The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-26
JUDITH'S r1ISTAKE.



watched her with an odd look in his half
closed eyes. He was a handsome man, 80
years old, and widely travelled. His half
sisters were much younger, neither of
them being 20 yet.
"Lct us drop the subject, 8 said Judith,
glancing with a suppressed yawn at the
clock, which pointed to 80.
1T had as well be discussed now as
later" said Mrs. Seymour as she finished
her twentieth pair of slippers to be dis
tributed among the convalescent patients
at the hospital "If Judith chooses TO re-
main single while other girls marry, she
knows that she is at liberty to make her
home here. In few years our fireside
will be lonely enough.
with the girls married and her bachelor
stepson at the antipodcs, " explained Eu-
gene to Judith.
Probably not at the antipodes, but cer-
tainly married, " said his stepmother calm
ly 81 understand, Eugene, that Marie
Harding is again minging in the gay
world / do not imagine that she will
long remain a widow"
THANK you for insinuating that your
son will be the first TO make her an offer, I"
said Eugene, mockingly, and again he
kiuli'tu VIM, hs itf '9No INV
his, suddenly lost all her beautiful color.
She bit her lips as If to punish them for
trembling, and stopped down TO pick up
sketch which she had been drawing before
the conversation began. Again she glanced
at the clock.
well, the rest OF you may keep up the
battle as long as you please, Eugene said,
glancing also at the clock as he rose. II
hot eli nd will IN nhltn-
ing enough TO withdraw from the confer
ence. But l will warn you, mother mine,
that you ma. as well put down your arms.
Judith will come off conqueror.
Half an hour later he heard his parents
and sisters come up stairs without Judith
He had not gone to his room, but to the
library, thinking that she might como
there for some book as he knew that she
was in no mood to sleep. When he found
that she was not likely TO come up very
soon, he went down to the drawing room
again.
"Oh," he said, in apparent surprise,
when he saw her sitting in precisely the
same attitude as when he left her, "still
here, JUDITH / suppose the conference
broke up in n row, Judging from the ex.
preston of your face. thought, too, that
/ heard mother sob as she passed the libra.
ry door"
He went up 10 her and leaned over the
back of the tail, carved chair i'm which she
sat
II am sorry you came back, Eugene, I"
said Judith, looking very pale and severe
81 do not care 10 talk to you any more to
night, and If you will excuse me / will go
up stairs. T"
"I will not excuse you, Judith" he
said, detaini x her II have such n great
desire to know why you refused Frank
White and Harry Stanton and then formed
this mad resolve to become an artist that
i shall not let you go until you explain. ="
you have no right To question me in
this way" said Judith, white with anger
1T may be that have not, ;" answered
Eugene in q strangely gentle tone. "Do
you think that shall be the first to lay
my heart at the feet of my old love-the
pretty Widow ing-or-do-you-
carer"
He drew her back against the high,
carved chair and made her look at him,
her eyes kindling with shame and resent
ment.
81 know you have remained single all
these years because she threw you over foI
Major Harding" she said, looking def
antly up at him. Il am also certain that
she never loved her husband as she did
you, and that you can win her now if you
choose"
"Now that my prospects are improved
and she is quite wealthy herself" said
Eugene scornfully. Judith, l thought
you would give me credit for more pene'
tration.
"A man has mono for the woman he
loves" said Judith in low tone.
II confess you are right, for / have
known you well for ten years and never
caught glimpse OF your heart until to-
night"
Judith looked up i'm bewildcrment, but
Eugene bent down and kissed her for the
first time in his life. AS n son and brother
he had not been demonstrative. Still less
had be been so as n cousin.
judith, don't you understand mes' he
whispered. II love you and believe you
love me, little girl. -
Il wish could believe you, wistfully.
"Do always seem to say tho opposite
of what fccls That cynical habit was
the outgrowrh of an effort to conceal the
real state of my mind toward Marie Hard
ing. and aitcrwCrd to guard against o
certain that Hal stanton had won youi
heart Tell ac again, dearest, what youi
eyes told me once this evening-that it Is
really iainc after all. "
But MY life plans" protested Judith.
"Thcy ar fixed now, and l cannot change
them
You mean you do not love mo then.
Death and ambition are weaker than love,
Judith.
She thought again of the future she had
mapped out for herself, counting love out.
1t would be q joyless, empty existence
after oil.
"lndced," he pleaded, "do you want
such happiness as mans true love can
give, or can you be satisfied with the haru
and narrow life that leads 10 famey'
II believe | can live without fame, Eu
gene" she admitted at last. "lt would
be much harder, fear, TO live without
you. "--Commcrcial Tribune.