The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-08-10

ed.
aMarry herr" She nodded. but il
no longer care for her? If | know
that | can never love her as | could
love? My dear little playfelloW ana
friend, | am not half so fond OF Lucy
as 1 am of you"
"Ahr' She looked at me with big
deep eyes. 81 am only a child. There
are different kinds of fondness, dear
Fred" The wistful affection In the
child's face touched me to the heart
and kissed her frail hands.
"Get better, little one, and see," !
said brokenly Then we sat in 81
lence for long time, holding hands.
81 am getting sleepy, Fred" she
murmured. kiss me-" kissed heI
several times, and she went smilingly
to sleep, with her cheek against my
arm and her hand in my hand. Mrs.
Dormer came Ia, but l sat motionless
for an hour, till the child's grasp re
Taxed, and l could draw myself away
without waking her.
II shall come tomorrow morning"
whispered. Her mother nodded con.
STRANGELY, and l went out on tiptoe.
Lucy met me at the bottom of the
stairs.
II have something to tell you" she
said, ''if you will spare me a min
ute" | bowed and followed her into
the empty dining room. She sank into
an armchair by the fireside, and
stood b1 tho ,,,op+aIpiaoa Ioolyino doun
upon her. 1t seemed strange to be so
near to her and so Indifferent to the
fact For one thing was clear to me-
that if I had every really loved Lucy
Dormer, / loved her no longer. We
were quite unsuited to one another,
and If | married her 1t would merely
be a useless sacrifice of two lives.
II treated you badly" she said alb
ruptly. l raised my eyebrows. After
Maisie's confession there seemed no
reason for the admission.
There were things" said 'that
needed explanation"
''Some things are beyond explana-
ton"
perhaps they are better left So"
"One can ask forgiveness" There
was a faint note of entreaty in her
voice. | fidgeted impatiently with
little ornament on the mantelshelf. If
l asked for forgiveness she would give
more.
"If one desires forgiveness" | said,
at length. 1t sounded brutal. but it
might avoid worse things.
'Ohv' she cried, 81 do"
your l said with establishment.
"Youl What have l to forgive your"
She toyed with her handkerchief.
Il thought Maisie would tell you.
The child was always so fond of you"
So she knew.
"Maisie has told me-" l said gravely.
"Lucy, it is right to be frank. l have
discovered that my little playfellow,
child as she Is, has the best love that
can ever give to any one" She look
ed at me in surprise. Then she laugh
ed scornfully
81 see," she said. "You want an ex-
cuse. You might invent one without
taking my poor little sisters name in
vain"
sit is no excuse" said firmly. We
looked at one another for minute in
silence.
"Then,' she said 81 did not hurt
you. l am glad" She stamped her
foot passionately. mo, no, am not
1 am sorry-sorry, do you hear" r
shrugged my shoulders.
"There is no more to say?" sug-
gested.
mo more to say" she echoed family.
l walked to the door. "Fredr she
cried abruptly. 81 must say 1t. Listen
to me IL you win not forgive"
Forgiven I asked. what have l
to forgiven" She looked at me in APP
parent bewilderment.
do you not know that l never told
my people of your explanation; that
let all the blame rest on you?"
"N1y letter. l cried. my letter.
"The letter you sent to Maisie?"
''She gave it to your"
"Of course she gave it to me-" said
Lucy, opening her eyes wide. ''Why
notg' l ought to have known. My
brave little girl!
"Maisie told me that she never gave
you the letter, Lucy; that all the blame
was hers" walked to the window
and looked out for a time in silence,
broken by Lucy's sobs.
"She told -that-just to-scfeen
me-" she said brokenly.
Eyes" could mot say more for the
moment Presently | walked back to
the fire. "God bless herr l said softly.
"Let us say no more about it, Lucy,
and be friends for her sake"
Lucy wiped her eyes and looked into
the fire. Then she spoke with her eyes
averted from me.
"When we quarreled, it was only
what had for some time intended"
your reasony' | asked mechanical
ly. did not really care.
"Some one else was better match.
II did not like him so we'll" l bow
ed. 1t was lmmaterial. 81 knew that
my people would disapprove Of my
breaking our engagement for this rea-
son. They We're fond of you"
Il was fond of them" Their behav-
Tor had hurt and surprised me. In the
letter had particularly asked Lucy to
show them my explanation, whether
she accepted 1t or not.
consequently was glad, or thought
! was, when l heard something about
you which gave me an excuse to quar-
rel"
1T was false, as told you in the
letter."