The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-05-12

tericll laugh. IL IL true. but b'lillElth
naturally did not understand it. 81 am
not going to marry Mr. Randolph" said
the prima donna. with II hcartbrolsen
sense of humor
"And you will not tell mo what your
relations are with him?"
"No; they are very peculiar relations"
she replied lightly, for she was getting
desperate. "You must thinl; what you
please--think the worst you can. 1t
makes no difference. will tell you
tothing"
Bellingham gazcd at her fixedly. II
cannot believe that you arc a wicked
woman" he exclaimed ut length II
done know how 70 believe IT, Why did
you deceive me? was ready to take ii
for granted that you wcrc-like other
women on the stage. But YOU made me
believe you We're pure and innocent No
woman ever acted innocence before as
yoN have done it. You look like inno-
cence incarnate ut this moment--at the
actual moment you are admitting. What
is it YOU want? | would have asked YOU
to marry meas soon as had persuaded
myself you loved me. Iloved you with
all my heart and soul. Did yon merely
intend to lead me ON, and then refuse
me, like common tlirt? Or would you
have married me and still kept up your
relations with-well, can't talk about
1t! There is always some motive even
in the lightest wickedness, but | can see
none in yours-and yours is not lightr'
Mile. Mariana WAS standing erect
twisting her lace handkerchief between
her hands, her face pale, her eyes wide
open, fearless, full of restless light. She
never looked at him. 1t seemed physi-
'cally impossible for her to do so.
81 have never been spoken to like
this" she said, in faint, painting voice.
"Will you leave me, please? Will you
leave me?"
Bellingham moved to depart. but he
stopped and turned back.
II have always meant never to be un.
just to any human being" said he. at
is possible that the very love | felt for
you may have made me unjust to you.
If you can tell Inc that there is nothing
disgraceful in this secret df yours-tell
me, for Gods sake! Are yuu what You
seem or something ,else?''
Il am not what sseem!" she cried ont
7 passionatelv; and now she looked at him
: with blaze of esrceness in her eyes.
"You have doubted me, and that is
enough, win never explain-I will
never forgive yon! If you ure man do
mot stand there; go'out"
Bellingham was shaken to the bottom
,of his sonl. The vaice and manner with
which her every word was uttered
seemed to contradict the purport of the
words themselves. Even yet he could
mot but believe her innocent. But there
was nothing further for him toslo or say.
He went ont.
He descended the stairs slowly and
emerged into the street. 1t was the
middle of the iiny; the avenue was com
paratively deserted. A few carriages
were taking their occupants home to
luncheon. Bellingham stood on the
curbstone, looking mp and down. and
vaguely wondering what he should do
next. BY and by it struck him that it
would not make much difference which
way he went. ln no place in the world
could he find what he hal lost. Ii was no.
where; it had been annihilated All that
had made life delightful was gone from
him, and he was left ironically behind.
He had never really possessed it, evan; it
was mirage-a phantom, which he had
tried 70 grasp, and it had vanished But
the strangest part of the business
most iudicrous-was that he remained
behind standing here, alive and well. in
the sunshine on Fifth avepne.
He sauntered leisurely northward TO-
nrRt ha ,,ny1y T,x-a {
passed some one he knew, and returned
their greeting with nod. But all the
while he'saw that 1.-THE, erect figure, with
her pale, lovely face, her eyes bright
with pain or anger. her white hands
twisting her handkerchief. Conld it be
that she WAS depraved. false. beartless?
Every stern word he had spoken had
been echoed. us it were, by the exquisite
sensitiveness of her beauty. If she were
false would she not have been true at
that last moment, when nothing more
was to be gained by deception, when to
be sincere was essential to the enjoy
n,ent of the triumph her falsehOOd mad
gained her.
He reached the park; there was still
vivid greenness in the grass, though the
trees were rich with the splendor of
autumn. He wandered along the curv-
ing paths, feeling no pleasure, but pain.
in the quiet beauty that surrounded him.
Keeping to the left, where there seemed
to be fewer saunterers like himself, he
found himself at last near the extreme
northern limit. He assembled little hill,
and on its summit, beneath the golden
shade of group of trees, there was a
space of leaf strewn turf ON which he
flung himself down. The rumble of the
horse cars on the avenue came family to
his ears, and now and then the voices of
Z 1auUhtar of noapla paoo;n,, ~ , d;etanao,