The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-22


ing. lovely color.
Dick spoke lightly. but he looked at
her with a certain amount of anxiety
He could not help feeling anxious some
times. So much depended on this last
venture of his and he was not safe even
yet. There was "A whole week of uncer-
tainty before him, plenty of time that
for things to go wrong, and If they
did--if they did. 1t was a subject that
he did not care to pursue 60 its logical
conclusion.
A faint pink flush stole softly into
Mllsie's cheeks. 1t was pretty flush,
and Dick admired 1t critically from on
artistic point of view, though it did not
make his pulses beat one whit the fas-
ter
1T strikes me--pleasantly," she an
swered, and then she looked at him and
smiled.
The smile was as pretty in its way
as the flush. and the two combined
were altogether adorable. Dicks heart
thrilled with the pride of possession, If
I with no warmer feeling.
THAT is just how it strikes me-" he
said. and laid his hand carressinglY
on her soft bare arm. Such a pretty
arm--round and white and dimpled as
a baby's.
She smiled at him again. and his con-
science smOte him, as it did from time
to time. for he was not at all bad. n
vague sense of remorsc stole into his
heart, chilling him unpleasantly. He
could not meet the perfect love and
trust that shone I'm her eyes and feel
no shame.
I'm go and get you an iCe," he said,
rising from his seat, with desperate
sort of feeling that he must be alone
for minute. 'Wait here till / come
! back. and don't let anyone take my
| place"
He hurried away, and Maisie. left
| alone leaned back on her pillows and
! gave herself up to pleasant meditation.
Ten minutes elapsed before Dick re-
turned with pineapple ice in one hand
| and a glass of champagne cup in the
! other
"The refreshment room was simply
| packed" he explained. "I thought |
should never get near the table. This
! ice looks rather choice and" He
| broke Off abruptly. For the first time
his eyes had fallen on Maisie's face,
ana what he read there shocked and
startled him beyond expression. In
! lilOSt lfn minutes Sllc ndu dBtu ltll
years. What is the matter?" he asked
falling back step and staring at her
in Mortified amazement. Have you seen
a ghost? Are you ill?"
She rose and faced him in the dim
light her hands clasped convulsively to-
gether, her face deathike in it's ghastly
pallor. and in her wide. strained eyes
such dumb misery and blank despair as
I, ha1 tn al
| before.
Il am not ill.," she said. "but-but--
oh! an awful thing has happened-an
awful thing"
She paused, but Dick said nothing. He
waited in silence for her to go on.
After you had gone" she exclaimed,
"after you had gone, I heard people
talking on the other side of the screen.
They couldn't see me. and I couldn't
see them. but ] could hear every word
they said" She paused again, and put
her hand suddenly to her throat. as if
something choked her. They We're
talking of you" she said.
Dick laughed shortly, though his
heart sank like lead. He knew what
was coming.
"Oh! ! dare say" he returned. with
uneasy defiance. And what did they
find to say about me? Scandal of all
sorts, no doubt"
She turned to him desperately.
Il ought not to have listened know
that, but ] heard the first words by
accident, and then-and then l could
not move. I seemed turned to stone !
can never forget the things they said
and the woman was worse than the
man."
You bet" Dick said cynically. He
did not look at her. but at the shining
tips of his irreproachable patent leather
shoes. You may as well tell me the
whole story and have done with it," H.
went on, Il hate hearing things piece.
meal"
She put her hand on the back of a
chair as if to steady herself, and stood
there looking at hm-her face white
and set, her eyes glowing with an un.
wonted fire
They talked" she said "of you anu
your life; of your love for gambling
and racing, and every form of dissipa.
ton, and-and of other things tina
can't be mentioned between you an(
me. Was it's it all true?"
He laughed again.
I'm not a saint" he said, IT never
, professed that. Did you expect me tc
be one?"
, She looked at him straight in tn,
face.
NO" she answered quietly. II didn'
expect YOU to be a saint-5ut be-
licvHd YOU to be a man of honor"
He was not quite hardened, and hel
words cut like a knife He WINGED.
"Go on" he muttered. between his
teeth
She flushed suddenly scarlet, thel
grew white as death.
Il don't know how to go on" she said
'and yet / must. After what they be-
and they said-they said" She brolI
off with a gesture that was all-elo-
quent.
60 on" he said again.
She raised her eyes slowly to his.
They said" she went on desperately
that YOU did not love me- that yo,
never loved me, and that YOU onl
, asked me to marry you because yo
5 had run through all your money, an
| beCausC-because- oh! the shame q
: it!-hecause my money would enabl
you to keep on with the old life an
! the old associations. They said you ha
: not given them up and did not inten
+ 10 give them up, even after our maI
e riage--even after our marriage. Is tha
l. true?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
e Yes" he answered recklessly: it,
4 true enough"
e She looked at him for a moment II
|. silence, then turned away.