The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-13


fumcry shop in Bond street as / passed
them-two young ladies of manifestly
good society, so refined was their APP
pearance and SO perfectly correct their
tenue. I could not help half turning
round, and who should they be but
that arch-tease of a cousin of mine,
Sybil Vane. and her bosom friend,
Gwen O'Hara. 1t was Sybl that had
spoken and she had said:
Fancy that little fool throwing her.
self away on q man like that when she
knows he only wants her for her
money"
What little fool ana what man."
asked, as l raised my hat by way OF
apology for the intrusion.
20. you men! You never know any
thing" said Sybil, when she had re-
covered from the shock my question
had evidently occasioned.
Then tell me-" l reioined; "you
never have any secrets from me, you
know-at least not for long"
why, Honor Beaumont and Captain
Faulkner to be sure"
Are they engaged to be married."
OF course they are, and he hasn't a
penny while she has mil-l---iors!"
why, he's a very handsome fellow,
and she is-passable."
They say he cheats at cards, that
he's in everybody's debt and is moth
ing short of a mere adventurer, And
yet Honor Beaumont has accepted
him! l say it's really too bad of her!"
/ had known Faulkner for some
years, and 1 am bound to say I had
very little to urge in his defense. He
had never been actually caught in any
nefarious proceeding, but IL was
known that he had run through most
of his friends that he was wonderfully
lucky at faro and that he was anxious
ly looking out for an heiress.
The wedding duly took place, and
about four months afterward Captain
and Mrs. Faulkner were back in town,
apparently the happiest couple to be
found in all Belgravia.
AS for Faulkner he seemed COM
pletely changed. There was II manli-
ness about him that one never noticed
before; his eyes wore a frank express
sion that was truly refreshing to see.
He was clearly devoted to his wife, and
they seemed to perfectly understand
and trust each other. What could it
mean?
Gradually ] got to really like Faulk-
ner. He made splendid host, was a
pattern of the domestic virtues and
impressed one as being the soul of
honor. Our acquaintance finally rip
ened into close friendship, and the
intimacy developed until at length
found myself-how l know notion
terms of real confidence with the man
whom only few months before 1 had
inclined to look upon very much in the
light in which he was regarded by nv
cousin Sybil.
One evening he eXpounded the mys-
terry.
shall tell you the story of my court
ship, Jack?" he asked.
"As you will, my dear fellow" / re-
Piled "if it isn't too sacred a subject
for 4 third party"
That's just tit is a sacred sub
ject, as you will see"
He lit a cigar and proceeded:
"All that the world thought and said
of me before 1 was married was true
and more than true. 1t was a regular
bad lot And il is true also that ir
proposing to Miss Beaumont I wa
actuated by the most mercenary mo.
tives and those alone.
"All that I wanted was her money
her money, Jack-do you hear? The
world said so and the world was per
fectly right. I had plans as to what
would do with it. My chief anxiety
was to prevent her getting any inkling
of the truth. and so l never ceased tC
dance constant attendance on her and
especially to withdraw her as far as
possible from her lady friends. Al
went well until one evening at the Vii
lers' ball, she took me on one side
saying
'Iritz'-she always called me Fritz
rather than Frark-I want to speak tc
you.
what Is it. darlirg?'