Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-09-27
THERE was no doubt in Dorothy's

lore, were IN III proportion W 1hS sA@S
of their purse.
And though inwardly rebelhous, the
idea of sacrificing herself on the altar
of Mammon seemed to her as interest
ing as it was odd. But money could do
anythingl All the pinching little econ
omies that they had been compelled to
practice for years would vanish like
snow under MONDAY sun, and some
sense of independence be established.
But there is no getting over the bitter
fact that other thoughts, and, perhaps,
other hopes, had been crushed into the
background.
"All that is past and gone, though"
Dorothy told herself with stanch
sense of propriety, "and ! mustn't al
low myself to think too much about it,"
She passed her hand, little wearily,
through the brown hair that waved
back from her face, and leaned one ell
bow meditatively on the window sill.
thinking of the future she had laid out
for herself, and living over, in hun
dred ways, the past.
Then she thought Of Harry, and look
ing gloomily for an instant at the dia-
mond that sparkled on her finger, drew
it off, slowly, and with sigh laid it on
her lap. No, it had not been an en-
gagement, exactly-but-
There was all the difference in the
world now. Had he not, only the night
before, after all that had passed be
tween them, entirely ignored her and
carried Adelaide Hunt, bright, dash
ing brunette, to the SWEETEST hop of the
season, while she remained at home ?
That was all. But it was enough. So
that when Col. Eggerton, as usual,
called around, and, as usual, proposed,
she promised, in desperation, final an
swer on the morrow.
So that answered. acceptance-was
written and signed with a scrawl, and
laid on the library table to be posted
In one day everything had been
changed. 1t did not seem possible, yet
as she sat by the low vine-screened win
dow, a soft wind lazily lifting the loose
hair on her forehead, each event rose
up in lurid distinctness before her
mind.
Then a brilliant red famed over the
girls face, and faded off suddenly, as
tall, athletic young man came quickly
up the walk. AS Harry cambridge
stepped on the low veranda, she left her
seat by the window, and gave him heI
hand with a friendliness that ill-be-
tokened any inward agitation.
The shining regard that broke over
his face at sight of her, brought the
soft color to her cheeks. She smiled-s
little uneasily-and drew her hand out
of his.
evil you sit out here?" she said. I'll
is cool, and pleasant"
He bowed smiling assent and sank
into the empty chair next to hers.
"You did not expect me?" hi
queried, studying the girls face critic
ally. She was pretty-very pretty. a
tall, slim girl, with regular features
and expressive gray eyes.
81 knew you were here, and l came,
he went on. MAY tell you why?
want to ask you-to tell you how mucl
1 love you, and to ask you to marry me
if you will"
Dorothy flushed and turned away,
sort of desolation sweeping over her a
his words.
81 would rather you would not-no
say such things" she returned, nerv
ously, moving away from him.
"But l must" he continued, hal
smiling and trying to look into her face
at is my first opportunity to ask you
I did not feel that I had right to be
fore. But now, 1 am in fair position
to"
He paused for one moment to glanc
at her face, now turned to him, half
frightened, and with an earnestness al
most pathetic.
"You must not, you must not, in
deed" she chOked back little dry sot
at has all been mistake-a wretche
mistake" she went on brokenly, he
face pale with suppressed feeling.
She was staring past him, vacantly
at the wide green garden, now bri
liant with thousand perfumed bios
SONS, while, with hands cold and tren
bling, she took the ring from her la
and reaching toward him suddenly lai
the glistening thing on his knee.
He looked at her in dazed sort c
way, the happy light dying out of hi
face as his fingers closed mechanical
over the trinket.
why Dorothy-what's the matter
Won't you keep it?"
A look of keen disappointmer
crossed his features as he looked at he
81 would rather not" she returne,
her voice tremulous in spite of hersel
"You see"-twisting the end of hi
: SASH am going to marry some OF
! else, and"
i "Dorothy!"
He had risen and was leanir
against the banister rail, where
T could look her directly in the face, ar
IS where she, too, could see him. He hs
grown very pale, and with a deep
throb of pain than any he had y
known, waited in silence for her to S;
!, something, but she did not, and he wei
is on. never taking his eyes from her fac
J 81 came here to ask you to be II
% wife. feeling and believing that "
would give me the right to think OF al
, love you-always. Was 1 wrong"
& continued, his breath coming quick al
dry, "after all that has passed betwe'
= us-to hope?"
IL The girl looked up for an instant, b
=, the stern glea : that shot from h
companions eyes caused her to tn
away. Suddenly the thing that she b
" done rose, gigantic, before her, bia
.e with thousand nameless doubts. :
+ almost faltered; only strong sense
- propriety withheld her, and sting
memory of the night before sutficed
strengthen her resolution.
E. "Could you not easily console yo'
e. self with Miss Hunt? You seem
admire her very much" She spc
with some bitterness and her ii
hardened. The girls heart was mi