The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-06-01

THE UNDECEIVED LOVER
BY Helen Forrest Graves.

AM tired of this delay, Marion.
1 want the matter settled def
;rt+ol- ard nj apaap

i want Tue ludttcI oCttiSu oSA
initely, and at once!
"You are very unreasonable,
aunt" said Miss Delaney, Struggling
her shoulders petulantly. Things OF
this sort can't be hurried up in a mo-
ment."
"a momentw echoed Mrs. Gardener.
"Why, it's full three months since
Grey Pelham commenced visiting
your
''Set your heart at rest, aunt" said
Marion, with a glance of trium- b
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?"
: "Will you be satisfied if he proposes
In a week."
"Yes-but he will not"
"Leave him to me-" said the tall
beauty, imperiousiy. II am as i'm
patient as you are-but I know very
well that 1t will not do to show it,
"It is shockingly expensive" said
Mrs. Gardener. plaintively. when l
took the furnished house for six
months, I supposed you would be of
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 reiteration Of house
hold annoyances, aunt" said Marion,
impatiently. "You are supposed to be
a wealthy dowager. I, your heiress
niece. What sort Of society do you
think we could have commanded, If
people had known our real status?"
"Well. suppose you are right"
said Mrs. Gardener. disconsolately.
''but dear me, Marion. If this last
chance should fail"
at will not fail, aunt. Don't, I tell
you to set your heart at rest?"%.
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 a network of gilt
passion-vine leaves, and looked into
It's surface.
What lovely picture smiled back
upon her, flushed with the soft wine
tight of sunset. A tall, flexible figure,
full of unstudied grace; a 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 delicate GRIM
son glow on either cheek. and lips full
and scarlet as newly-ripened cherries,
while her lovely black eyes. large and
soft as velvet, gave a tender express
scion to the whole counteance.
EYES," murmured Marion Delaney.
half aloud, 81 have beauty-Grey Pei
nam 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 servant en-
tered, with a sealed missive In her
hand.
"A telegram, miss, just arrivedw
Marion caught it from the servants
hand and tore it open.
Miss Delaney" it read. "your faith
er Is much worse and more trouble
some to-day, and cannot continue to
take charge of him unless arrears are
paid up at once. If 1 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 q botherw she muttered to
herself, "but 1t is just like that spite
full old Darby to carry her senseless
threats into execution. I must get ten
dollars from Aunt Gardener to stop
her mouth with and the sooner the bet
ter. Perhaps l had best take the even
ing express down to Berksdale at
once"
She glanced at her tiny Geneva
watch.
Eyes, have time, but 1 ought not
to waste it 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, to a hard-faced
widow with heart like adamant and
sympathies dreid down to the merest
shreds.
Meanwhile Grey Pelham, Esquire,
In his elegant bachelor sanctum, was
preparing himself deliberately for an
evening call on his fair goddess. 1t
was a room whose adornment and dec
grafton bespoke not only wealth with
out stint or limit, but refined taste
and highly cultured appreciation. Elk
quisite little bronze groups glimmered
on carved brackets, statuettes OF ala
baster leaned from backgrounds of
ruby velvet paintings that an amateur
would have valued at their weight In
gold. opened the glow Of Neapolitan
skies and misty Swiss valleys to the
eye, and cabinets of rare canoes and
antique coins filed the recesses.
But the student and philosopher
were now merged in the enthusiastic
lover. Grey Pelham had lost his heart
to the mystic sparkles of Marion De
lancy's marvellous velvct-black eyes.
and Love was now the lord Of all"
according TO the orthodox burden of
song and story.
He was handsome, well-built man
of about thirty. with brown hair. deep
hazel eyes full Of grave absorbent
light. and features Nhicb. Il not strict