The Atlanta constitution., 1900-08-27
inr ont of the world, eh? Am L

| beinr ont of the world. eh? Am 1
| not right?"
| "I confess / think more of worid Oh
| people than a world of things. bu, an
| life is interesting. though mucn Oh I -
| sad"
| yours is not all sunshine?
"Whose is? But why do you think so:
Your brother is a stern ruler and not
| very sympathetic to you. oh' oee
| your pardon!'
| He turned to look at her and failed to
| catch the flowers she threw toward the
| basket.
You do John injustice. He is grave.
| perhaps a little stern. but he has known
much sorrow and he has acted a rather
| part toward me. He and my SISTER die
the only friends / have.
| "You might have much more tnan
friendship If you chose. You are the kind
| of girl one could love passionate!y ii
| you would permit 1t.
| Madeleine grew very white. but Kept
| herself steady by an effort of VIII NO
one ought to accept precious gifts II not
ready to give as generously.
"A sound doctrine, Miss Erie. but gem
| erous givsrs are often thankful for
crumbs in return"
| ''They are unwise. then Here. VIII
| you reach me those beautiful scarlet
blossoms, and then / shall have enough
| Certainly" He caught and held down
the branch of a Towering shrub unt!
she gathered many as she wanted.
THANK you very much. Now 1 have
| grand supply"
| do not go in yet" he said earnest
ly Come round by the other side Of
the garden. the view is lovely. But 1 am
| talking nonsense. / have something to
| he nd enough
to hear me-"
| Madeleines reply was to turn In the d.
rection Indicated.
"She Is uncommonly COOL" he thought.
with a tinge of annoyance, and he spoke
abruptly, little hoarsely.
You must be quite aware of my wish
| es" he began. 'You must know that
WELL that from the first hour / saw you
| I ceased to belong to myself. 1 never
was disposed to fall in love; I always
jeered at fellows who did. 1 suppose II
| judgment on me to catch the COM
plant as violently as l have. Pray hear
me. 1 have forced myself to keep ST.
| lence so long that the desire to pour
| out all I feel is Irresistible. Don't you
| think love like mine would teach me
how to make you happy? The idea of
being acceptable to you makes me faint
with rapturei Mine has not been n very
| happy or a very successful life. but III
all probability there is wealth and a high
position before me in the near future.
/ only care for either If / can share them
with you. Think of a home in England
| where you would be queen of all round
you, with a passionate lover in your hus-
band, who would only live to fulfill all
your wishes. Compare this with the
! iron guardianship of your brother, who
looks upon you as a burden"
| IF you love me, Mr.. Forester cried
| Madeleine. the tears gathering in her soft
blue eyes. "you would not wound mo
| with such cruel words.
| Eyes. they are cruel. but want you to
know how you stand. Why. when ask
ed him If L had his consent to ask you
! I'm marriage, he gave it most readily. es-
| pecially when he knew what my pros
| poets were. and when / mentioned that
i was a little uneasy about the good un-
| derstanding between you and North. ne
said that although he was naturally anx-
| iouS to see you settled and off his hands.
North was too doubtful character TO be
entertained for a moment as a suitor.
Especially as he never offered him
SELF" interrupted Madeleine with anima-
tion.
| How do you knCw?
Because the instinct which you sup
posed told me that you wished me to be
your wife told me he did not
81 have reason to believe that North
| is not i'll furnished in the matter of wives
already" said Forester with a sneer.
''In fact North may have broken every
commandment in the decalogue for all We
know. Here he has been knocking about
the colony and the native states for the
last eight or ten years. a man evidently
of high class. and not a soul knows a
| syllable about him. Believe me-
MIR. Forester. 1t is not fair of me 10
Lot chnxrr al
your hatred. l grieves me to cause you
any pain. but do not love you and even
If | consented to marry you l could not
make you happy. You would end by dts
| liking me. and I shudder at the picture
that rises before our future Hatred
seems to come more easily to you than
love. Yet you are a man that many a
| girl might be very Iond Of You VIII
| soon find some woman fairer and brighter
and more lovable than l am to make a
happy home for
But It is you l want. It is for you
| hunger and thirst and you 1 will have!'
| interrupted Forester with a degree of We
hemence which startled Madeleine. as he
| perceived. and he curbed himself by q
| determined effort.
81 humbly crave your pardon" he said
I'm an altered tone IF / lost my self
control you ought to forgive me for you
are yourself to blame. 1 will not tres
| pass on you again. but / will try TO win
your regards. your esteem. for the love
| of a creature like you can only be found
| ed on such rocks as these" But I'll see If
/ can't strike fire from them, too. he
thought.
MIR. Forester. believe me, you are
mistaken. Being away in this wild place
disposes you to think more of me than"
But breaking off with a sudden impulse
| There IS no use in talking. 1 don't think
| I ever could marry you. and you would be
| miserable If I did" Catching up her bas-
| ket Madeleine went off swiftly to the
| house.
(To Be Continued)
L (Nafarrh of the head fhrnat OF nnl,