Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-12-14
came too late or was prefaced by too

iating one. She would not see Hillary;
she would not see any one. She paced
her room by day and tossed upon her
bed by night. If the bell rang her
heart gave such leap that she could
not recover from the shock for minutes,
and if by any chance letter came she
grew quite i'll between the time she
! saw it in the servants hands and the
moment it reached her own.
| And, as has been said, the clock was
verging toward 0 on a Friday night.
Though Jenny has forbidden her maid,
Clairette, to bring her any card which
has not the name of Hamilton Degraw
upon it. the girl is standing in the door,
way with an inexplicable smile OH her
lips and small silver tray in her hand,
an which Jenny can family see gleam-
ing white bit Of pastebord. She tries
! to be calm, but she springs toward the
! girl. seiZcs the card, gives it one look
and becomes in an instant another
woman.
There is a peculiar look on Clarett's
| face, n hesitancy in her manner. but
Jenny Rogers observes neither. She
waves the girl from the room, then
calls her back to say:
"Remember. receive no other callers
tonight" and sends her forth again in
haste. The young heiresS dons an cX-
quisite robe of purest rose She is
happy, but she does not mean that he
| shall be happy too. No. she will give
him coldness for coldness; suspicion
for suspicion, and pride for pride. But
she Will look so beautiful and hide her
| joy under such an airy veil that he will
never go away again. nor leave her as
before to eat out her heart in pride and
desolation.
When she entered the narlor a tall
figure emerged from behind the cur
tain of window. She advanced with
4 downcast look but her cheeks We're
sulfusCd with bushes. He came for
ward, and as she slowly looked into his
face she saw that he was her bcncfac-
tor from Cleveland, and not her artist
lover, Hamilton Degraw
His manner was almost as agtatcd
as hers. lie took her hand and bowed
over it with an air such as she had
never seen in him before, and when she
had composed herself sufficiently to
awaken to the LuticG Cf & hcstess and
offer him a seat he took it with lin
gcring look at her youthful loveliness
that set her heart beating with new
! fears and possibly new hopes. for her
faith in her recreant lover was broken
and a violent resentment had taken its
place.
She broke the embarrassing silence.
She said that she had often wished to
thank him for the great benefits he had
heap6d upon her, but did not like to
write.
His answer startled her. lie spoke
about her position being changed by
| unsupported circumstances. and, fol-
lowing the impulses of his heart he of.
fered her his hand without any Of the
conditions rs those he made upon
! former occasion.
| He noticed her aStonishment
Il do not wonder ut your surprise"
said he. you ask. and rightly, what
:ouo have occurred to make such an
notion as this on my part pardonablc.
! will tell YOU in a word. After my re-
turn to Cleveland the lawyer friend
under whose invitation | visited Mr..
Delancy'S death bed. came to see me.
and asked if had determined upon the
woman who was to inherit that gentle
mans fortune. | told him that had,
Whcreupon he put some very plain
| questions, which elected answers that
undoubtedly betrayed my interest in
you, for he smiled rs he said:
"'1hen it will not be a trial for YOU
to fulfill Mr.. Dclancy's last request"
And what is that?' | asked
"'That YOU should marry the Girl
you thought worthy TO enjoy this for
| tune.
Miss Rogers. have never expressed
my feelings to YOU either in their depth
or persisiencv but you can imagine how
was affected. il YOU remember the
stand l took at the critical moment
before the signing of the deed. |
llSked that which it was my happiness
| TO -9ssnes. and all for an instinct Of
honor which these words proved to
have been founded upon Il mistake. |
would have vented my despair upon
the lawyer, but lie answered me that
Mr.. De.ancy had breathed this wish in
private, and requested that it should
iot be made known to me till | had
made my decision Though | have
never been far from you. l resisted my
Impulses to the extent of not showing
myself i'll your presence till time and
inquiry have assured me that my con-
rusions Were groundlcss anG that your
hand is quite free"
She looked up in fine scoln and her
eyes blazcd with more than her old
| fire.
quite free" she echoed. and with
the words she seemed to cast some.
thing away from her that was very
, precious.
He saw the gesture and seemed to
comprehend it. A softer look crcpt into
his face and he took place nearer her
side.
NO heart is without its burden"
said he. Il love you none the less that
your cheek is not quite as round. nor
your eyes quite as brilliant as of old.
, VIII you let that love be your COM
fort? Ii is fervent Miss Rogers, and
it is very deep and sincere. 1t has
never been frittered away or another.