The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-11-27
FRANK VAUGHANS
MISTAKE.

now. We are both poor, and I'm addi-
lion. am up to the collar-bone in
debt"
'.But-but you love me?' sho asked
timidly.
Love! Bah. What is love? A nom
Bensical caprice. Born today, dead to-
morrow. Perhaps I did love you once;
Ibut-wel, one can't live on sentiment.
We have both been wrong; you for low
ing me. and l for being foolish enough
90 encourage tt But. Edith, our clan
'destine courtship must cease from to-
night You are but the governess, you
know, while well, society expects
great things from me. You must see
how absurd a thought marriage is for
ns!"
Absurd" she murmured, scarcely
realizing that such levity and cruelty
were possible from the man to whom
she had confided her trust some months
before.
Yes. utterly absurd Now, be SEN
sible- Look at the matter in a reason
able light. l don't want to hurt your
feelings, you know, but you are aware
that your position in my uncle's house
would Of itself ridicule the idea Of mar
riage between us. OF course, you will
always have friend in me. shall al
ways be glad to advise, and"
Frank" she interrupted
Don't be hysterical, Edith. There's
really no need for any fuss, you know.
You are poor; so am l. But have a
position to maintain. You haven't.
Come, let us put an end to our foolish
ness There's George Markham, the
young clergyman, you know. He's head
over ears in love with you, and-and
you wouldn't have any difficulty with
him He'd make a good husband, and
all that sort of thing"
The poor deluded girl hung her
head in silence. Her breast heaved
unanimously as she endeavored to sup
press her emotion. She trembled in
every limb, and for a brief moment
the tears stood In her fine. blue eyes.
But Edith Malvern, this poor, friend
less little goVerness, had more philos-
OphY in her nature than the heartless
man walking by her side in his uncles
grounds gave her credit
This was a staggering blow to her
To have her hopes dashed to tho
ground, and her heart stabbed with
one sudden, unexpected lunge was tor
tUre in the extreme. But there was
that within her which enabled her to
hold her feelings in check. Such
words were concentrated cruelty and
bitterness. But they had unlocked and
opened a capacity within her heart
which she had previously been I'M
aware existed there. 1t was the power
to feel and to be thankful for what she
had escaped from. A man whose
opinions of love and of marriage-the
most sacred passion and bond in the
universe-were so absolutely debased.
must be worthless. To have been COM
PEELED to call such man husband"
would have been, to one Of her nature,
more fearful than this sudden shatter-
Ing Of her hopes. Had she discovered
his hateful, true inwardness after sac
ha dbeen irrevocabl yoked to him, heI
life would have been one prolonged
miser.
Calmly she withdrew her hand from
bis arm. Her grief seemed suddenly
assuaged. She paused by his side, and
looking steadily into his face, said:
at shall be as you wish. Yes, l have
been foolish. am, as you have said
poor, and of no account in the world
am parentless as we'll as penniless Il
1T would be-absurd to think Of mar
rfage. Let us forget the past-be al
though we had never met. Your words
have forever obliterated the past il
my mind I could not, l would not, BE-
your wife, though all the world urged
nc to it. But your debts, your posi-
ton! How are you going to extricatt
yourself from the one and maintaiZ
the other?"
Glow unsophisticated you are
Edith"
''But you do not surely intend t,
make marriage your emancipator?' sa
asked
lie smiled at her earnest, plying
semi-credulous look and then replied
well, perhaps such proposal seem
-a-peculiar to you; but, my dea
girl, look at things sensibly. There
Mary, for instance, my cousin. She
an heiress. I believe she-well, think
a great deal about me. You mus
have seen it, Edith. Now"
a But for PHYS sake, think Of wha
you are going TO do. Do not deceiv