Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-01-24
,traotion into which he had fallen

straction into which he had fallen
since Laura's disappearance.
lie went with his cousins one day
to spend the afternoon and evening
with friend living a few miles
from the city. There we're half
dozen other guests, and after sup
per a dance was proposed by the
hostess, who said that her little
daughters governess would play for
them, and left the room to request
her immediate attendance.
Geoffrey started violently as the
door opened moment later to ad
init the governess, and he saw that
it was his cousins widow who stood
before him. He sprang forward,
his face showing how glad he was
to see her, and taking her hand ex-
pressed ia no measured terms the
pleasure he feltip finding her again.
For moment Laura stood as il
turned to stone; then, with a grace
full Paw TO Godfrey, she moved
away, and took her seat at the pi.
ano, beginning at once to play
spirited waltz.
Emily Schroeder declined dane
ing, and, unseen BY Godfrey, who
stood by the piano talking earnest
iy to Laura, drew the hostess aside,
saying that she had something she
felt it her duty to tell her What
it was can readily be inferred, and
it resulted in Laura's dismissal
from her situation the following
day, Mrs. Oelorme simply saving
that she no longer needed bcr serv.
ices.
This abrupt termination Of an
engagement was unusual, aud Lau-
ra might we'll have objected, but
she was too proud to do 50, and did
not even ask any questions; for she
thoroughly understood bv whose
connivance she had lost her posi-
ton.
Thus it was that when Godfrey
called in the evening to see Mrs.
Delormo's gogerness he found her
gone, aud no one could tell him,
whittier.
He suspected that Emily had had
something to do with this second
disappearance, and, going TO his
cousin, he angrily accused her Of
maligning Laura to Mrs. Delorme,
aud let her know very plainly that
be considered her both meddlesome
and cruel.
Emily cried until her eyes were
red after be left the horse, and from
that day abandoned all hope Of ever
carrying ont her cherished plan Of
becoming Mrs. Fairfax.
II was in a crowded street car,
six months later. that Godfrey at
last met Laura again, and this time
she did not escape him. He ao-
mpanied her to her home, and
did not part with her until she had
reluctantly promised him an inter
view the following evening.
He spent many hours in think
ing how to convince Laura that she
ought to accept the property, but
be found that his preparation avail
ed him nothing, for she refused
even to listen to his arguments, end
said the subject Of the fortune must
remain forbidden one between
them.
At last in despair Godfrey told
her that the people said Harry must
have had good reasons for leaving
his fortune away from her, and
that she made no explanation Of his
singular will simply because she
he'd none to make that would not
compromise herself even more than
she had already done.
Laura gazed at Godfrey mo.
ment in utter Amusement. Evi.
IDENTIFY she had never thought her
husbands will had occasioned more
than a momentary surprise among
her relatives, or that it had led peo-
pie to think evil Of her. She passed
her hand across her eyes as il be-
wildered, and then her face became
crimson with anger and shame.
DO you dare say he left me so
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