Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-12-21
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
JFANNETTE AND VIRGINIA.

Jenny Rogers realized all that she
lad ieOpardized by her sudden engage
ment, but was not disposed to submit
to the consequences of her folly with.
out struggle. Since the artist still
loved her, she would meet that love
and hail the return, whatever 1t might
might cost the man who had taken ad.
vantage of her momentary weakness
to bind her to himself To break away
from the man who held her troth. that
she might fly TO the man who held her
heart, was all her hope, all her pur.
pose. TO insure fulfillment to this
hope and to make certainty Of this pur.
pose, she sat down after breakfast to
write her betrothed letter.
But when she came to take the pen
in her hand, she trembled. All, this
was not so easy task after all! If she
had recoiled at times from giving up
the millions that had come to her in so
wonderful q way. how much more rea.
son had she for recoiling from an act
that not only meant the sacrifice of her
fortune, but the betrayal Of a secret
that involved her honor and every
claim to happiness which she pos.
sessed. do not think she could have
proceeded with her confessions II
Clairette had not brought her at this
critical moment letter, which gave
her the impetus necessary tc carry
through her project. 1t was from the
artist and ran thus:
'My Best Beloved-You have refused
to see me. Is this because l have
come too late? Darling, had my ex-
cuses. l will explain them to you if
you will give me the opportunity. Do
not Judge me without knowing the
facts for whatever Indifference l may
have shown you, here avow that my
heart has been beating with yours
throb for thrOb, ever since the mo-
ment you drew my eyes to yours, and
made me see that you were willing
to give up all the world for the devotion
of your artist lover.
"HAMILTON DEGRAW."
Such words, coming at this moment,
made her path plain before her, or so
the desperate child thought. A fiery
ardOr of devotion awOke within her,
end though her trembling was not les
sened and her cheeks took on the hue
Of fear. she seized the empty sheets
before her. and transcribed the burn
ing words which she knew would eff
fectually sever all connection between
herself and her i1ue-hearted benefac-
tor. 1t was noon when her letter was
completed and her feverish eyes and
pallid lips evinced what the task had
been to her. But she gave no evil
dences of flinching, and folded up the
letter and addressed it to Hamilton
Degraw. Esq, with unyielding deter.
mination. Only when it came to her
taking from q certain secret drawer the
deed and various papers upon which
her fortune depended. did she show
any signs Of weakening. And then
rot because Of ary secret -lopgings
toward the wealth represented by these
various documents. but because she did
not feel quite assured that she had
said all that was necessary, in her
long but not exhaustive letter. She
had told her secret and repudiated the
Delaney legacy, but she had not named
her successor. Should she? Had she
the right? No; but 1t would be so
pleasant to think that the dear little
school teacher who had every virtue
/ and every charm save that of an un-
Mailing gait. should reap the benefits
lat were no longer hers. As she
kught Of 1t. she took a resolution.
would visit this lady and see for