The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-04-10

hhd When sue turned more we're teafH
Ia her eyes.
'ffoa already horeY" be exclaimed,
broezily. "What q capital manager
Mrs. Long isl win you pour out, Miss
Wostenhanger2"
81 still possess a Christian name,
she remarked, as she oboyed.
''You haven't discarded everything,
thenY'
Mr.. Robert Mopstod made a mental
note Of the score. Sarcasm number
one.
II wanted particularly 10 SOC you"
she said. She lifted her cup, bat her
hand trembled, and she replaced IL on
the table whore Il was safe. "pm
afraid that ] was very stupid and un-
reasonable when we met last. "
81 don't like to contradict you, he
said.
"And well, I want TO apologize,
Robert. In a general way, I can bear
my mother pretty well, but on that
day she had boon moro than usually
trying"
II don't think we need say any more
about it, Mary"
''Do you really mean that2" she
asked, quickly.
81 mean that we need not trouble
to rake up old grievances. 1t is O
species Of gardening that / don't care
for. All that we need do now is to
SEQ that we remain good friends for
the future"
and nothing more than friends2"
''What more could wo be?"
"Well," said Mary Westenhanger,
crumbling the cake unnecessarily, and
makingof it a carefully-built pyramid,
''you said once--you would be my
husband"
"Aud you said once that I should
not"
"only once" she remarked, ner-
vously.
"The number is small, but sui-
icient." Robert Mepsted felt quite a
glow Of admiration at his unbending
sternness. he was behaving with
much more courage than he had
credited himself with. ''The fact of
it is, Mary, life in the Albany, with
pleasant rooms and plenty of work, is
rather enjoyable. One has no cares,
no trammels, and"
"And no companion"
"The fact" said Robert Mepsted,
with an effort, sis the comble de
ioie."
She rose from the table and walked
again to the portrait.
"She was the kindest friend I ever
had, said Mary Westenhanger. "HoW
good this is of her2"
"My mother" said Robert Mepsted,
rising and standing beside her, ''was
always good. She was the only per-
son that knew of our engagement"
81 am glad that nobody else knew
We have been saved the congratula-
tions of our friends. And I want to
ask you something, Robert Thereeis
no necessity for anybody ever to know,
is there?"
ono necessity at all, dear. would
rather keep it as q pleasant secret, to
remember all my life. They were the
brightest of days, those, and 1 shall
never, never forget them"
cit is worth coming here" she said
impulsively, 'to hear you say so. !
should not have called if l had be-
lieved that. And 1 thought that
perhaps there might be more such
days in the future"
''The stock Is exhausted" said Mr..
Mepsted, decidedly.
She took very slowly q ring from
her finger. 1t was little reluctant
to move, being a ring that studied up.
pearance and liked an effective back.
ground.
81 did not send this back" said
Mary Westenhanger, ''because 1 did
not like to give it up. But I believe
that it is usual in these situations tc
do So.
~ have had little experience, he
said, "but if that is the rule let us
make an exception. 1 would rather
you kept it. 1t will be something tC
remind you of me when-when we are
older"
Mrs. Long, looking in to see if any
thing was wanted, noted with some
disturbance that the two young PEG
pie were standing rather closely to
gether. Mrs. Long coughed the cough
of warning and withdrew with al
apology.
''Will Lady Westenhanger be mpcl
longerP" said Mepsted, anxiously. H,
felt that his reserve of sternness wa
giving out, and to listen to her guie
voice and to watch her eyes for man,
/ moments longer would be fatal.
/ "Mamma usually has a good deal e.
say to shopkeepers, but she will b
+ back directly"
"And then we shall say good. b,
again. suppose2"
/