The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-10-13

the afternoon that Beatece sent for
me. | remember how it strcaked
along the floor and touched the gold
divan where she and Mrs. Cameron
had sat on that day when they talked
over their coffee-cups. Rudolph had
come with the message, and laid his
hand, ever so gently, on my shoulder
while he delivered it. l remember
now how very gentle he was, and won
der if such gentlencss comes with years,
or if he inherited it from some of those
German ancestors. his mother gave
him.
"You will Gomez" he.asked, after the
message had been repeated, "she wants
to see you very much. Templeton, we
are all sure you have made mistake !;
misunderstood some trivial remark not
concerning either of you. It will be
much the wiser plan to see Beatrice,
and come to an understanding in the
matter"
Yes, it was better, and / determined,
then and there, to throw her words in
her teeth.
"You will be very calp," Rudolph
said, following me halfway up the
stairs; every calm and collected. Be-
atrice is very ILL.,"
| made no answer, but hurriedly
knocked on the closed door, Her voice
answered, gently: "Come." How
many times that same voice had
brought me, penitent lover, to her
feet! To-day it only increased my
senseless fury. l opened the door, and
walked boldly in. l sat IN her low
chair.
"You sent for me-" l said, sullenly,
stretching out my legs until the ends
of my toes touched the tableleg.
II wished you to understand; IL
Il have not meant to give you any
offence" Her voice was meekly pen
itent.
1T is no offence to man to sit
coolly by and hear his promised wife
speak OF a man as you were speaking
of Maurice Dudley that day on the
tlivan." She stared at me from her
folds Of lace.
II know l am young" continued,
barely catching my breath ''no one
knows it better than 1 were l older, 1
would have seen through your base de-
ceit ere this" She cried out, covering
her face with her hands.
"Until you spoke, that day, the
world held no other woman for me
than yourself. l see plainly it held
other men for you, for you described
one in my hearing. do not claim to
be charminy," | said throwing the
hardest tones in my voce, neither
have l travelled and made myself inter
esttny, and | have not settled on my
profession, all Of which brings me be-
low the standard of your desires. But,
i looked her full in the face-"I
have opinions, and they are that every
thing matters to some women that
does not bring them indolent ease and
selfish enjoyment" She extended her
arms imploringly.but l held myself
manfully back.
| was about to continue in my ha-
rangue, wheE she articulated my name
so indistinctly I could scarcely con-
meet the syllables.
"And now," I said, Strengthening
myself to my full height, 1--WE can un
derstand our position no earlier. Your
love is to me worthless trife, to be fl
tered away where you will. 1t is not
worth the consideration of sensible
man.
Her face grew so white at my words
that less maddened creature would
have been frightened. 1t fairly gleam-
ed through the folds of lace she had
dragged over it. | heard footsteps be-
hind me; l knew them to be those of
Rudolph and Mrs. Cameron; still l
hurried on in my torment.
'Before the world Beatrice, now
throw your love at your .eet. Take
it, and, when next you bestow it, look
for some creature easier befooled.'
A low cry passed her lips, like a
smothcred effort at breathing; then
the room was still, but for the voice of
Rudolph.
"MaIman, fiend incafnate T. he cried,
pouncing upon me, "what would you
do, kill the poor girl outright! Is
this tie return woman gets for loving
YOU? Throw her love at her feet !!
Wretch Coward! Well, it is better
there than in the possession of such a
man."
He might have said more, but Mrs.
Cameron Was sobbing and crying over
the white straight figure of Beatrice.
Rudolph hurried to the bedside, and
skunk after him, few steps in the
rear.
"Her heart he whispered, as he
raised clammy hand; sit always was
weak, and this shock has been too
much"
That night, when the doctors had
rcllnquished their unavailable efforts
to restore life, went like thief to
| the couch where Beatrice lay. The