The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-03-29
TAM tired Of this delay, Marion.
want the matter settled def
initely. and AT OnceW

this sort can't be hurried up in mo-
ment"
"A moment" echoed Mrs. Gardener.
"Why, it's full three months since
Grey Pelham commenced visiting
your
"Set your heart AT rest aunt sald
Marion, with n glance or trlum- u
shooting from beneath her dropping
blue-veined eyelids. IF ever man was
desperately in love, he is-the time OF
his bachelor freedom grows short"
"But, how short|
"Wfl you be satisfied If he proposes
In a week.
"Yes-but he will not"
Leave him TO me-" said the tall
beauty, imperiously. 81 am as i'm
patient as you are-but ] know very
well that 1t will not do to show it,"
1T is shockingly expensive" said
Mrs. Gardener, plaintively. "When
took the furnished house for six
months, supposed you would be on
my hands long before this-and the
servants bills, and the account for the
coupe, with the driver in white gloves,
and"
Spare me the relteration Of house
hold annoyances, aunt" said Marion,
impatlently. you are supposed 10 be
wealthy dowager !, your heiress
niece. What sort Of society do you
think we could have commanded, II
people had known our real statusF
"Well, l suppose you are right
said Mrs. Gardener, disconsolately,
"but dear me, Marion, If this last
chance should failTy-"
1T will not fail FauDt. Don't | tell
you to set your heart at restY'
Thus ended the colloquy between
aunt and niece, and Mrs. Gardener left
the room to attend the summons of
her cook.
Marion rose slowly, walked. with the
step OF a princess, to the full-length
mirror, framed in n network of gilt
passion-vine leaves, and looked into
Its surface.
What n lovely picture smiled back
upon her, flushed with the soft wine
tight OF sunset. A tall. flexible figure,
full of unstudied grace; small head,
royalty set upon the slender, snowy
throat, and crowned with braids Of
silken black hair, coiled round and
round in glossy profusion. Her com
plexion was rather dark, but fine
grained as satin with n delicate Grim
son glow on either cheek, and lips full
nd t.Iat q nnxulV- -rinnnn1 sbnrripG
while her lovely blacb eyes, large and
soft as velvet, gave tender express
scion to the whole counteance.
"Yes," murmured Marion Delaney,
half aloud, IL have beauty-Grey Pei
ham has rank and wealth. Are we not
evenly balanced? What right has he
to ask for moreT
The thoughts were yet fitting
through her brain. when n servant en-
tered, with q sealed misslve In her
hand
"a telegram. miss, just arrived
Marion caught II from the servants
hand and tore IL open.
Miss Delaney" it read, your faith
er is much worse and more trouble
some today, and | cannot continue TO
take charge of him unless arrears are
paid up at once. If | do not see you
soon ! shall bring him up to New York
and return him to your care.
SARAH DARBY"
Marion flushed scarlet, and bit her
lip until the small white pearls at
her teeth cleaned vindictively.
what botherr she muttered TO
herself. but it is just like that spite
full old Darby To carry her senseless
threats into execution. | must get ten
dollars from Aunt Gardener To stop
her mouth with and the sooner the bet
ter. Perhaps had best take the even
ing express down TO Berksdale at
once"
She glanced at her tiny Geneva
watch.
"Yes, I have time. but | ought not
90 waste il now, OF all times in the
world! One nights delay may cast
some chill across the glow of Grey
Pelham's love, but there is no alterna-
tive left me-"
And the evening express carried Miss
Delaney down to the obscure little vii
lage where her poor, crazed old father
was farmed out. at the least possible
rates of compensation. Co a hardfaccd
widow with heart like adamant and
sympathies dreid down To the mercst
shreds.
Meanwhile Grey Pelham. Esquire
In his elegant bachelor sanCtum. was
preparing himself elaborately for an
evening call on his fair goddess. II
was room whose adornment and dec.
Grafton bespoke not only wealth with
out stint or limit. but refined taste
and highly cultured appreciation. Ex
quisite little bronze groups glimmered
an carved brackets, statuettcs of ala
baster leaned from backgrounds oi
ruby velvet paintings that an amateur
would have valued at their weight n
gold. opened the glow Of Neapolitat
skies and misty Swiss valleys TO ih,
eye. and cabinets of rare canoes an,
antique coins filed the recesses.
But the student and philosophe
were now merged In the enthusiastic
lover. Grey Pelham had lost his hear
TO the mystic sparklcs OF Marion De
lancy's marvellous velvet black eyes
and Love was now the lord Of all.
according 20 the orthodox burden O
song and story.
He was n handsome. well-built ma
Of about thirty. with brown hair. dee
hazel eyes full Of grave absorbcr
light. and features which, II not stric