The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-21

She, too, stood up. The moment had
come. The woman's heart stood still for
moment that was agony. Two lives
happiness or misery hung on her courI
ago or failure.
"Well, I suppose your time is valua-
ble?' she said, turning to him, but her
eyes did not fully meet his. "By, the
bye, Mr.. Errington, believe-if I am
congratulate you'll
Congratulate mel' repeated the art
list i'll genuine surprise. "For what?
On what account?' 4
His surprise and, oddly enough, the
very comedy of the position gave her
new courage. "Why, heard that you
are engaged to an heiress," she said. /
The Rubicon was crossed There was
no going back now, como what would.
Errington flushed to the brow, then
paled again
1t is absolutely untrue" he said in
strained way and drew back q step.
1t never could be true of mel''
But why not?" persisted Isbel, now
standing to her colors with true femi-
nine stanchness, her eyes aglow, her
i, III,
are attached to her, why should your
engagement be an impossibility, as you
imply?" +
Had some one-Glyn perhaps-dared
to tell her this meaning herself, but
without naming her, flashed across Eric,
i'll naughty wrath and pain.
"Why impossiblcP" he repeated, stung
to u sort Of desperation because am
poor, struggling man who holds his
honor dearer even than love, if tho
story were true. Neither the world nor
any woman born should have the right
to believe mo dishonored fortune
hunter.
"Tho worlds Judgment" sho said,
and now her breath came quickly, her
eyes flashed like diamonds. "You are
not such Il coward, know, as to fear
that. But is it much less cowardly to be
afraid of even the risk of tho woman's
mistaking your motive-tho woman you
love, remember?'' Sho was speaking
with strangely passionate if suppress
ed force that sent IL sudden vague thrill
through the mana dim sense of some
thing that dazzled him, of personali-
ty beneath the overt meaning, an as
sertion of his love for the heiress as q
fact, not mere figure of argument.
Tho woman you love, remember, and
whose happiness perhaps your pride
may wreck us we'll as your own, who
doubtless knows your hearts secret and
curses the miserable gold and cruel pride
that stands between your lives"
Isbel!' Errington sprang to her side,
t,t No, l..
darling, my love from tho firstl For
give, if you can, worse than fool that I
have been. All, my poor Isbel!'
For the girl burst into tears as he
locked her to his heart. The tension
must needs give way at last, brave girl
though she was.
ooh, why were you so cruel? Why
did you force me TOTO Oh, Eric''
My darling, forgive mel Because
loved SO much feared your scornful
refusal. Why should You think me diff
ferent from other wooers? And I never
dreamed Of this happiness, dearest" he
said passionately Zone word-tell me
you forgive your lover
Eric, 1 love you," she whispered
and lifted her face for his kiss.
What matter if some of the world did
say, when the marriage did take place,
that it was the money the painter had
sought? He cared not, and those who
knew him and his wife knew well it
was love match entirely. The picture
not mere portrait-of beautiful Mrs.
Errington, when seen the next May at
the academy, made sensation and sent
up the rising artists name at once.
so, after all, you see, Eric his
wife says, arch and tender in tone, "you
will win the best i'll the end, fortune
and fame
And the priceless treasure that
neither gold nor fame could buy" he
answers, smiling down on the dear face,
my wife. FOLKS at Home
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