West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-04-06

naI4sN LfllNC had understood Ertght.
MadSe had LCcn 50 kind TO lne lately
thE; couldn't think she had lcen feel
ing IS bitterly 0s She spoke. That such
an apparently frank girl was a Cousum-
mate actress wasn't 10 be Thought, and
yeti remembered how we'll she had
played her part ON Hanco's trail But
even that wouldn't convince me Proof
Of her duplicity came quickly enough,
for while Twas still thinking the walk
ers were round again. and Lord Rallies
was saying:
why haven't you complained TO
your father or brothcrs?"
Because / knew they would resent
his conduct 20 me, and"-
'Of course they would," cried her
companion, inteuupting. but why
should yop object TO that?"
Because of the letters, " said Madgo.
Don't you see that if we made him
angry ho would betray rs TO Mr. Camp
and
Then they passed out Of hearing, loav-
ing mo almost desperate both at being
an eavesdroppcr TO such a conversation
and that Madgc could think so meanly
Of me- To say il, too TO Lord Rallies
made it cut all the deeper, us any fell
low who has been in love will under
stand.
Round they came again in n moment,
and / braced myself for tho lash of the
whip that L felt was coming. L didn't I
escape it, for Madge was saying:
Can you conceive Of man pretend
inS to care for girl and yet treating
her so? L can't tell you the grief, the
modification, l have felt She spoke
with half sob in her throat, as il she
was struggling not to cry, which made
me wish l had never been born Its
been all could do TO control myself in
his presencc-I have como so utterly TO
hate and dcspise him, she added.
II don't wonder, " said Lord Rallies.
"My only surprise is
With that they passed ont Of hearing
again, leaving me fairly desperate with
shame, grief, and, I'm afraid, with am
ger. Ifelt at once guilty and yet wrong
ed. l knew l had been ungentlemanly
on the trail, bat / had done my best TO
retrieve my conduct and was running
big risks, both present and eventual, for
Mudge's sake. Yet horo she was nc
knowlcdging that thus far she had used
me ~ puppct, while all the time dis
liking me. IL was terrible blow, made
all the harder by the fact that she was
proving herself such n different girl
from the one / loyed-so different, in
fact, that, despite what / had heard, L
couldn't quito believe it OF her and
found myself seeking to extcuuate and
even justify her conduct. While 1 was
doing this they came within hearing,
and Lord Rallies was speaking.
with you, >" he said. but still
do not sec what can do, however much
may wish TO servo you"
Cant you go TO him and insist that
he-or tell him what I really feel 60
ward him-cr anything, in fact TO
shame him? really can't go on acting
longer"
That reached the limit Of my endur-
ance, and / Crawlcd from my burrow,
intending TO get out from under that
platform whether was caught or not.
l know it was a foolish move-after hay
ing heard what had little moro or
less was quite immaterial But entire
ly forgot my danger in the sting OF what
Madge had said, and my one thought
was TO stand face 10 face with her long
enough to--I'm sure don't know what
/ did intend to say.
just IS had got 10 the plank, how
ever, heard Lord Rallies ask:
who's thatY'
ITS me, " said a voice, "the station
agent. Then I heard door close.
Some one walked out TO the center of
the platform and remarked:
At least the letters were recovered.