Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-08-12
dalton of any woman save herself?

| was too late to begin now.
Miss Wyman went UP to her own
| apartments earlier than usual that
| evening. not because she was partieu-
| larly weary, but because she wanted to
| punish Paul Fordham. who was fond of
moonlight and sentiment and delicious
July evenings, for his unwarrantable
| notice of her aunt's dark-eyed COM
panion.
AS she sat at her window, brushing
out the wavy, feathery gold OF her
magnificent hair, the sound of voices on
| the piazza below arrested her atten-
| ton. She listened moment. holding
| the golden masses away from her head,
with her scarlet lips half apart. 1t was
| Paul FordhaIn and Zaidee Raymond.
Il thought so, she murmured, under
| her breath. 1T would be no bad spec
uIation for the poverty-stricken widow
| to vile Paul Fordham and his wealth
into her nets. l knew she was artful,
| despite her innocent childish ways;
but if she dare come into collision with
me she shall be crushed-crushed as
would strike a noisome insect to the
/ ground
She sat there silent and motionless,
for we'll night half an hour; then there
came soft tap at her chamber door.
Come in, said Bertha Wyman.
And Mrs. Raymond entered.
Il beg your pardon for disturbing
you, Miss Wyman, but were you aware
that you had left your bracelet on the
| piazza floor? Here it is
1T takes you and Mr.. Fordham some
time to discover the loss of a bracelet, .
said Bertha, tauntingly. Il am really
sorry TO have given you the trouble of
! so heightened a search"
Zaidee Raymond's cheeks flushed
painfully.
If you would but allow me to con-
fide in you, Miss Wyman," she faltered
drawing a step or two nearer to the
naughty Saxon beauty. Mr.. Fordham
| has told me-"
Il do not wish to become the Teposi-
tory of your confidence" said Bertha,
with chilling abruptness; nor DO /
care what Mr. Fordham chooses to tell
you. Goodnight" And she motioned
| Mrs. Raymond imperatively from her
| presence.
| Il should have struck her in anoth-
er second" she murmured to herself,
| tearing the tiny lace frill away from
| her throbbing throat as if its slight
pressure impeded her free respiration
Il have seen the nurses shrink away
from me, as a child, when my temper
rose. There was murder in my eyes
they said. think murder came into
| my heart when | stood there facing
that treacheroHs, black-eyed woman.
Let her beware how she ventures to
come between me and mine!"
Unconscious Paul Fordham, If he
could only have known, as he paced UP
and down the dewy lawn, smoking his
| cigar, the thoughts that were passing
| through the mind of his lovely be-
| trothed,
Bertha" he said, the next afternoon,
as they stood together by the great,
| spicy sweetbrier bush, do you know |
had quite a chat with Mrs. Raymond
last night?"
Il am aware Of It," answered Bertha,
indifferently, STOPPING to gather a
| scented spray.
And, by Jove, Bertha, the little crea-
ture has had the most romantic life,
| To-
Il dare say" said Bertha, turning
abruptly away. The breeze is too
strong out here. l think would rather
go back to the library"
Paul stared at his companion in utter
bewilderment.
Il suppose that means she doesn't
wait W TALK aHy AOIe ABOUT Ldiuee
| Raymond. Well, of all incomprehensi-
BILE creatures, a woman is the most in
| mprehensible, They're leagues and
| leagues beyond my penetration, the
| whole race OF them. / supposed she
would be interested; and here she snaps
| my head off before | get out a dozen
wards"
And Paul followed Bertha to the II
brary, confused, and not altogether
pleased at the arbitrary decisiveness OF
| the beautiful blonde.
1t was about a week afterward that
| Bertha Wyman was coming home from
a long walk to a distant farmhouse,
where an old schoolmate OF hers re-
sided. She had refused Paul Ford
| hams escort, probably because she
| had seen him walking up and down
| the long hall with Mrs. Raymond at
| his side, that very morning; and now
she felt little wearied, somewhat
| lonelye and very cross. The sun had
| been down about half an hour, but the
| west was still illuminated with a belt
Of orange brightness, and the winding
river, tangled along the shore with
/ starry water lilies, reflected the warm