The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-26

feeling that something had gone from
her. She had lost her strongest her
single arm. her beauty This seemed to,
have fallen from her. 1t seemed to count
FOR nothing at this time. There ID
time HAT comes as surely as death will
come III the life OF every beautiful wo-
mama time wherein she suddenly real
ICES how trivial h thing her beauty Is
how limited, how useless, how incffect-
uai!
Nillliccnt Cliyne made little appealing
movement towards Meredith, who re-
lentlcssly stepped back. 1t was the mag
lc Of love that filled Ills heart for Discard.
Had she @ronged my man In the world
but Guy Oscard, TINT little movement
full OF love and tenderness ana sweet
ontrltlon--might have saved her. But
1T was Oscard's heart that she had broken;
for broken they both knew 1t to be,
ana Jack Meredith stepped back from her
touch as from pollution. His superficial
lima gined love for her had been killed at
q Single blow. Her beauty was no moro
z to him Mt that moment than tho beauty
OF q picture.
'Oh, Jack!" she gasped; and had there
Deeil another woman In the room that
woman would llavel known that Mlllioent
loved him with tho love that comes once
only tx But men are not very ncute In +
ouch matters they either read wrong or
not at pll..
ut Is ali Il rnistnkc."'s she said breath.
lcssy looking from ono TO the other
4 "a most awkward mistake, y suggested
Meredith with Il cruel smile that finde
her vince
"Mr. Ogcnrd must have mistaken me all
together" the girl went on, yolubly adj
dressing herself to Meredith--sl1c wanted
nothing from Oscard II may have been
silly. perhaps. or merely ignorant and
blind How was to know that he meant
what he said z"
''How, indeed ?''a agreed Meredith. with
a grave bow. IL, 4 4
Besides, no has no business TO come
here bringing false ACCUSATIONS against
me. lie has no right--t LIS cruel and tn-
gentlcnanly. He cannot prove anything:
he cannot say that I ever distinctly gavn
.lliin to uidcrstand-er. anythIng-that I
eyer promised to BIO engaged. or anything
like that"
she turned upon oscard whose demean-
or was stolld, alnYFt dense. Fl looked
very largo and Amewhat difficult to
fnovc
"Hc las not ATTEMPTED to do SO YETI
suggested Jack. suavely, looking mt his
friend. IA III
II do not see that II is quite n qnes-
ton of proofs" said Cscard quietly. in
a voice that did not sound like his at
all ''We are moi in a court Of Justice.
where Indies like To scttlc these ducs-
lions now. n we were I could challenge
YOU to produce my letters. There is no
doubt OF my meaning in them.
There are also my poor contributions
.to-your collection" chimed in JACK
Meredith. "A comparison must have ben', Y
interesting 10 you, by the same mall n
presumably. under tho same postnark."
81 made no comparison. the girl cried,
dctiantly: there was no question Of
comparison,'
She said 1t shamclessly, and It hurt
Meredith moro than 1t hurt Guy Oscard,
for whom the sting was Intended.
"Compafison or no coil,...1rison." said
Jack Meredith. quickly, with the keen
ness OF good fencer who has been
touched. There can be no doubt OF tho
fact that you were engaged 10 us both
at the same time You told us both to
go out and make a fortune whercwth
to buy--yomr affections One can only
presume that the highest bidder-thc own
er OF tile largest fortnne-was TO be tho
happy man. Unfortunately we became
partners, and-7Euch was tho power OF
Your fascination--w made the fortune.
hut we share and share alike in that.
We are equal. 50 far az the-price is
concerned. The situation Is interesting
aud rather--amusins. II is your turn to
move. We wait your further Instructions
In considerable suspense"
She stared at him with bioodless lips.
She did not seem to understand what he
WAS saying. At last she spoke. Ignoring
Guy Oscards presence altogether.
considering that we are to be married
Tomorrow. do not think that you should
speak TO me like that" she said. with
strange concettra ted eagernesS.
Pardon ME. we are not going to DO
married Tomorrow"
Her brilliant teeth closed on her lower
lip with a snap, and she stood looking
at him. breathing SO hard that the sound
was almost a, sob
what do you mean7" she whispered.
hoarselS.
He raised his shoulders In polite sur
prise at her dulncss of comprehension.
GnIn tho unfortunate circumstances IN n
which you are placed" lie explained, 1T
seems to me that the least one can DO 10
to offer every assistance IN ones power.
Please consider me hors de concours. In
a word--I scratch. 81
She gaspcd like swimmer swimming
for life. She was lighting for that which
some deem dearer than life--namely, her
love. For It is not only the good women
who love. though these understand 1T best
and sec further into 1t,
"Then you can never have cared TOR
me-" she cried; "all that you have told
me''--and her eyes flashed trlumphantly
across Cscard---"al that you promised
and vowed was utterly false. II you turn
against me at the first word Of a man
who was carried away by his own vanity
into thinking things that he had no pusi-
ness to think"
II Guy oscrd was no great adept at
wordy warfare. he was at an events
strong in his reception Of punishment.
He stood upright and quiescent. netray-
ing by neither sign nor movement that
her words could hurt him.
II bog to suggest again said Jack,
that DISCARD has not yet
brought any accusations against you.
You have brought them all yourself,
.You are both cruel and cowardly,"
she exclaimed, suddenly descending to
yituperation, 1.-TWO to one. Two men
one defenceless girl,
OF course ( am not able to argue with
80, "a noursa Won can ret the best OF