The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-15

Sybi1 "You know how I have been
brought up. I cannot live in any other
atmosphere. Papa grows poorer every
year. Chichester has enormous wealth
as well as the title. You cannot give me
the luxuries to which 1 have always been
accustomed. You must forgive me for
encouraging you. 1t was all pretty
dream. Life is a reality
He looked at her standing there, bah
bling platitudes, while his heart was
breaking. A mist came over his eyes.
He had lost her-this pretty society doll.
whom he had believed was a woman with
heart and soul. How he had been
deceived!
He said nothing, but walked slowly and
with an effort to the door. Sybil frou-
froued after him. Jack" she muir
INJURED, tell me you forgive me-"
He turned and looked at heroine long,
last, devouring glance. Then he crushed
her in his arms. velvet, ermine roses. all.
go on your way of triumph and dis
tinction he hoarsely whispered, but
remember it is over a broken heart Yes,
1 forgive you'll love you'll despise-''
He was gone.
Sybll stood for a moment looking down
at the fading roses he had crushed IN
that fierce farewell. Then she slowly re-
traced her steps to her chamber One
looking therein might have beheld the
future Duchess of Chichester lying inert
like lovely broken rose, prone upon her
couch and sobbing out her pretty eyes.
DR.. John Russell set himself manfully
and resolutely to forget the girl who had
ruined his life. He plunged into work
with an Intensity he did not know he
possessed. He was assistant surgeon in
one of the big hospitals and had, more
over, an excellent practice. Not content
with all this occupation he worked
among the poor and the unfortunate in
the byways of the great town.
Now and then he caught rumo1 of
Syb1 She was never so brilliant and
triumphant. She had snatched the prize
of the season from the grasp of all the
other ambitious maids of her set. The
rousseau was preparing. Fashionable
society was agog over the preparations
for her wedding. Her exquisite gowns
and hats were photographed and de-
scribed in all the fashion papers.
Dr. John looked at these reproductions
of her furbelows with cynical eyes ITS
all for the BEST he murmured with his
lips, II could never have supported such
luxury and extravaganza" but his sore
heart cried out for the gay, capricious
beauty he had loved for so many wears
ever since they had played together as
children.
Sybil was to be transformed into a.
duchess just after Christmas. Dr. John
received his invitation one cold, snowy
morning, and savagely cursed and tore
it into pieces.
Il shall not co." he swore to himself
"she shall not have the satisfaction of
seeing my face as she comes down the
aisle on the arm of that beast OH If
he had been decent chap could better
have endured it. But to sell herself to
that scoundrel-" Then he finished with
words that would not look pretty in
print.
The night before Christmas The ground
was covered with snow, that spar killed.
with million jewels under the moon The
streets were crowded with merry,
happy-go-lucky, jostling throng. Among
these belated shoppers and sightseers
STROBE DR.. John with gloomy face and
saddened eyes Christmas brought no
joy to him. Over and over he said to
himself, only three days more, only
three days more"
He wondered DULY how he should feel
when all hope had departed and his
American beauty had been borne home
across seas
DR.. John was on hurry call. A small,
tattered boy had rung his bell and given
the message that "Flossie is very bad,
she thinks she's dyin' and would the doc
tor come once more"
Flossie was a poor wreck of a girl,
worn out by disease and dissipation. The