The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-01-01
Dick was rather taken back.

Dick was rather taken back.
"But,' he began" 81 say mean
that is"
"You must" his visitor interrupted,
a fame of pent-up passion leaping sud
denly into his dark eyes. "You must
give me back that promise. If you
don't Ill"
"My good chap" Dick SAID quietly
II don't understand you the least bit
in the world. I've never seen you in
my life; never even heard of you till
five minutes ago. As for you having
given me a promise, why the thing is
absurd
"Do you mean it?' asked the other.
"Is that the truth-in Heavens name. "
Dick nodded his head emphatically.
"Yes," be answered. 81 mean it.
That's the truth-in Heavens name.
The other man stared at him in
silence foa a moment; then he sworc a
savage oath between his teeth, and bis
hands clinched.
"Well," said Dick, "have you any.
thing to say? Are you going to ex.
plain matters?'
Trevor looked at Dick with a new
expression on his -haggard face. Such
strange expression. puzzled Dick
and made him feel vaguely uneasy.
$50 you don't know" be said.
NO." said Dick, II don't know
what you're driving at, if that's what
you mean. Perhaps you'll tell me"
you're engaged" said Trevor slow
ly, "to Violet Vandeleur, and she hap
pens to be the woman l love, and-the
woman who loves me-"
Dick turned suddenly white, and bis
good-tempered mouth set itself in very
uncompromising lines.
"What's that?" be asked sharply.
you've been fooled" said Trevor
"and Violet has been fooled, too
We've all been fooled"
Dick drew long deep breath, and
his eyes lightened dangerously, but be
said nothing.
"It's bad business" Trevor wen,
on, land l wish Mrs. Vandeleur was
here now that might tell her a few
home truths
"Tell me what you mean,' said
Dick hoarsely. Don't beat about the
bush. For Gods sake let me hear the
whole story"
"It's like this," answered Trevor;
"I've only got five hundred year to
call my own, and, of course, Mrs. Van.
deleur wouldn't look at me. Violet
would have married me and I would
have worked for her, and I'll venture
to say we would have been happier to-
gether than great many people are
on five thousand; but she was bound
to marry a man who could and would
pay her mothers debts. It was the
old story you know. A selfish, calcu-
lating, worldly woman on the one hand
and generous, impulsive, innocent
girl on the other. Mrs. Vandeleur
explained things to Violet in her own
way, and-and there was nothing for
it but to say good by and try to live
our lives without one another. You
turned up in the course of time, and
you were able and willing to do all
that Mrs. Vandeleur wanted you to do
and so-well, that's all about It,"
Not quite ALL" said Dick between
bis teeth. How about my being kept
in the dark, and the promise that you
raved about when you first came ing
Cecil Trevor smiled bitterly. "If
you've been kept in the dark it isn't
my fault or Violet's. She was so mis-
erable when she found out how things
were, that she didn't much care what
happened to her, and when Mrs. Van
deleur told her she was to marry you
she hardly said word. The only
thing she bargained for was that Mrs.
Vandeleur should tell you the whole
truth, and that she swore she had
DONE"
"She never said word to me" cried
Dick.
"She's clever woman, is Mrs. Van
deleur-a long sight too clever,' re-
piled Trevor. "She told Violet that
you knew everything, and that you
still wanted to marry her, in spite of
the fact that she didn't love. you and
did love some one else, and that the
only condition that ycu made was that
| should promise never to speak to
her again. OF course | promised.
What else could do? And I've kept
it-but IN off to Am rica tomorrow.
I'm going to begin new life in a new
country, and l don't suppose shall