Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-11-17

U1He. IL ever you regret 1t DO not
blame me. With you I could Tor think
| COULD have faced poverty and shelly
ing. Without you don't mean to put
up with either if I can help it-Yours
as in the past.
MAX MELTON.
By one of the unwritten and incom-
prehensible mandates of fashion that
live for season and vanish into space,
the pocket of Lady Doom's ethereal
CONNECTION was on the left side. and
her disengaged hand clutched the letter
that lay in it as she poured out her
husbands tea. The paper crinkled and
cracked OminOusly. But her gentle,
languid movements were as composed.
her sweet, musical voice as low and
delicately modulated as ever as she
asked:
"Have you thought over what we
were talking about last night, Sam?'.
Il have thought Of little else dar-
ling he answered uneasily. tYou
know how much would do to please
you, and what pleasure it would be
for me to do it, but you see, dear, this
is-er-an official matter. If I have
to say no to you it will be from sense
OF duty. You see how I am. placed. .
With great care and deliberation
Lady Doom selected a lump Of sugar
and held it aloft in the tongs. Her ell
DOW rested on the table, shaming the
! cloth by it's whiteness, and the lace
sleeve falling back displayed her per-
fectly formed wrist, with it's network
| of blue veins on the warm surface.
From fingertip to shoulder the arm
was perfect, and she knew it.
"One or two?" she asked, smilingly.
II can never remember"
"0h! either, thanks; it doesn't mat
| ter" answered the general absently
| The effort he was making to say what
| was Oh his mind was great, and he felt
! inclined to rush it and get it over. He
resumed, speaking rapidly.
LAS l was saying, dear, you won't
mind, will you, if have to go against
| your wish? 1t is the first time. /
know, that you have ever asked for
anything (this was hardly accurate,
! but even a Commander in Chief is
| sometimes inaccurate when flustered),
land, of course, if it were possible. I
should like-I mean-I hope you won't
! think"
II shall think you are doing abso-
lutely right, dear, whatever course you
adopt" she replied. II am sorry,
| though, that you don't like Colonel
Max Melton she added musingly.
HE has always been a great friend
| or mine, and in long ago days, when 1
was a girl I prided myself on having
none but nice friends. You were one
| of them, you knoww
Sir Sampson beamed.
"You little 1atterer,'' he said. ssBut
you mustn't think I have anything
against Max Melton personally. He is
a smart officer, and, as far as I know.
a good fellow. A trif1e ambitious per-
| haps, but that is a fault on the right
| side, after all. But"
A wave of Comics slender fingers
swept through his explanation and an
expression Of almost austere virtue
gathered on her brow and straightened
her red lips. She shook her head in
| credulously.
You are very kind, dear, but I
! know you too we'll to believe for a
moment that you would say a word
against an officer without good reason
even to me. Of course. l do not ask
what it is, though I have heard ru-
mors which have never hitherto be-
lieved. But now I see that there is
something.''
"Rumors" calculated Sir Sampson.
aghast. What rumors? have heard
| nothing
"Oh, 1 couldn't tell you. II you
haven't heard it wouldn't be fair. Of
course, every one will believe them
now; but that is nothing. 1 would al
ways go by your opinion blindfold
VI course, shall let Colonel Max Mel
ton see that he has forfeited nv friend
ship. He may resent my attitude. but
l can't help that. I could never he
civil to man you don't think well Of !"
Sir Sampson fdgeted uncomfortablv
But don't disapprove of Max Mel
ton, my love. He has very many good
! points. He has seen lot of serv;oo