Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-09-08
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tation was great and subtle. 1t was some
time in forcing an entrance into her heart
but, once admitted, ii would not leave
her.
~ have a desire to be rich," she said,
"but none to he noble. I am not noble.
see the right and honorable path, but
l have not the strength to follow 1t.
hate myself for being what am, but
cannot change"
She made no false excuses to herself;
she gave no high-aown name to the sin
that she was about to commit. Mammon
tempted her, and she fell; the spirit Of
| the world the pride of life, the love Of
riches had all entered her soul. and taken
possession Of 1t. She did not disguise
from herself what she was doing when
she deliberately resolved to break her
marry Sir Owen.
Her temptations had been many and
great-they had been continual, they had
been hard to resist; hut that was no ex.
cuse. She knew that she was committing
double sin; she was proving false to the
one man whom she really loved to marry
one whom she did not love ut all.
1T Is a double SIM" she Said to herself,
| j
through q life of drudgery and poverty.
Felix will hate me, but In after years he
will know that my decision was wise"
=. she thought and unused, dreaming
in the sweet shade of the summer woods
Of the gorgeous future that would be
hers IL she married Sir Owen. Presently
her mood changed and her eyes filed with
passionate tears as she thought Of Felix.
ls.ts.
not he have Garswood? Why must he be
poor and obscure while Owen Chevenix
revels in wealth. 1t II not fair"
| She had love and wealth before her,
yet she had deliberately given up love
and chosen wealth. She made no effort
to justify herself In her own eyes.
That same evening she said to Mrs.
Haye:
mamma. I have been thinking 1t will
be better for Felix and myself to part.
I am afraid he has enough ON his shout
ders"
II have thought so for some time, my
dear" was the quiet reply. "Your en-
gagemcnt was folly; your marriage would
be madness"
Then Violet went up to her mother and
put one arm round her neck.
Mamma she said, you will save me
all trouble?'
EYES," replied Mrs. Haye, "you may
safely leave II all to me-"
And SO wealth won a soul not noble
enough TO live for love.
Mrs. Haye acted promptly. The follow
ing morning note reached Felix Ions.
dale at his office. 1t read:
THAT which have to say will pain
you, know. but ! cannot help tit must
he said. The engagement between you
and my daughter must come to an end.
The circumstances under which / gave
my coifSent were quite different from
those existing at present. Your prospects
have quite altered. II you marry my
daughter now, you cannot keep her In
anything like the position In which she
lives even ut present, and am not willing
TO see her become mere domestic
drudge. Mr.. Haye and myself wish the
engagement to end ut once, as under no
circumstances could we consent to the
marriage. Violet sends her love, and de.
sires me to say that all this Is written BY
her wish, and that she hopes always to
be your friend. She Is going away on
long visit to one OF her relatives. Hoping
you will see the necessity for this step, /
am yours very sincerely,
"MARTHA HAYE.
He read II through, nj first with the
feeling and conviction that II must be n
practical joke, then with deadly assur-
nnce that they We're going to take Violet
from him. The handsome, worn face
grew deathly pale; dazed, dim look
came into his eyes; a great, fearless,
voiceless sob rose to his lips; the sunlight
seemed to change to a blo0d-red mist, and
sound like the roar of distant waters
filled his ears. He sat with the letter
open In his hand, dazed rs u man who
had received terrible blow.
Slowly thought and reason came back
to him. He rose with a white. set look
on his handsome, haggard young face
which might have touched a heart of
stone. He took his hat from the stand,
ana walked out and on. looking straight
before him, his eyes fixed on vacancy,
until he reached The Lines. He wen,
into the house, and Mrs. Haye herself
was the frst person that he met,
She was half frightened when her eyes
fell upon his face; so unlike was Il 10
any face she had ever seen, 80 changed
by his great woe, she could hardly recov
nize 1t. She held out her hand 10 him
with commonplace words Of welcome. lie
i, did not hear them.
Come In here" he said; and, takiur
, her arm, he led her into the neares,
. room. "rell me-" he asked. did you
write thisY"
eyes, wrote it, Felix; It was wisest
kindest, best"
sand you say that Violet Is willing
that Violet knows about it?"
II wrote 1t with her express sanction >
she replied.
ut Is false! ! would not believe yor
II you swOre 1t! will not believe it
Heaven IL not so cruel"
) "There Is no cruelty in It," said Mrs
: Haye; ut is what must be done"
"Will you tell me why you have don,
, this cruel deed? What is your motivey'
) Because you cannot afford to marry
+, you must not burden yoursesf with 1
I wife"
"surely know best. can work. d,
3 work. ] would work night and day will
!. that one hope before me of making m!
: darling my wife. She loves me; sh,
r knows what trouble has come to u.s. sh,
= Is willing to wait u few months longer
= and then to share my lot"
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