Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-01-03

the summer there, he found that the
girl who had been his tiancee aud
whom he had Tilted, was also staying
at the Point. For however he iusti-
fed his conduct, and CLOSED things
over to himself, there can be no
doubt that he had acted heartl essly to
Bessie Minturn, and his knowledge of
this and his knowledge of Miss Min
turns ideas of him, did not tend to
fill 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-
full, or theatrically cold to him; she
was just as gracefully courteous to him
as to the other men Il 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
ner to the little 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 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 a 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 jollier 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 tlirted desperately with almost
every one else, but when Maurice tried
to awaken sentimental memories of
old times in her mind, she laughed at
him. 81 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 Fiy-by-
Night
But, the truth was that though she
carried Il gay, smiling face, she had
never either forgotten or forgiven
Maurice or the girl who had taken him
from her She did not make a show of
herself as a 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 blackncss of des-
pair and the fires of Tophet.
Given 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
show signs of animation. Bessie came
tn Eiolpt ou1 Mourirn in tho dusl-