The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-10-13

right had Harold Westcott to such un-
approachable loveliness2 Yet it was his,
and he had stolen away like coward.
leaving me to meet the penalty of some
wrongdoing that would not bear the
light Of day.
Would it not DO righteous punishment
If / should wrest this gem, this diamond,
this prize, from him? Had he not basely
deserted his post Of duty? Would he
dare to return before the lapse Of year,
by which time he would be safe from
the punishment for his wrongdoingp
But when the truth should become
known in all its fullness, how this wo-
man would recoil from mel She would
loathe mo beyond the power Of words to
express.
But why bother with all this? Stuff
cient for the day is the good or the evil
thereof. was in her presence. She be-
lieved she was mine. was reveling in
bliss. Why, therefore, let any ghost in
trude upon the feast?
"Have you decided where you will
= spend the summer" was my silly ques-
ton.
''No place suits mother like Newport.
suppose we shall go there as soon as
the warm weather comes, and of course
you will not be much behind u.s.
'Of course not"
1.-THE season promises to be gay one,
and we shall all enjoy ourselves almost
as much as we did before poor fathers
DEATH"
And she sighed at the remembrance
Of her grief. F
When turned my face away from
the one at my side, conscience made it.
self heard. ! despised myself for my
weakness and yet when met the light
Of those midnight eyes was helpless.
content to drift along the witching tide.
with the ravishing music in my ears
and beguiling my senses. .s,.
My arm stole gently around the will
lowy waist, and, scoundrel that was,
forgot the dishonor of my position in
the happiness Of the present.
What would be the feelings Of Harold
Westoott could he look upon US at that
moment? Would he not leap into the
sea from very shame and grief2 Not be-
cause of Jeanette, for she was blameless
in her trusting love, but because of the
unspeakable baseness Of the man whom
he had taken out Of the gutter, as may
be said, and given taste of comfort and
luxury. 80. !
But, thank heaven, though the prick
ings Of conscience may be dulled, they
are still felt and, if resisted, become
burning bolts pressed remorselessly into
the quivering flesh.
While my lips were parted with the
utterances of VOWS Of love which should
have blistered them, tho words were
checked I gently put the young woman
from me.
1t was done so gently indeed that she
saw no meaning in it, but was smiling,
radiant and as trustful as ever.
looked at her, but did not know
how to frame the awful avowal, was
tempted to blurt it out in the fewest
words possible, but shrank from the re-
suit. It could not be that she was wholly
recovered from the shock Of few days
before, though she thought so, and my
revelation might be fatal to her exqui-
sitely sensitive nature
"You startled me-" she said.
Howe T |
by the expression on your face.
You looked as if you were going to say
something fearful, something that
would take my life from me-"
What a delightful puzzle you are,
Jeanette Do You think You would be
alarmed OF anything could say?"
II hardly think SO, and yet I do not
know" ,- g,...l. ,.,...s. .. -
Something Whispered that heaven had
made this opening. If I let it pass un-
improved, it would never return. was
afraid to delay. .s"@ = !
my dear Jeanette. I have something
very serious to say to you." ,4 --.--.i