Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-03-29
PAYING THE
PRICE
ss.*s.s*.s.s s.s.''saF*s-'$'
BY MRS MONA RKIrs.

nOBERr HALLECK has returned.
n said Isabel Bremen from her coy
seat before the fire. where she sat.
lovely and idle, among group of busy
ladies. IL was the weekly meeting Of
'sThe Ladies' Aid Society" aud most
of the ladies in the little town of
Dune were assembled in Mrs. Bren-
ner's warm parlor that afternoon.
They all looked up with surprised eyes
at Isabels words, for Robert Halleek
had left Dune ten years before and no
one had heard of him since.
"And have you seen him?" asked one
of the ladies'.
"No, not l." laughed Isabel "But
father heard it down town just before
dinner"
Isabel Bremen was the lovelest girl
in all Dune, with ripping hair touched
into gold by every sunbeam that
CHANGED TO fall upon it, while her wide
gray eyes held all sorts of thrilling
lights and shadows, and her com
plexion was fresh and fair with the
9alest Of rose tints upon either round
ed cheek. TO the people of Dune she
was Synonymous with all that was fair
and bright, yet she was unspoiled, and
possessed a manner which inspired
neither envy nor hate.
perhaps his return has something
to do with Janet Wilson's absence this
afternoon" remarked Mrs. Bremen.
''She has not been absent for months
until to-day"
what would it matter TO poor old
Janet?" questioned Isabel.
"They were engaged TO be married
at the time he went away. Every one
supposes he Tilted her"
"Oh, then he is as old as Janetl
Why, she is gray, has been ever since
I / can remember"
"He is not so old my dear. That
was it. She must have been full %.
and he only boy of 10. No one pitied
| Janet much, because she should not
4 have encouraged him. \ woman of
/ her age should have known better"
Meantime, the subject of their con
/ versation sat alone in her little parlor
! looking with weary eyes into the
CRATE. where the fire had long since
| died out, leaving only colorless ashes.
! She was tall, slender woman, with
a fine olive complexion which alone
seemed to have retained the beauty Of
youth. Great masses of almost snowy
/ hair were gathered into knot at the
back of her well-shaped head. which
even in her detection was held some
what proudly while the heavy folds OF
her loose. dark gown swept about her
feet and lay in lusterless heap upon
the floor.
Mrs. Brenner had been right. Janet's
absence from the Aid Society was due
to Robert Halleck's sudden appear
ance in Dune. She had seen him get
of tie train at the station Robert
HallecS in the full vigor Of manhood
tall. dark. handsome, with eyes that
held her heaven and earth once-uo
so very long ago-and yet an eternity
to her.
She had felt the shock OF his return
like thunderbolt. dazing and be
wildering her for one brief moment
and then had come the realization that
{ ne ndN ItlHIHfh DIT Ia ne W nom size
had sought that she might in some
way repay him the desolation he hao
brought her. Dune said she had been
to blame, that she had lured a boy
only "A boy-who had wearied of hel
mature charms at last.
A scornful smile fiickered over hel
face at the thought. At % she haC
been beautiful in the rich. dark style
of her southern ancestors bsuutifu
with jet black hair, magnificent eN
and figure of perfect contour anS
grace. She knew. no one better, tina
the slender, dark-eyed boy whom Sd,
had loved without any effort of hers
to lure him; that be had come int,
her life OF his own free will, and gone
likewise, bearing away her wealth O
love.
She remembered how she ha
scorued herself for loving a boy; how
sorsly her pride had been Wounds
when she plighted her troth to hin
but she had loved him none the less