Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-09-24


better than do"
"And what if I will not?" she cried,
his insolence rousing her to anger as she
shook off his grasp.
because l say you WILL" he said
grimly "Lord, how can man prefer
little Mamie to such creature as you?
And yet l do. All your long. classic,
healthy, beautiful body doesn't weigh
down ono lock of Nannie's curly hair in
my estimation, and besides, you love
Will Cassilis, which shows there's more
than ono woman fool in the world
ut is Il liel' cried Hagar, looking
as if she could have killed him. He be-
longs to Mamie. He never looks ct an
other woman.
but Mamie does not yet belong to
him." he said, "must not, shall not.
The young man returns tomorrow. So
time is short, and bold blow must be
struck today
"Then strike it alone" said Hagar,
"for I will not help you" and was NOV
ing away, but he caught her roughly by
the sleeve and pulled her back.
Chow dare you:" she said in low,
intense whisper. "You would not dare
to speak to the humblest servant here US
you do to me, and why?"
because you have been my willing
jackal my DEAR he said, "and also be-
cause you made the blundcr in life that
no woman ever gets over. You fell III
love with the wrong man and persist IN
the blunder, and l dospise fool. But
you've got to bring dear Mamie, sweet
Mamie, into my arms, and then you and
your Will may 90 to Jericho or the
devil. It's all one to me. Now, then,
and he gave her little push toward the
door leading into the hall.
When he had fetched her parasol
with courtly air that she resented even
more than his rudeness, he stood watch
ing her as, uncertain where to go, she
turned hor steps toward IL bridge that at
little distance from the house spanned
the brawling river. She looked back at
Trelawny standing under the colonnade,
and he made rough gesture with both
hands as if he were pushing her on her
way, and she lOnged to shrek out her
rage at him, to give some outward sign
of the turbulence that filled her soul
Looking over the bridge with small
expectation Of success, scrap Of white
eye, and she leaned over to look. 1t was
Miss Mamie, sure enough, safely hidden,
as she supposed, ard Hagar for once
hated to be,ray her, as, lifting her arm,
the beckoncd to Trclawny and went
round by the bank to join her.
ooh" cried Mamie turning very
pale when Hagar appeared, "is he any
where about? thought Twas quite safe
herc!'
"Console yourself" said Hagar kind
ly "Willie comes tomorrow.
Dear Willie" said the girl softly, a
dear little girl herself in soft white
frock, infinitely prettier now than she
had been year ago. II suppose he II
arrive today and walk over tomorrow
before breakfast He couldn't be here
before 7, could hep said poor Mamie,
ntterly unaware Of the way her friend
was betraying her.
Hardly" said Hagar little I'M
steadily and with purely womanish
longing to burst out crying, tell Mamie
the truth and hit Trelawny as hard as
she possibly could when he appeared on
the scene.
"You don't think he'll have fallen
in love with any one else?' inquired
Mamie wistfully for the thousandth
time
"No"
Hagar was straining her ears for Ire
lawny's approaching steps. She could
hear the swish of the grass now. He
was close upon them.
81 don't think he could when love
| him so, )" said Mamie, with something
in her voice that might have brought
tears to even the eyes of tho man who
heard her, and made him set aside his
greedy selfish passion as cruel wrong
done to her innocent youth.
Good morning, Nannie,' he said,
and the girl started SO violently she al
most fell into the river, and her face
went white as snow.
Good morning." she said mechanic
ally, and tried to hide the little packet
in her lap, Willie's letters, we'll thumbed
over and shabby, but not one of them
written during the past year.
II think I'll 60 in" she said, and
Trelawny did not hinder her, only some
how when they got to the bridge she
found herself moving away from the
house instead Of toward it. But Hagar
was there, and presently her spirits re-
vived, and what had once been liking
for Trelawny as distinguished from love
asserted ITSELF while in the man, whose
voice changed to music when he spoke
to her, whose tenderness was OF that
rare order. only resulting from immense
strength Of mind and character, it was
difficult to recognize the we'll born ruff
fan who had issued his mandates to
Hagar an hour ago.
Familiarity with him had to certain
extent in Mamie bred contempt, though
probably she felt a secret pride in the
unbranded influence she exercised over
him. He angered her, however, with his
love declarations, which, rs she always
told him, went in at one ear and out at
the other, moving her not one whit.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself
when you know that I am engaged to
Willie" she said to him one day.
"And that is just what you are not, y
he said, with significant glance at her