Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-05-01

He is here, and / have met him
several times, though be doesn't
know the mad hope that brought me
here-as yet. / have merely told
him that | came here for my health.
| think you know him also Rose"
she added slowly, watching The girls
face from beneath her dong, dark
lashes. His name is Wilbur Sew
erance.v
Wilbur Severance y
One moment Roses little hand
was pressed tightly over her heart,
and her very breathing seemed to
cease
Then she spoke, almost in her u.s.
ual steady tones.
"Yes, / know Mr.. Severance. We
are quite good friends" she said.
sand / think-h will come back to
you yet, Miss Stewart. Indeed I
am-am almost sure he will"
And rising quickly she murmured
a few parting words, then touched
her cold lips lightly to Caryl Stew
arts brow, and fastened from the
room.
"Oh, why didn's / tell him Yes
at once last night when / loved him
SO !" cried Rose in anguish of heart
as she hurried home. "Then it
would all have been settled and
nothing could have changed it, but
now
Her resolve was already taken and
when Wilbur called that night she
gave him his answer promptly
enough. 1t was "No.'
"You cannot mean, Rose, that you
have deliberately intended to de-
ceiye me 2" he cried. "Surely no
woman under heaven could have a
heart so hard and false as that Do
not trihe, this time, Rose. What
ever your answer is now, it must be
your final one"
''It is 6oal," she answered steadi-
ly. II shall regret the loss of your
friendship, but l can never be your
wife, Mr.. Severance. That is my
deliberate, firsl answer"
aAnd / hurled back the lie in the
teeth of all those who tried to warn
me against you for what you are--a
soulless coquette," be said with
bitter laugh. II might have saved
my happiness, but l would not, and
well, I deserve my fate for being
such fool"
He turned on his heel to 60, but
Rose stepped quietly before him.
She held small basket of fruit
and flowers in her hand.
II should like to ask you to do
me one little favor" she said coldly,
not seeming to have noticed his Bit
ter words II have friend at the
ho'el which YOU will pass as you go
\
home. Sne is livery ii indecd-
| and | wish to send her these. ]
promised, bat as | could net 90 my
sell, | must ask you to take them for
me-and this note she added, of
fering it. Don't refuse, please /;
she will be so disappointed. Aud If
Won will kindl, take them up 10 her
parlor yourself-I never trust these
things TO the careless servants there.
1t is the only service | shall ask of
you she added, with a half-plead-
ing little smile "a she saw him hest
tate.
OF course he had no choice but to
accept the trifiing task, and with a
cold, distant bow, be took both bask-
ct and note from her hand and went
his way.
And when the door bad closed be-
hind him, Rose sank back into her
chair and sobbed until her heart was
ready to burst.
81 have sent him to her, and sure
ly she can find some way to win him
back again. she moaned, as she
thought of the desolation she had
brought upon her own happiness.
How long she sat there weeping
Rose never knew. But ages after,
SO it seemed, step sounded beside
her, and Wiihur's own voice was
tenderly calling her name.
"Look up, my Rose, and let me
tell you what has happened he was
saying sadly, yet with deep under
tone in his loving voice. ~ execut-
ed your errand, and before I could
leave Caryl in some way made me
understand the state of her feelings
toward me. You know the whole
story, Rose, so | need not repeat it.
Then, in my pity and my bitter an
ger toward you, was weak enough
to offer to renew the old engagement.
need not tell you that che eagerly
accepted, and then, in her joy, or the
agitation OF the moment, she fell to
coughing severely and ruptured a
blood vessel.
"Yes'-in answer to Roses hor.
rifed cry-"ahe is dead, now, ny
darling, but not before she had made
me understand the sacrifice you tried
to make for her. She knew that you
loved me, Rose. And now / shall
not ask you for that answer, dear.
shall take it thus and he kissed
her quivering lips. "My love-my