The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-05-15

Nora q engaged TO Mr. pontlfox, has
been since Che end Of the season. and
they are % DO married IN the Ga.
tumni"
The place seemed 10 swim round
Jacks eyes, but with a firm resolve
not to DO beaten he set his teeth hard
and With absolute oomposuro surveyed
Nora as she returned 10 hor sisters
side.
'lS lhia truof he demanded. and
hia voice to himself sounded far away.
Is 1t true that you are now going 10
meet your afianced husband2" Nora
looked up startled into his white stern
face.
Ill" she faltered, but her voice
broke and she turned away.
"Thal is an answer sufficient, he
returned II fully indorso your
sisters sentiment, Miss Carew you
are a sad firtl"
With harsh laugh he turned away
as Nora, white and trembling, fol-
lowed Mrs. Hastings to the carriage,
leaving him standing alone, desolate
amidst the wealth Of flowers and sweet
scents, a bitter, broken hearted man.
81 have come for my answer, No,a2"
said Mr.. Pontifex in his calm, meas.
ured voice
Something in his assured confidence
made the girl flush with sudden
anger.
by what right do you call me by
my namo?" she asked passionately,
and as Ger eyes dwell on his compla-
cent, undressing face, the girl tells
herself she hates him.
'By what right? Ny dear Nora,
surely your future husband may"
He ends abruptly, for Nora's eyes are
flashing with unconeealed rage.
''My future husbandp she ex-
claimed "Neverl By what right
have you followed me about, tortured
me so the last few months, 1 never
liked you, never said would marry
you. How dare you try to imply that
you were ever treated by me with
more than ordinary civility."
"Your sister" -- he says but with
more uneasiness in his assured tones.
'AIy sister is not me, Mr.. Pontifex.
She apparently thinks she can dispose
of me as she chooses. I claim the
right to choose for myself in the most
important, hottest act of woman's
life. Mr.. Pontifex I have chosen, and
may I ask you to be generous enough
to in future, when we meet, abstain
from remarks save those of ordinary
civility?"
With a bow young empress might
have given, Nora swept from the room.
She felt choked, suffocating with
conflicting emotions.
"Oh, for some airl" she cried.
And, catching up her hat, she ran
from the house, down the garden to
the downs beyond, where she paused,
exhausted by large clump Of trees.
As she raised her head at sudden
rustling, a man came quickly from
within the thicket, and Nora con-
fronted Jack Dalton. Haggard, white,
unshayen he looked, aged by many
years from the handsome Jack Dalton
of the night before.
He raised his hat mechanically, and
was passing on, but Nora spoke:-
"Mr. Dalton, she said, in trem.
bling voice, which, low as it was,
reached Jacks ears.
He raised his eyebrows slightly.
81 am at your service, Miss Carew =
he said, icily.
Nora looked nervously at him.
Would be not help her? No; he was
gazing before him with a blank, sci
expression.
I'll don't know how to say it, F"
Nora broke out impetuously, "but |
heard you we're going away today, and
oh, Jack, don't look away from me
listen to me frstl III was never
engaged to him. I never even liked
him, but Gladyz wanted me to marry
him-and / cared for no one else.
And one day before we came here
when he had wearied me out, I said