Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-06-06


man won,d-over head and ears-like
a plunge in the mysterious lake. and
all the world could hear the splash
and see the circles.
What was the girl lilSe?"
| He told me that she was beautiful.
He rhapsodiZed about flowers of
heaven. angels come down on earth.
and stars hanging somewhere midway.
The girl encouraged him in every way.
from what he told me as We smoked
cigarettes in the face of the lake.
II half he said was true. she showed
her love in hundred different WAYS.
There was no impeachment. He was
rich and would be great chief-what
We might call n lord one day. I
said to him again and again in primi-
tive language. Go in. and win He
said, Not yet. am not sure l think
she loves me. and yet l can hardly
believe 1t. 1t seems so great a thing.
And IL she refused me l should kill
myself. Then one day this man came
10 me with face as white as yonder
electric globe. and eyes that glittered
like the central light within. 1t was
all over. he said. She had had a Sec
ond string all the while-a great chief
whom will call the Sultan of Dol.
because it was not his name. She had
told him herself that she was engaged
to the Sultan of Dol. and the man was
raging mad. There We're scenes. dread
ful scenes. The lake was dangerously
| near-and he was killed-killed in an
absolutely mad enterprise. which
meant certain death to him and safety
to his command"
Louisa FELTON, turned on him sudden
~, her face full of emotion. What
was this mans name:' she said. and
her voice thrilled.
"Jack Marshman."
There was n silence between them.
Neither could see the others face very
well. why did You tell me this hor-
rible thing" cried Louisa FELTON,. with
sudden passion.
"Oh. 1t is an experience-far away
from us-in the unknown and beauti-
full islands. Besides. have not you,
too. had your previous states? May
you not have met that divinely beauti-
full girl. floating perchance in n canoe
on the great lake. bedecked with flow
ers and comraded by melody-and she
confided in you?"
What should she confide in me-"
why she preferred the Sultan of
Ool-three times her age-to that other.
whom l believe she really loved"
There was another silence. Then
suddenly the lady spoke. and her voice
was charged with intensity Of feel
ing
You have done bold and danger
Gus thing. and one which you might
regret IL you had come to the wrong
woman. AS 1t happens. you have
come to the right one. l will tell you.
1t matters nothing now. What he told
you was untrue. I never refused him.
for the good reason that he never pro-
posed to me. l did not tell him that l
was engaged to Lord
1.-THE Sultan OF DOL" interjected Ger
aid. gently.
Because 1 was not engaged to him.
and the engagement did not occur I'M
til after Jack had gone away in that
wonderful fashion"
"Yet he threw away his life simply
because he thought it true when the
engagement was announced"
- can't help that" she cried. THE
fact is that he was verv odd man.
and he behaved very crnclly and I'M
kindly. He made love to lie in every
way that a man could without actually
saying it. He made me love him, ard
he led me on to believe that he in
tended to propose: and then. when all
the place was talking about us, he
suddenly quarreled with me about a
trifie, went straight out of the ball
room. left the place the next day. and
never came back or gave sign"
What was the quarrel about?"
Absolutely nothing. But just think
of the dreadful position that l was
in-left the laughing-stock of the place.
the subject of every unkind tongue.
1t was then that my dear old friend.
Lord FELTON,, came to me. and asked
me to marry him. He told me most
Ldelicately that he had always loved
me, and that he knew that I could
not love him, but that he asked me to
be his wife in order that he might have
the right to protect me. Well, he
knew all, of course; but told him all.
and then I gladly accepted the refuge
he offered. The dearest. kindest soul.
There never was an unkind word be-
tween us to the day of his DEATH"
"But would you mind endeavoring
to recall what the quarrel was about?"