, 1897-04-16

She, too, stood up. The moment had
come. The woman's heart stood still for
a moment that was agony. Two lives
happiness or misery hung OH her cour
age or failure.
well, / suppose your time is valua-
ble?' she said, turning to him, but her
eyes did not fully meet his. by the
bye, Mr.. Errington, l believe-if 1 am
rightly informed-that I have come to
congratulate you'll"
Congratulate me!' repeated the art
list in genuine surprise. For what?
On what ACCOUNT"
His surprise and, oddly enough, the
very comedy of the position gave her
new courage. why, I heard that you
are engaged to an heiress," she said.
The Rubicon was crossed. There was
no going back now, come what would.
Errington flushed to the brow, then
paled again.
"It is absolutely untrue he said in
a strained way and drew back a step.
st never could be true of mel"
"But why not?' persisted Isbel, now
standing to her colors with true femi-
nine %stanchness, her eyes aglow, her
soft tones steady. IF, as l heard, you
are attached to her, why should YOU
engagement be an impossibility, as you
imply?"'
Had some one-Glyn perhaps-dared
to tell her this, meaning herself, but
without naming her, flashed across Eric,
i'll naughty wrath and pain.
why impossible" he repeated, stung
to a sort of desperation. because l am
a poor, struggling man who holds his
honor dearer even thar love, if the
story were true. Neither the world nor
any woman born should have the right
to believe me a ~dishonored fortune
hunter"
1.-The worlds judgment!" she said,
and now her breath came quickly, her
eyes flashed like diamonds. "You are
not such a coward, l know, as to fear
that. But is it much less cowardly to be
afraid of even the risk Of the woman's
mistaking your motivc-the woman you
love, remember" She was speaking
with a strangely passionate if suppress
ed force that sent q sudden vague thrill
through the mana dim sense of some
thing hat dazZled him, of Il PERSONAL.
ty beneath the overt meaning, an as
sertion of his love for the heiress as q
fact, not Il mere figure Of argument.
1.-The woman you love, remember, and
whose happiness perhaps your pride
may wreck as well as your own, who
doubtless knows your hearts secret and
curses the miserable gold and cruel pride
that stands between your lives
"Isbcl!' Errington sprang to her side,
caught her hands in his OWL. my
darling, my love from the firsti For
give, if you can worse than fool that l
have been. All, my poor Isbel!'
For the girl burst into tears as he
locked her to his heart. The tension
must needs give way at last, brave girl
though she was.
"Oh, why were you so cruel? Why
did you force me TOTO Oh, Eric!"
my darling, forgive me! Because
l loved so much l feared your scornful
refusal. Why should you think me diff
ferent from other woocrs? And l never
dreamed of this happiness, dearest" he
said passionately Zone word-tell me
you forgive your lover"
Eric, I love you," she whispered
and lifted her face for his kiss.
What matter If some of the world did
say, when the marriage did take place,
that it was the money the painter had
sought? He cared not, and those who
knew him and his wife knew we'll it
was a love match entirely. The picture
NOT a mere portrait-of beautiful Mrs.
Errington, when seen the next May at
the academy, made n sensation and sent
up the rising artists name at once.
$50, after all, you see, Eric his
wife says, arch and tender in tone, you
will win the best in the end, fortune
and fame"
"And the priceless treasure that
neither gold nor fame could buy" he
answers, smiling down OH the dear face,
my wife. Folks at Home.