Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-12-21

He directed her attention to one or
his pictures, which he called "Love's
Reality" and taking advantage of Mrs.
buttons considerate preoccupation
with the sketches she saw everywhere
displayed, he tenderly asked Jean
nette. "Can you guess who was my
model for that?"
Jenny's eyes met his, and he thought
he never saw her look more glowing.
MAY I guess that it is your future
wife," she whispered.
With difficulty he suppressed the i'm
pulse to clasp her then and there to
his heart But he pressed her hand.
which had somehow stolen toward his
own, and his face told all the rest.
"Oh my darling" he breathed.
"Would we were alone for one short
minute!'
1--WE are" she laughed. "Mrs. Dut.
ton Is very short-siGhted. and SO deaf
when she thinks 1t best to be that she
cannot really be looked upon as an in
truder. We can talk unrestrainedly
and that is a great privilege. for we
have much to say to each other, have
we not?"
"Much; we have to plan for life.
| Tine lie declared.
"And you have to explain why you
left me for three days lowering be.
tween hope and despair"
His face fell; shadow fitted dark
and threatening across his satisfaction.
He sighed and reluctantly admitted
that he had relied upon the judgment
| of friend who had conceived an in.
explicable distrust Of her. She felt as
| If an axe had been laid at the root Of
her happiness. She falteringly asked
who was this person. and when he an
swered "Mr Byrd" her eyes looked
wild and her speech sounded thick.
She pressed for an explanation of this
mans distrust. Her lover replied that
he did not know. He only told her
why he had not gone to her after her
loving revelation ut Miss Aspinwall's
reception.
II yielded to his earnest entreaties,"
, he said. "Mr. Byrd asked me to wait
q week until he could suhstautiate his
doubts. l see now that l did wrong.
I should have trusted you implicitly. I
withheld myself from you for three
days. Then my love triumphed.
went to him and told him l could not
and would not believe that you were
not all your sweet face promised, and
in n n
fact that you We're ready to give up
your great fortune to please my whlm.
He was overwhelmed. and confessed
that he had total misconception Of
Your character This was at 8 o'clock.
Jenny. At $50 was at your house.
There We're lights in the parlor, but
was not admitted
ut was through mistake" she MUIR
INJURED, with lowered head and brow
turned away. "I---" And there she
paused How could she go further?
How explain this situation? Besides,
she felt weak and shaken. That any
man should have distrusted her and
made her lover share her doubts, II
only for few days, was terrible to
her. She did not know how to hide her
agitation, nor how to keep back her
tears.
81 love you So" he said. forgetting
Mrs. buttons presence, which. indeed.
did not obtrude itself. "and my trust
Is so completely restored! can never
doubt you again, nor will ever in the
future listen to any ones words against
you. Jenny. Jenny! my queen! my
life! Look around, give me your hand,
breathe sweet forgiveness, and for
get"
At this juncture Miss Aspinwall en-
tered. and great was her astonishment
at the scene before her.
"Mr. Degraw! Jenny. I did not
think to find you here together" she
calculated, with pointed look.
Jenny seized hold Of small table
entrentlng glance upon her friend.
That friend did not see it, or failed
to understand it.
81 ktlyo-iust came from an interview
with Mr.. Degraw OF Cleveland, whom
l met unexpectedly at Tiffany's this
morning. Miss Aspinwall continued.
"Hc told me you had engaged yourself
to him. Jenny. and came here" Her
full sweet look at the artist told why.
But nobody saw that look. He and
jenny We're both absorbed In the one
wild glance each bad cast upon the
other at the utterance Of these fatal
words.
"What facts are these?" exclaimed
the artist, after one terrible moment.
"You have engaged yourself to my
| rival. and now come here
"Oh, / can explain It," interrupted
Jenny. II can explain it. He came
when I thought myself deserted, Of
fered his hand without conditions. and
, -and--I listened to him.
"And are you solemnly engaged to
marry himW sternly continued her
lover.
"Not now. not now; wrote to him
to-day, after heard from you. l could
not keep my word to him when I
found that you still loved me, and 1
| told him"
"What?"
| She did not answer She was sway
Ing like reed.
"What, Miss Rogers?"
! "Ah" Her cry rose from wounded
heart. She turned and fed toward
Mrs Dutton. "Take me home" she
cried. then suddenly tottered and
turned upon them with drawn and
frightened face. II have no home"
she moaned 81 sent the deed with my
letter; have neither home or friends"
Wills Was tnn much for Hilary and