The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-07-29
THE TWO LOVERS.

1
dignantly. "Just because we hav
known each other So long is not tn
least reason in the world why so1
should presume to dictate to me as t,
my friendship. It's mean of you
I'm sorry, Mabel" replied jim
Todd, humbly, ''but was only think
ing of you, and don't like Reginal,
Bulwer, and"
She cut him short with a scornfu
little laugh.
II am sorry L cannot be guided 10y
your likes and your dislikes, but i
papa does not object to my knowing
Mr.. Bulwer, / don't see why yor
should take me to task. "
No." replied Jim wearily, 81
don't know why L should; only not sc
very long ago you never used to snuE
me when l ventured an opinion upon
any subject, even upon your acquaint
ances. 1t seems things have altered. u
Mabel Courthope made no reply to
the remark, and after glancing once
into her face, Jim bade her good
night, and refusing the half-hearted
invitotion to him to ''come in for half
an hour, as papa would be so glad to
see you," made his way to his solitary
lodging:
Things had changed considerably,
he reflected, in the past six months
how much he had scarcely realized
until this very evening. And it was
all owing to an individual of whose
existence he had been entirely una
ware until some time after Christmas.
He had been happy in the love that
had grown up within him from the
day when he had first met Mabel
Courthope. He could have sworn
that it had been reciprocated until
Reginald Bulwer appeared OH the
scene. Then things changed. Unfor-
tunately, he admitted there was only
too much reason for the change.
Bulwer was everything he was not.
Bulwer was rich, handsome and an
aristocrat. Jim was poor, plain and
a plebeian, and when he reckoned up
the advantages which lay in his rival,
Jim Todd groaned in spirit, but it was
not until the week before Henley
that they were finally shattered.
He had called in the hope of persu-
aiding Mabel to go with him to Henley
on the final day of the regatta. and
had been met with the information
that she had already accepted an invi-
tation to spend week there with
party of Bulwer's friends on house
boat. 1t was the bitterness of the
disappointed hope which made him
voice the dislike which he felt in
for. Bulwer, and led to the
quarrel-the first quarrel he had ever
himself to be drawn into with
Mabel Courthope. 1t only added to
his detection to perceive in the last
backward glance he cast toward the
girl that she already seemed to have
him. Another had occupied
the post he had vacated; and Mabel,
as she leaned over the fence, was too
intent to give him another look.
Yet Mabel Courthope was not alto
yether at ease with herself. She liked
Jim immensely, and, until the advent
Of Reginald Bulwer, had fancied her
self in love with him. But when Bull
wer appeared, Jim was eclipsed COM
oletely. 1t fattered the girls vanity
% receive the attentions of the dark,
handsome man. None of her girl
riends could boast such suitor, and |
lalf the pleasure she found in his So
,iety was due to the envious glances
If her feminine acquaintances. Be
ides, at the most, Jim would be able I
o offer her q suburban home, while |
aeginald's s life would have undreamed
# possibilities. She was so sick of I
he suburbs, she told herself, and the
'older, freer life Of Mayfair seemed to
'e opening its doors to her. She ac
epted implicitly all Bulwer had told
er of the society which seemed so far
way from Brixton, and his position
n the land of promise. She wondered
nd became tremulous with delight at
lis batteries, when he told her that
mong its queens there was none to
ompare with her when he limited at
is hope that he soon might venture
D ask her to accept her right position
mong them. Yet when she turned
er thoughts for while from the daz-
ling future of her dream something
cry like regret was apt to crop up in
er mind. Jim was not brilliant, but
e was very tender. He had no great
ircle of aristocratic friends, but he
ad rather die than give her mo-
lent's pain. Like most girls of 20
ith a pair of lovers, she was verit-
ole bundle of indecision. She had
o sooner accepted an invitation to
bend the week at Henley under the
of lady friend of Bull
er's than she began to regret that
lily day which she knew she would
ave had in Jim's company. However,
lie had decided, and when she set out
II Henley, on cloudless July morn
e, her regrets were not sufficient to
ECKER her fair brow in the very '
ightest degree. '
There was no doubt but she made a
'GN ditIdCtlNc plCpulc, dh't itoSihuiu
ulwer could not help being proud of
S companion. Many keen inspec- ;
On was made of the pair, and more ]
an once an audible comment s
ached the girls ears.
"Bulwer again. / wonder who thai .
tile girl is?" she distinctly heard one {
an say, as they embarked at the ,
nding stage But the remark con- ]
yed nothing to her mind, for she /,
rs far too busily engaged in noting s
e life and hustle around her to spare !
thought for anything else. |
Mabel had been on the river often
ough, but Henley was new to her, t
d when the full brilliance of the
enc became clear to her dazzled 6
es she could only gasp out her l
easure.
"Oh, it is lovely. I did not think :
ything could be so bright in this
nv England of ours" she exclaimed.
slAIl EnrlopJ 30 mot Rriyfor - Nv 4