Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-10-23

And she LEI them:
We were lef, practically alone
Are YOU engaged TO any man for sup
PERI / asked Miss WinGram.
Yes she piled. | believed that !
detected a mourniul tone. If had not
detected that note l would have lef, her
side.
Il am engaged 70 some woman. Let
US SO to some place together, said I.
The r6asonableness Of the suggestion
that is, the mOdicum of that reasona-
bieness-seemed 10 strike her.
We reached one of the conservatorfe1
Wi,hou, having to tell a single lie. but
that was probably because we met no one
enrou,e; everyone was at supper.
stesr5d her to a seat under a palm. The
light was very dim. A foun ain flashed
under the electric light in The distance.
TEL me ALL said.
mat was how | commenced. I saw
that she w very pale and I had felt
her hand trembling as it rested on nv
sleeve minute before. l perceived that
she fancied l had led her hither 10 Tell
her something. and I was anxious to re-
assure her. Ii was / who wanted TO he
told something.
"All?" said she.
All" said 1.
TWAS mamma" said she. quite meek
ly. - -
Il guessed as much. And that is aIl?'
"Isn'' i, enough? You're a man. You
know her"
~Sae is one of my dearest friends
now"
"Ah-now."
Now. l said now. But a year ago
and MONTH";"
And month. If you had not re-
membered the exact date | should rro-
baby be at supper just now. And =
year and month ago she was nv one
enemy. She knew that 7 loved YOU
yes. year and a month ago I loved Won
IN sort o. Way-n0t the wav do now
anc she knew that You loved me-in \
SORT or a way. She commanded Won y
keep me at a distance. Your mother is
not a woman Of genius. but on occasions
she can be quite as disagreeable as
though she were. She prefers. however.
being disagreeable by deputy. You were
her deputy year and a month"
Miss Windram got up from beside me
and took a few steps TO the side of The
conservatory, up which q splendid rose
was ciambering. She had her eyes fixed
on a spray. Il would have been out Of
reach Of most girls, but she was very tall
and she managed to break it off the par
emf stem.
The liSht shOne upon the white flesh Of
her round arms. Surely no living wo-
man had such lovely arms.
She returned 10 her seat.
"Well?" she said.
"Yhen my poor uncle"
Poor she gave a laugh.
MY poor rich uncle died. leaving his
money 10 NE, and your mother told YOU
that You were to draw me on. I could
swear that those were her exact words.
Did YOU pluck those roses only to tear
off those pe,als?"
One rose lay wrecked at her feet. The
other dropped from her hand and lay
completely among the crimson flakes.
She put her hands before her face.
But instead of drawing me on you
pcrsiSJently avoided me. and. in fact. did
everything that was in your power TO
make me believe that You were sincere
when YOU told me. at the command of
your mother that You had never heard
anything more ridiculous than my sug-
ges.ion that we should love each other
and that you hoped I would not think IL
necessary to repeat anything so obsurd
You have failed in your aim, ROsamund
You did not make me believe in your sim
cerety. Was 1 right?'
am certain she gave sob, but she
did not take her hands down from her
face.
Look at your feet" I said suddenly
She was startled. and I glanced down
quickly. GIer gloves, I perceived. were
ruined. Look at your feet. Which is
to he nv future-0ur future-our future
Rosamund? Which? The wrecked
rose or The Other?'
She picked up the complete rose and
handed il 10 me-
7 kissed it and then fastened it as vel
as I could in the front of her dress. The
crimson petals lay upon her shell-pinl
hesh-it was she'll pink now where it haC
been white before.
And then
Then a man came up and said that W.
would DO well to hurry INTO the supper
room If we wanted a bite of anything.
/ wanted something, but it was no
supper.