The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-10-21
CHAPTER Ii.

CHAPTER III.
Whatever the nature or Jack Vere-
| ker's business at Rostrevor, it was not
| finished quite as soon as Dick appeared
! 80 think it would be. for two weeks
| passed and he was still at the quiet
| resort. Mrs. Joyce was hospitality it's
self, constantly inviting the two broth
| ers to luncheon and dinner at the lit
| lie hotel where she had put up. but
jack seldom made his appearance
Ii was evident to Nellie that it was
| she whom he avoided. and considering
| her hatred of him. it was strange how
| indignant she was at the thought.
His eyes haunted her continually;
she found herself perpetually longing
| 10 bring that look to his face that IL
had worn when she told him to for
get" and then she was always compar-
ing him. unconsciously, with his broth
era comparison in which. strange TO
relate, it was her fiance that suffered.
Jack is coming tonight to say
good-by." remarked Dick one evening
at dinner, and Nellie was certain there
was relief on his face, but she allowed
her grandmother TO say the necessary
polite things. and only longed for the
meal 10 be over.
Ii was easier far, she tod herself, to
climb to Rojtrevor Stone in the gath
cring darkness than to meet the gaze
OF those gray eyes; easier the stitfest
ascent than to utter formal good-by
to the man who had shown her heI
own heart!
she was engaged to Dick, and Dick
was Grannie's favorite and the Joyces
never broke faith-but she must be
away when Jack came tonight.
Rcstrevor 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 moment. and then-then a most
wonderful thing happened. Strong
arms were suddenly placed round her,
her 2uburn head was pillowed on
broad chest, and in a tone of ineffabe
tenderness voice whispered in her
ear three little words-but three words
which made all the world seem glori. !
ned. '
My little girl" 1t was all he saia f.
hut Nellie lay still with closed eyes |!
wondering could heaven hold greater /
rapture than this.
Jack" the violet eyes opened, and ,
re.Alnded 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 yor
20 know" looking into the sweet young
lace which now reflected his own mis-.
cry, but | am going away, and for.
got myself"
II was not your fault" she mur.
INJURED, while despite the pain of the
awakening there thrilled through her
the exquisite delight of loving and be.
ing loved, but take me home now TO
Grannie and do as | shall try to do
forget"
1t is the second time you have told
me to do so-then as now, | am the
wrong man-it is the rate of the life of
some"
Life Is wrong, think" she cried.
struggling for a moment against temp
tation to be true to her heart at all
costs, but here-let us go home. j.
am tired"
Have you heard the latest?" ex.
claimed one gossip to another six
months later; you know the firm Of
Vereker & Co.; well, it turns out thai
one of the nephews of the head of the
frm--Dck Vereker - has been fol-
months defrauding his uncle, and try.
ing to put it all down to his brother
Jacks account, taking advantage of tn,
likeness between them. The fellow
Was engaged to pretty heiress in Ire.
land, and thought to have got her be-
tore anything was found out but the
bomb was burst and everything is
KNOWN"
And the girl is heartbroken OF
course?"
BY no means for this morning hel
marriage is in the papers; she has con.
soled herself with the brother"
Just he Way OF women all the wo Id
over" is the sententious remark of the
man about town, but under clear
starry sky on the veranda of a foreign
hotel, ylo.et-eyed girl is murmuring
10 her husband, as he bends fondly ov.
er her slight form Not the wrong
man this time, Jack, thank God. The
Daughter.