Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-01-21
A RESURRECTION.
Can L trust You. Maudic!"

INV l't'' LOW bth MN " lll lll'Nh-
ing mouc. her blue eyes sparkling
under their dark laShCS with a mis-
ehi"v"us light i'll their depths and
with IA CoquCttish lifting of the fine
ly marked eyebrows. which distract
"d and unnCTVUd him from the task
he had set himself Would She ever
II" serious, ever see that life held
deeper interests than the whims and
amusements of tn" passing hour1
His wife-thiS brwitChing. lovely,
irresponsible being, II" went over
to where she was lying in long
chair III the Shadi"St. coolest corner
of the VCranda, and taking her two
slim white hands in his strong
brown ones he kuClt hcSidr her and
said, Maudio, l have to leave you
here with Mrs. Taily0ur. and | want
to feel sure that while am away
from you, my dearest one, YOU
will he prudent ana 1o nothing fool,
lsh or unSuit~l to your position rs
my wife for which nftcrward you
would I've sorry or aShamCd"
"Gcrald!" she interrupted, with
petulant Indignation.
Yes, my darling, l must speak
plainly. You remember last winter
1t was unint"ntional on your part,
l know, but still how unhappy you
were made 10y all the wrrtrhed talk
and gossip that followed!"
That was three months ago.
Gerald. | am older now and more
experienced. l am sure .'ou need
not remind me of that miserable
affair. 1t is unkind of You.
She Withdrew her hands from his
clasp with a rcproachful gesture
and added, pouting:
"Aftcr all. it il not my fault that
l am pretty. and cannot help it if
your friends will admire me and pay
me attention.
But you will be- careful, my dar-
ling. Promise me this fellow Per
cCval'--
"Oh, now YOU are going to abuse
Lord PcrC"val again, | suppose. l
am So tired of that topic. shall
not listen to II word against him,
Gerald l have known him all my
life. He is my oldest and greatest
friend, and l do not intend TO give
him up for amy one; no, not for any
Oc, not even for YOU, Gerald. So
thercI'
She sprang to her feet and walked
quickly to the edge of the veranda,
where she leaned over the balus-
trade, with her head avcrted from
him, i'll an attitude of mutinous de
tianCr. So small and Childlike a Crca-
ture and yet possessed of such po-
tentialiticS to wound and hurt the
man who loved her with all the pas
Slonatc intensity of his strong and
sensitive nature. Such slim. frag.
lie looking being and yet SO pow.
crful Ill welding an influence over
the hearts of those around her.
y look OF helpless and bafllc,l anx.
icty PASSED over Major Jocclyn :
handsome, carcwOrn face. Without
CHANGING at him his wife continued
coldly: Il consider it very ungen
erous of You to attack Lord Perce
val i'll the way you have done late
| ly, limiting ut things against him.
| throwing out insinuatiOns as to his
character, but with nothing really
definite that You can state against
him. You know l like him, that he
lis my friend. l call it mean of you
Gerald, positively mean"
There are plenty of things
could state against him if l felt sc
inclined, but there is no need t
particulariZe. 1t ought to be enough
for you that l tell you that l dis
trust and dislike the man. Lore
Perceval has brought n slur on the
names of too many women for any
honest man to care for his wife t
call him friend"
He spoke with aREry emphasis
and afterwurd there was an ominou.
silence between them for some mo
ments. 1t was ut last broken by tn,
girl saying with passionate re
proach:
"Oh, it is cruel of you, Gerald, t.
speak to me like this, to want t.
quarrel with me in these our las
moments together, to leave me will
angry words upon your lips, max
ing me so unhappy"
Her voice trembled and broke
and her hands went up to cover thu
tear laden eyes. In moment h,
was at her side. All the severity
had vanished from his face. ant
with his arms around her he wa.
murmuring in pleading accents tn,
words of pcnitence and love whicl
made his peace for him before h,
left her
y week had passed since Gerald
Jocclyn had babe farewell to hi,
young wife and started on his jour
ncy through the desert to join tho
troops in advance. The still. blu,
heat of IN Egyptian day broodet
over tn" quiet villa, which, from it,
lack of sign or sound of life. seem
ed I" b" prolonging its midday sicSt;
into IN" evening hours. The chatter
| of hOOfs outside aroused the attcn
ton of the solitary lnhuhltAnt of tho
veranda a middle aged woman
! whose strongly marked fratUrrs uu(
keen, dark eyes proclaimed her ,
person of intelligence and dccidet
character She threw aside the bool
she was reading and advanced to
ward the flight of steps where tn,
rider, an artillery olncer, was al
ready dismountinR from his horse
/ A. hn nnl nsht ,.I.,ht e L., IL. 4