Yennie-Jennie, 1 say!"