The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-26

him. eff he had robbed me Of you, L dare
say, should have felt like numbering him
only never belonged TO him for a single
instant, whatever he might think, said
Cora. And now you say he is home i'll, and
wants to see us. He must be very i'll indeed
1 should think
L am afraid he is said Douglas, not no
ticing the little feminine inr111endo in her last
words. Poor fellow! 1t must be awfully
wretched being laid up in .an hotel. You'll
come, won't you, dear?'
'sOh, of course 1 will - said Miss Dampier
readily. Douglas, you are ia much higher
minded person that L am
Why what nonsense - said he ruffling
his sweetheart's pretty hair with a very low
ing hand.
She was the daintiest and most winning of
creatures, with her rose-tinted skin, her gray
eyes which in shadow were almost black,
and that wonderful crown of chestnut hair
which always made people want to see the
face that went with it.
And SO it was not to be wondered at that
the cousins had fallen in love with her SIM
ultaneously, and at first sight the evening
they had met her at a dance; but people did
wonder a good deal when it became appar
ent that it was the cheerful, impecunious
Douglas, who was making insufficient iv
ing at the Bar, intermngled with Journalism
whom the girl preferred to EVAN, who was
the poSsesser of the Stewart estates, who
had made some name as a traveller, and who
far handsomer than his cousin.
But no ones establishment equalled that Of
Evan himself.
All his life he had prided himself on his
strength of will, and had never foregone the
thing he desired; and now, to be thrown over
for the for whom he had always had a
sort of contemptuous tolerance, and when
Cora had falterngly told him she was
gagged to Douglas, he had broken out into a
tempest of rage that had fairly frightened
the girl.
1t was Of that she was thinking when
Douglas had come in and told her that his
cousin had returned, and had written to him
from the Metropole, asking to see them BOTH
The memory of Evans last words seemed
to still ring in her ears as she went upstairs
to get her hat.
Her father, a London doctor, with a good
connection, but large family, had made no
disguise Of the fact that he would rather
have seen her the wife of the cousin with a
settled income and position; but it was a
thing of the past now, and her wedding-day
with Douglas fixed for not quite week
ahead; and when she came down, she found
her mother specializing with Douglas as to
whether Evan did not wish to them
about a wedding present
But it was such contrast to her last
memories Of the man who had made such
stormy and masterful love to her, that Cora
burst into a laugh.
''Oh, mamma, how delightfully."- common
place you are!" she cried, STOPPING to give
her kiss as they went out
1t was rather an unusual treat for the girl
to have long drive in a hanson with her
lover, and she enjoyed it without much
thought of the end of their journey; but
when, after being plotted through long CORR
DORIS the waiter delivered them over to the
charge of Mr.. Stewards own irreproachable
body-servant and they were ushered INTO
darhened room, a sudden pity fell on her at
the sight of the men who was lying on sofa
wrapped in furs for all the warmth of the
day.
is that you, Douglas, and you, Cora? 1
thought you would never come" he said,
eagerly, raising himself among his pillows.
and showing a face as pale and fine if
cut out of old ivory; dark eyes cleaned out
under thin, straight brows and his lips met
in an unflexible line between the square chin
the 'tightlydrawn skin, and the long hand
he held out to Cora closed on hers deathIy
cello.
''Oh, of course we came at once, old fell