Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-04-04


| sent an odd stab through his big frame
! He got up and went 10 the window
This being So she went on cheerfuiiy'
! YOU see how much. how very mulch owe
YOU. who saved my hand to me TO stitch
and seam and gather pence MT frere
thank-I do thank you"
He shrugged his shoulders irritably. II
was nothing.
Well. nothing if you will. That is your
point Of view. IL isn't mine
He stood stil, staring at the yellow SKY
and the bare. far moors.
Miss Marjoram. do you believe in mar
| riage between people Of similar tastes?
he presently asked. abruptly. Do you
think. for instance. that an artist would
be happy with al artist-a literary man
with a literary woman
Most probably not, she said shortly.
They were silent for n time; then she re-
sumed in a different tone: Il have been
quite happy here alone out of the beaten
track. l wonder-I wonder how your holi-
day has agreed with YOU? A little pause
in an adventurous life-a full stop between
two sentences-is that it?"
Yes" he said carelessly, "a parenthesis
"a pleasant parenthesis."
He didn't know it would be his last word
with her at Brescoe. When he rode up a
few days later he found Miss Marjoram
lad gone She had been sent for suddenly
abroad Mrs. Greenfield said. The tele-
gram was lying on the table. lie picked It
up mechanically.
It was addressed to the Honorable Mary
Marjoram by Lady Joanna Plerpont, al
Bordighera, and said merely, Come at
once"
-, seems" remarked the !andiady,
standing b., chat she was quite great
lady-a writer and rich. with my Lady
Joanna Pierpont for aunt. and all sorts
Of fine connections But she had disag eed
with them The old lady wanted her 10
stay at home and do nothing. and Miss
Marioram wanted to 60 out and do a
great deah She told me she got tired OF
sitting on a cushion and sewing fine
seam. Well. it's everyone to their taste.
And. whatever hers were. she was the
pleasaE, spoken young lady ever came
across
Worsley Frere rode home slowly. and,
goirg. found himself face 10 face with
problem. A great blank had suddenly en-
tered into his lie. and he was trying to
argue il away. He labored for a night
and day, and then he told Mrs. John
Frere that he was going TO take run
TO the continent preparatory to his voyage
TO Africa.
II was Just a week later that he came
across a slight figure leaning-in brief
absence from a sick room-toward the
sleeping Mediterranean. The palms and
villas Of BOrdghera were around; behind.
steerly and sharply, rose the picturesque
buildings Of the old town, the cathedral
dominating them.
he was a man of prompt measures, and,
having examined his heart. knew ii.
w lat made Won do it?' he asked quietly.
sitting down beside her and displacing an
armful of roses she had laid along the
seat.
She turned. and quick, unbdden glow
spraag into her eyes.
4 love of the unconventional she said
lightly; the same reason that made me
shy against poor Aunt .ioauna's socia'
routine and turn journalist. l came 10
Brescoe to contribute column on its cot
tage hospital. and l met-yet. il must have
been there l met you. l woNer, shall We
meet again. for l must go to my inva ID
now. She is very i'll. Goodbye"
Her casual manner angered him.
This is ridiculously inadequate to the
occasion, he said firmly. getting up and
standing so that she could not pass him.
I'VE meet after ten dayS-days that have
meant much to me-and you wonder flip
PANTY whether We shall see each other
| again"
yes" she acqulsced.. with her eyes un-
hinchingly on him. Her hands were trem-
bling, though.
Don't you know that 1 have Travelled
two days TO see you to ask an explanation
which our frequent intercourse and your
whim justify"
"Whim" she said, coldly; Ito you, at
least. 1 am not called on 10 explain my
actions. The time was mere breathing
space-a hull. l couldn't help the accident
any more than could help being indebted
to YOU"
He folded his arms, looking at her. but
her eyes were on the curve of the bay that
held the silent sea.
You could help the deception. Why
should you have pretended to be what
you were not?"
She faced round on him suddenly.
Because" she said fiercely because I
happen to be one of those unlucky women
who can't find their whole content in
nursing a poodle, writing twenty letters
"a morning. riding out once q day. and
being fawned on for their expectations
: got away from it all-for year. 1t was
Aunt Joannss arrangement, though We
quarrelled over it, And ! went in for
writing. But l don't see why, having
taken up my anonymity. ! should drop it
again. l was Miss Marjoram simply-a
woman with q calling when l left Aunt
Joanna. Why should l be anything more
to you, Of whom 1 knew so little?'
we met under exceptional circum-
stances. Our Intercourse
She interrupted him. Our intercourse
What was il? \ parenthess--a pleasant
parenthesis in two busy lives. 1t was
passed. And the sentence goes on as if
it had never been. 1t was our own
phrase"
My own phrcse!' he echoed. perhaps
so-a week ago. Women haven't the
monopoly Of changing their minds. 1 have
changed mine That month is sentence
chapter, book itself to me-
She moved from him. fear in her eyes.
You are testing. Mr.. Frere," she said,
under her breath. 1T is poor revenge"
Revenge" he said. in his deep. vibrant
tones. You are hard to melt still harder
to WOO, Cannot you tell Mary-cannot
you tell l am in earnest"
over the sea the darkness was stealing:
the sibilant Groom Of the waves came up to
their cars from below. But still Mary
Marjoram looked over its placid breast
ard was silent. To their right the faint