The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-02


here, II there Ia a season, Is almost over"
Jack glanced ct his brother before re-
| plying, and 10 was Dick then who an
swered for him, airily remarkiDg that an
hours stay ought 10 be sufficient, II 1t was
business that had brought him there.
Nellie looked from one to the other, and
wondered at the uneasy expression on
the face Of her flance--wondered still more
why she had ever thought him good look
Ing.
Whatever the nature Of Jack Vereker's
business at Rostrevor, II was not finished
quite as soon as Dick appeared to think 1t
would be, for two weeks passed and he
was still at the quiet seaside resort. Mrs.
Joyce was hospitality itself, constantly
inviting the two brothers to luncheon and
dinner at the little hotel where she had
put up, but Jack seldom made his appear
ance.
Il was evident to Nellie that 1t was she
whom he avoided, and considering her
hatred Of him, II was strange how indig-
nant she was at the thought.
His eyes haunted her continually; she
found herself perpetually longing to bring
that look to his face that 1t had worn
when she told him he was to forget"
and then she was always comparing him,
unconsciously, with his brother, q COM
parison in which, strange to relate, 1t was
her fance that suffered.
"Jack is coming up tonight to say good
by" remarked Dick one evening at din
ner, and Nellie was certain there was re-
lief on his face, but she allowed her grand
mother to suy the necessary polite things,
and only longed for the meal to be over.
aSio far oh foId haroalf fp
climb to Rostreyor stone In the gathering
darkness than to meet the gaze Of those
gray eyes, easier the stiffest ascent than to
utter formal goodby to the man who had
shown her her own heartl
She was engaged to Dick, and Dick was
grannie's fayorite, and the Joyces never
broke faith--but she must be away when
Jack came tonight.
Rostrevor stone Is more easily climbed
in broad daylight than In the dusk Of
late autumn evening, and presently Nellie,
whose thoughts were far distant, found
herself embracing Mother Earth.
Her fall, coming so Unexpectedly, to-
gether with the intense loneliness Of the
scene, caused her to close her eyes for q
moment, and then-then a most wonder
full thing happened. Strong arms were
suddenly placed round her, her auburn
head was pillowed on broad chest, and {
in a tone Of ineffable tenderness a voice
whispered In her ear three little words
but three words which made all the world
seem gloriAed.
"My little girl" 1t was all no said, but
Nellie lay still with closed eyes, wondering
could heaven hold greater rapture than
this.
Jack" the violet eyes opened, and re-
minded him Of his treachery to his brother,
and the next moment the two stood facing
each other in the dusk, and an anguished
cry burst from him.
"God forgive mel never meant you to
know" looking into the sweet young face
which now reflected his own misery, "but
am going away, and forgot myself"
'It was not your fault :" she murmured,
while despite the pain Of the awakening
there thrilled through her the exquisite
delight of loving and being loved, "but
take me homo now to grannie, and do as
/ shall try to do-forget."
at Is the second time you have told me
to do so-then as now, am the wrong
man--it is the fate in the life of some"
"Life itself Is wrong, I think" she
cried, struggling for moment against
temptation to BIO true to her heart at all
COSTS "but there-let us go home, l am
tired"
"Have you heard the latestp" exclaimed
one gossip to another six months later.
"You know the firm of Vereker e. Go.
Well, 1t turns out that one of the nephews
Of the head of the firm-Dick Voreker-
has been for months defrauding his uncle
and trying to put 1t all down to his brother
Jacks account taking advantage of the
likeness between them. The fellow was
engaged to pretty heiress in Ireland, and
thought to have got her before anything |
was found out, but the bomb has burst
and everything Is known"
"And the girl heartbroken, of coursef"
"By no means, for this morning her |
marriage is in the paper. She has con-
soled herself with the brother"
"Just the way of women all the world |
over" Is tho sententious remark Of the |
man about town, but under clear, starry |
sky on the veranda of foreign hotel o
violet eyed girl Is murmuring to her hus-
band, as he bends fondly over her slight
form, mot the wrong man this time,
Jack, thank God. Daughter.