The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-06

wan who came in then with Mr.. Camp
bell?"
The person to whom. the question
was addressed glanced across the re-
centjon hall and replied:
"pobert Gordon. He is the fellow
about whom the newspapers are say
,rg 90 much-the lobbyist from New
York who has succeeded in getting the
consolidated Telephone ordinances
through the Council. Handsome, isn't
hep
"Remarkably so. Still, on a closer
Wow, his expression is not entirely
,,easant. and l should say that he
hears marks of dissipation-not gross
u. but there is something that sug-
costs wine. women and song at I'M
bolv hours-or am l mistaken? Is that
pallor natural? e
woman standing near bent a. keen
Glance at the man as his name was
mentioned. and the slightest sugges-
+ion of a flush appeared on her cheeks.
II was the first time she had laid eyes
m him since the night she had Tilted
him for Frederick Markham. That was
70 wears ago. They were both young
obout Island had been sweethearts
from childhood. He was still In college,
2 brilliant boy and career predicted
for him. But the career was a long
wavs off and Gordon had little other
than expectations.
r,.oda,iclr Markham was rich and
well connected and ten years her SEN
ior. He offered her all the things so
dear to the girl just budding into So
Getty. and she had accepted him and
thrown Gordon over. She had not an
ticipated such a scene, however, as fol-
loved when she told him that she was
10 marry Markham. He accused her
bitterly of heartlessness and of deliber-
ately leading him on for the sake of
amusement. He swore that she had
ruined his life, and for the wreck that
would follow she was responsible by
every law of God and of man. He told
her that he would never again believe
in the sincerity of a human creature.
He would live, he declared, solely to
glatify his senses, and he wished her
much Joy in the sale she had made of
herself. 1t was the speech of a hot
headed, high-spirited, disappointed boy.
1t all came before her this night many
years later with startling vividness as
she looked at him across the reception
hall.
And it had eventuated much as he
had predicted. He had finished his
college course and studied law, while
plunging into extreme dissipation. His
HI cd i'm
through and he had settled in New
York, where. instead of devoting him
self to his profession, he had used his
brilliant qualities to forward all sorts
of questionable schemes. He had be-
come a very successful lobbyist.
He had never visited the home city
since his interview with the woman
until this time, when he-had come to
force through the City Council the
most audacious and notorious measure
that had ever been attempted in the
city. And he had succeeded and it was
whispered that he had secured a small
fortune for his work.
She was surprised at the great
change in the man, and still more sur
prised at the unchanged resemblance
to the ingenious, enthusiastic youth
she had known. He looked scarcely
gray hair, although the face had lost
its roundness and the cheeks were
white with pallor.
While all this flashed through her
mind Robert Gordon and Mr.. Campbell
were surrounded by merry party of
ladies' and gentlemen, to whom the
former was being presented. When
Mrs. Markham glanced toward the
party Gordon was being presented to
her daughter, a tall, handsome, viva
cious girl of IS. The mother noted the
look of startled recognition in his eyes
THE girl was perfect prototype of her
mother at the same age), and noted
also the slight flush in his pale cheek.
The mask of Indifference had vanished
from his face and he entered at once
into an animated conversation with
the girl. An expression of anxiety
came into the face of Mrs. Markham and
the shadow of a great apprehension
crossed her heart. Then she straight
ened herself haughtily and muttered to
herself: 4
What an idea. l must be going into
second childhood"
During the entire evening Gordon
monopolized Miss Markhams atten-
ton, and at the close handed her to
the carriage-all to the considerable
discontinue of her mother.
Robert Gordon did not return at once
10 New York as he had announced pre-
Viously. The weeks faded into months
and still he occupied the handsomest
suite at the Royal and hung over the
DAINTY hand of the, young heiress of
the Markham fortune. Mrs Markham
1retted and stewed, but her expostula-
uons fell on unheeding ears. The girl
ieit the strong attraction toward the
handsome man of the world ever felt
ny daughters toward the men who
nave been the unsuccessful suitors for
lheir mothers hands; and as for Mark