The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-07-27
She Tried to Be True.
But Found 1t Difficult 10 Keep Her
Promise Since She Loved
Another.
o.o~o"o~o~c

l S'esO's'S's'O-'S~
| Although the little village of Olden
was beginning to look bright with the
green of early spring. down here by the
| cove all WAS Sray-sand, rocks, sky. even
| the water had the same dreary tint-not
| CLEAN of other color, except that Of the
| crimson shawl which the girl. sitting on Il
| ledge of rock had wrapped around her.
Laurence Dare. coming along the road
| which ran above the beach. saw the
| patch of red and paused.
THAT is Monica" he muttcred.
He made few long strides and
| stood beside her.
"Monica.'' he said softly.
The girl turned her head with Quick
| movement.
"Oh, Laurence"
There was II displcased tone in hel
voice and her brOws came together in Il
| frown as she regarded him.
Monica, You are cruel"
The girl made no answer.
| Monica. last summer you gave me
| d faint hope that in time you would listen
| to me. What have you to say to me
now"
She turned around to him, her eyes
| full of tears.
II was wrong to let you think you
| might hope, Laurence, for / cant do as
you wish. Don't you understand? Ii
seems wrong for me to listen to you
| Think; belong to Allen. l was to have
| been his wife. He was always talking
| of Cousin Laurence. You seemed Cousin
Laurence to me too. Don't you see?
belong to Allen. can't marry YOU"
But Allen is not
She interrupted him quickly.
Hush. We don't know; he must he
| living"
Monica" he said, with great gentle
ness of voice, think! 1t is four years
| He was to have returned in ten months.
Il must be faithful TO him."
Dare flushed. This is nonsense. Mon
| ica." he said half angrily. III Allen is
living" he went on, why have we nol
| heard from him all these years? Ar.
| you going to waste your life in this little
| village and give up all chance of happi
| ness for 4 fanciful idea of being bound
| to him? And think of ME. have loved
you so long. Come to me. ! shall love
| you so much that you must love me In
| return. Come, | swear that You shall
never regret it. Monica"
81 can't. Laurence"
"Will you spoil both of our lives"
ST must not listen, Laurence. ! wish
| that you did not care for me-"
| Il can't help caring for you. l think
have loved you since the first day ! saw
you, and now that you are free
Il am not free"
"Monca. liSten!'
She stood up. 81 must not. Laurence
Try to forget ME. | am going home. Dc
| not come"
And before he could stop her she had
| darted away.
She went along swiftly until she knew
| that she was out of view from the cove
Her thoughts were in a whirl. Why
should she not yield? She knew that her
happiness would be secure with this
| strong. tender man. How little he guess
| ed her struggle To resist his pleading
| He thought she did not care. In the old
| days she had compared Allen with him
and always to the formers disadvantage
| For after the first glamour of their en-
gagement she had seen the Shallowness
| and seltishness of Aliens nature. and in
the close relations into which through
| her engagement she was brought with
| Aliens cousin Laurence she had recOg.
| niZed the strong and noble character OF
| the latter.
And these last years how the tender.
ness of his nature had shown out. What
care he had given to Aliens desolatC
| mother. He had almost filled the place
| of her son. Still ut first her feeling for
him had been only n strong admiration
| In spite of her recognition Of Aliens
| weak nature. the fascination of his glance
| and soft voice had held her n captive
But now. When Allen had gone west
| on the prospecting tour. which was to
| occupy ton months. she had promised
to be ready to marry him upon his re-.
| turn. But the ten months had passed
and other months had grown into years
| and he had not returned. They had nc
news Of him after that last letter, writ
| ten seven months from his departure
| Laurence had employed every means at
| his command to find some trace of him
| but in vain. He appeared to have van.
ished utterly. The only reasonable solu.
| ton of the mystery was that he was
| dead. His mother believed it. but Moni
| ca did not She could not. She had
| promised to wait for him. She dared
| not break that promise. Allen had loved
| hers She muSt-Shr would-be faithful.
| She would not yield to Laurence!
L 1HIp ulN n'l dSHIu Stt .hOulSuy- az
| though at each visit he made his aunt
| during the spring he called at the parson.
| age. Blu; Monica had always been out
! The minister and his wife received him
| most cordially. They would gladly have
seen their daughter his wife.
One day in June Monica was returning
home from a walk down to the cove. Her
way was in the neighborhood Of Aliens
mothers. AS it WIS still early in the
afternoon she decided to 70 and pay her
call. She had not gone to see her often
| of late through fear Of meeting Lau,
renee.
She felt that she would run no risk OF
| meeting him this afternoon, he having
| visited his aunt the previous week. On
l reaching the house she found the hall
| door open. She knocked lightly and
4 without waiting for a response walked
| into the little paror, where she knew
| Mrs. Dare was in the habit Of sitting.
| But at the threshold Monica paused
for there stood Laurence by the window.
| an open letter in his hund. His aunt
| sat near him. apparently In q state Of
I great excitement.
| As she saw Monica she cried out:
! "He lives. Monica! He lives! Ny boy
lives! My own Allen is living! Come
| In and hear the letter,'
| Then she fell to weeping and repeating
| over and over, "Ay boy is living"
Monica looked from her to Dare In be,
| wilderment. She had turned very white,
| Laurence went up to her and drew her
| to chair. He, too, was pale.
as it trueT" gasped Monica ut length.
"Yes." But he did not look ut her.
| "When?
81 received the letter this morning and
| came down by the first train"
"IIc is well:"
"Ycs."
"Where is he? don't understand"
"In California"
Monica looked at him confusedly.
"Why-why haven't but l have
| been out all afternoon. / suppose that
shall find letter at home"
| Dare did not reply. His aunt was still
crying. She now looked UP at Laurence.
Finish the letter, Laurence. Listen.
Monica; our Allen is still living"
Dare had folded the letter and was
putting it into his pocket.
There is little more of Importance,
dear aunt"
but Monica must hear it. Laurence.
Monica. dear child, we'll be happy now.
Read the letter for her, Laurence"
My dear aunt. you must try to calm
yourself or you will he ILL.,"
Monica WAS puzzled by Darc's evident
desire not to read the letter to her. She
went over to Mrs. Dare and embraced
her.
Laurence is right; you must try to he
caIrl dear Mrs D1rpo