Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-06-22

he knew now what had wrought the
change in er.
FLORENCE" @ cried, "for your wo
manhood's sake"
"Hush!" she interrupted. and i'll her
voice rang sudden tirmnesS. Il will
not listen to another word"'
Then. her tone. sinking to its usual
low gentleness, she added:
"you will stay to breakfast with
me!'
81 cannot stay and obey your COM
mand for silence" he replied "Neitll-
er can stay to look upon the woman
who moclls me with Florence Vane's
semblance. 1 bid you farewell, Mad
anne Florence. Henceforth 1 will in,
f1ict upon you neither my presence nor
'ny prayers"
"You will not breakfast? l am sor,
~"
This was her sole response. He babe
her adieu and left her; but. as the vel
vet hangings of the door closed behind
him. faint, low cry smote his ear.
An instant he paused, tempted to re-
turn.
But wherefore? He would gain but
another stab!
He went on down the stairs and out
into the street. Singularly. his steps
turned in the same direction as had
Dameroff's on the preceding night
Almost unconscious of whittier they
were leading him. he found himself be-
side the marble lions guarding as senti-
'nelS the entrance to the superb apart
ments occupied by Mr. Leonard. the
wealthy American.
Tho Thought of Rno mi on,,,o IA him
with sudden. refreshing fancy. She. at
least, Wore no mask. She would not
-frobe his hurts with questions: and vet
the touch of friendship might send him
.momentary forgetfulnesS of his pain.
Five minutes before he had not re-
membered her existence. Now he was
all eagerneSS to see her.
Happily. she was at home. He paced
up and down the apartment into which
tie servant ushered him, with an impa-
thence almost petulant.
When she entered. her face showing
her gladness in meeting him, he
caught both her hands. Then some
thing blurred her from his sight
1t was a mist Of tears. His suffer
ings WAS stronger than his manhood
Ee turned his head quickly to conceal
his weakness. but She already had de
.tected it,
The smile faded from her lips. tho
g]adncss vanished. Her checp paled
and a great pity crept into her brown
eyes. as she remembered what he had
told her of his errand here. and read in
his grief that his second wOong had
met with no happier ending than the
first.
She drew him to a sofa and seated
herself on a low chair beside him.
Harry. dear old friend" she said.
<it was so sweet in you to come to met"
Thus. with her woman's tact. she let
him know there was no need of words
for her to read and understand the
story.
"My God!' he answered. uncon-
scious!y, pressing the little fingers he
held in his until they ached with pain.
''Why was it not you whom l loved,
Beatrice-you. whom 1 might have
taught to love me in return. and who
is so we'll worthy all that man might
give?'
''rhe girl smiled YEARLY. remember
Ing her own heart-pang, and echoed:
''Why. indeed"
They had known each other from
childhood. What more natural than
that placid. calm affection should have
merged into loves stronger current?
safe would have been their anchorage
.then-secure their harbor.
But when Gid love make weapon of
expectancy? Would it not seem as
though Cupid were fonder of storm
than sunshine. and laughed as. one by
one. the boats which he had launched
dashed themselves to pieces upon the
rolck, leaving to float upon their cruel
waves only his name painted upon their
PROV?
Sweet to Il man who suffers is wo-
mans sympathy: and though Ark
wright had heart to speak no word con-
corning himself, his weakness had now
mastered him.
The tears-the first he had shed since
early boyhood-were dried, but he felt
that he must make to Beatrice some
explanation of their cause.
Its not just as you suppose, Be"
he said. gulping back an ugly lump in
his throat. II think l could bear any
disappointment of that sort like man.
/ told you I had come here to find the
woman I had lost. Well | found a
beautiful piece of marble. which had
her eyes, and nose. and mouth. with
skin like human skin. and breath like
1uman breath. A woman. Beatrice,
with a frozen heart! A woman whose
womanhood is dead"
A groan. bitter and deep, burst from
him as he finished speaking. Infinite
compassion was written in Beatrice
Leonard's face.
Don't say dead. Harry she muir
INJURED, gently. She must have suf
fered from bitter cold ere her heart
froze. and the sharp. cutting blast has
lulled her womanhood into the slumber
which feigns death. maybe; but true
womsnhood knows no DEATH
He caught her hands again and drew
them to his lips. He stood so sorely in
need of just the comfort that she Of
!, fered him. p. The one hope she thus
held outsato Kim to cling to as one
s.eiings to the r5a's sssAlch is to save him
u from utter 'slsisssy1g Ell:
= "tifot1s bless. YOU f0fs TREMENDOUSLY he
ssnid, fsrvently 's s' ~ @'1ffs4seassidhAt save
her%from herself, 4 wo9lfa 6s;sSsntent
rs accept all my own mi III " .- 4as
is she, Harry Shsys IsasIgs Dr
-