Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-12-04

girl who had been his tiancee and
whom he had Tilted, was also staying
at the Point. For however he justi,
fed his conduct, and CLOSED things
over to himself, there can be no
doubt that he had acted heartlessly to
Bessie Minturn, and his knowledge of
this and his knowledge of Miss Min
turns ideas of him. did not tend to
till his mind with unalloyed pleasure.
But he was agreeably surprised
when the moment came for him to
meet his old love. She was not scorn-
fnl, or theatrically cold to him; she
was just as gracefully courteous to him
as to the other men at the hotel, and
to all appearances had entirely gotten
over her attack of that dangerous dis
ease of the brain which is called love,
and which annually makes more fail
ures and gibbering idiots than ever
did the Demon Drink. She had be-
come fast friends with his new love,
little Violet Grantley, and they were
well nigh inseparable; Bessie's man.
Her 10 Inc NIUE girl was most tender
and even caressing, and, though Vio-
let knew that Maurice and Bessie had
been engaged and had parted, she
could not help but like her, that is, as
much as Il girl can ever like the Other
Woman, the one whom He liked first,
and perhaps still likes better than
you.
Maurice was much in Bessie's COM
pany during the next month, and he
even began to think that perhaps he
had made mistake, for she had i'm
proved wonderfully since he had seen
her last; her beauty seemed to have
acquired richer, warmer type, she
was iollier and more charming, and in
every way fascinating. She puzzled
him, she attracted him, and she an
noyed him, for she did not seem to re-
gard him as material for flirting, though
she fiirted desperately with almost
every one else, but when Maurice tried
to awaken sentimental memories of
old times in her mind, she laughed at
him. II have quite got over that old
fancy" she said, ''and it is useless for
you TO try to revive it. There are no
birds in last years nests" and she
laughed again and went down to the
pier to look at her boat, the Fly-by-
Night.
But, the truth was that though she
carried gay, smiling face, she had
never either forgotten or forgiven
Maurice or the girl who had taken him
from her. She did not make show of
herself as deserted maiden wearing
the willow; for she had what is better
than the Christian virtues, the old
heather gift of pride, so that she could
dance and firt and joke, while her
heart was full of the blackness of des-
pair and the fires of T6phet.
Given q proud, high spirited and
vindictive girl who has been thrown
over by man, place her in the COM
pany of that man and his new love,
and you have materials at hand for
unusual things to happen; yet these
three seemed to be the best friends in
the world, and there seemed to be no
happier girl at Point of Rocks than
Bessie Minturn.
There came day too hot for any
exertion, when one could only lie in
the shade and long for evening TO
come. The long, weary, blazing day
came to an end at last, the stars rose
up cool and sweet. the binding white
dust of the roads was laid by the dew
and the hotel guests began to stir and
II, ,. of animation, k,co,n
to Violet and Maurice in the dusk.
"What do you say" said she, 'if we
cut this place and it's stupid hop this
evening and 60 sailing? will take
out my boat, and we will go ont by
moonlight. Have You ever been ont?
1t is pretty sight"
SO they went down to the pier,
where the Fly-by Night lay, and
Maurice and Violet got in and sat for
ward. Bessie cast loose the rope hold
ing the boat and jumped in. Then she
and Maurice pushed the boat from the
pier with their hands, and together
hoisted the sails and the Fly-by- Night
took the breeze, softly heeled over
and went creeping down the little bay,
threading the crooked lanes of moon
lit water between the sea grass. They
reached the outlet and swept through
into the broad sea, which was almost
smooth, there being just enough
breeze to fill the sails and carry them
along.
Bessie sat at the tiller and held the
sheet. She managed her boat with
perfect command, and the Fly-by-
Night seemed to obey her like n living
thing. She only moved slightly from
time to time as she shifted the helm,
and in that light her white yachting
suit and cap made her look like a