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

slider For myself, I care not. can
bear the revelation. But Mary--no.
she shall not be thus deceived Oh,
eonslderl"
There was a great deal Of consldcra-
ton IN Frank vaughan's nature. lie
was full Of e. But, unfortunately. Il
was all for himself. He did consider
Mary. truly, but not in the manner en-
Joined by the noble girl he had de-
ceiyed. He considered his cousin
heayen-sent blessing She was a good
match. With plenty Of money In her
own right from her deceased mother.
and as heiress TO her fathers great
accumulations, she was just the wife
for him. True. she was a tri1e slow,
but then, that would not matter. She
could follow the bent of her own in
clinations, and with her money, he
could do the same. On the whole.
Edith had taken things very calmly.
All! she was sensible. It would have
done no good to create any fuss, as he
had told her. He had certainly ex-
pectod her to shed a tear, because he
had thought she had given her heart
to him. But then, women's hearts are
very flexible things. In fact. women
themselves are. OF course, they don't
feel things like men do. Those who
write so glibly about broken hearts
don't understand the sex. He did. or
course, women may feel a touch of dis
appointed pride when their lover dis
cards them; but pain, oh, it's imposs'
Bile, ridiculous!
That was the cynical way in which
Frank Vaughans reasoning worked.
Not another thought of Edith He had
got out of a very difficult and delicate
affair somewhat easily. So far, so
good. No one was aware that there
had been anything between them. SO
much the better, Edith was not the
one to proclaim their-hirtation-
the housetops. And now? Well, now
for Mary, of course.
Things seemed to go very smoothly
with Mary. Frank found her even
more susceptible than he had imagined.
All, not much difficulty here. How
/ pleased she was with his attentions!
How she fingered over the pleasant,
artful phrases he whispered to her day
by day. How impressionable she was!
She would be ripe for a proposal in no
time.
And Edith! Poor girl, as the weeks
went by she noted the effect this man
was producing in his cousin. If love
was not already full grown in Mary,
1t was in embryo What should she
do? Edith boldly related all that had
passed between herself and Frank, and
detailed that final, cruel conversation
word for word, and Mary listened with
pity. She put her arms around Edith S
neck and kissed her in gratitude and
sympathy.
Two days afterward she and Frank
were alone in the grounds. Seated in
almost the same spot as Edith and he
had stood in when his chill words had
frozen her heart, Frank took Mary
hand in his, and, bending over her
told her of his love, and asked her to
become his wife. He was surprised
startled at her answer.
"Love!" she exclaimed, with a light
laugh. What is love? a nonsensical
caprice, born today-dead tomorrow
But not such love as mine, Mary
said he. do you not love me?"
Love you! Well, perhaps did
once, but-well, one can't live on SEN
timent, you know. Besides, you know
Frank, you-you are only briehess
lawyer, penniless and in debt, while
am an heiress, and society expects
great things from me-"
Surely, he had a recollection Of some
such words as these! Where had he
heard them? Where? Great heavens
These were the very words he had ut
tered to Edith.
but, Mary" ne continued, "say tina
you love me. Say that you will be NJ
wife. Once married to you, my dar
ling, my life shall be-"
Married" she exclaimed. ooh
Frank, you must see how absurd tn
thought of marriage between us is
Now do look at things sensibly, ant
please, oh, please, don't let us have an,
fuss, Of course you will always hav
a friend in me- shall always be gla
to advise"
But the summing up and verdict 0
this stern little judge was too much TO
Frank Vaughan. He was beside him
self, almost
A week later Edith Malvern overtoo
Frank in the grounds. He SCENE