Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-09-14
ERCK COUNTY. ii, 1905. 25
ne. 1t will be my salvation and
Eours."
mysterious" he calculated.

lering, her form sWaylng to and rrO.
He felt like crying Eyes," just to
.alm her, but he thought her anxiety
exaggerated, her emotion one that he
'ught to restrain.
"You are moved" said he, "by what
Ir. Degraw's man has told you"
She shrank back. A look of incon-
eivable terror appeared in her eyes.
"Mr. Degraw's MANI" she repeated.
"Yes, / saw him talking to you yes.
erday. He has been talking to me
,ince. l know just what we have to
ear"
Her head fell; she stood picture
# abstraction before his eyes.
He, charmed by her beauty, hesitat-
lad fallen. What a dream 1t was to
)e standing here in sight of this lovely
'orm and the sweet down-cast face
whose charm was ever new and ever
captivating to him! What other face
VI form could ever compare with 1t in
Us eyes. and where. IL ha lost her,
:ould he hope to look for embodied
owe and poetry again? Nowhere.
Yet, as the word thrilled through his
consciousness, he found himself look
ne away and behind him to the open
)arlor door, where in the huge frame
,ormed by its lintels he saw Miss AS.
)inwall standing, with her gaze fixed
N his and an incXplicable smile OH her
ips! All, she is lovely, too, and he
,ound himself asking, as many a man
lad done before, why his heart should
laye yielded itself to one whose cap.
ices were a constant torture to him,
md not to the noble nature, open mind
and serene beauty of this finest speci.
nen of her sex There was no answer,
md with a sigh he looked back only
o hear the signorina murmur:
"And what did Mr.. Degraw's man
iay to your
only what should relieve your
mind" was his answer. "He is-well,
1e Is not our enemy, and nothing can
occur to us without his knowledge"
Her hand, which lay on the open
balustrade, tapped the wood impa.
:iently.
II wish I knew what plea would
serve" she cried. won't you take
rip to Now York just for week.
mo- he answered; "no, | shall stay
here, and If this Degraw, as he calls
himself, shows even so much as the
tip of his cloyen foot"
''Hark" she cried, drawing back as
If she would fly upstairs. HE is
coming now; l hear his voice on the
porch. You have undone us both.
can never recover my self-possession
sutticently-'
1T is not necessary. | am going to
meet him and unmask his pretensions
before this household | was going TO
wait, but l will not see you sacrificed.
Don't. dearest he pleaded, for she
had almost grasped his arm, II am
master of this situation and you will
soon see him sneak away abashed."
He leaped toward the door. He had
his eye on his rival, who was crossing
In" piazza to meet him, when Miss AS.
pnWall stepped forward and inter.
loscd her firm figure between him and
bis secret foe.
Read this she whispered. at Is
the letter from Mr.. Morris. 1t came
in the six o'clock mail"
She drew him into the parlor. She
thrust the paper into his hand. Mech.
anically he opened it; mechanically he
read 1t.
Dear Miss AspinwalI: Mr.. Hamilton
Degraw is a Wel-knoWn person in this
place. He is fine, intelligent and
conscientious gentleman, of irreproach-
able character and connections. This
wrote you before. In person, he is
all and imposing. and with his first
word he impresses himself upon you
Is gentleman. His hair is dark; his
yeS gray; and he wears large mus
ache. If you have any doubt as to
he person who presented my first let
2r being the gentleman he processes
o he. ask him the name of my little
)nc who was born three months ago.
# he says it is Frederika Holcomb, be
sure he is all right, for that is the
lane we settled to give her, on the
evening he spent with us before going
East. We have changed it since to
Dorothy, but that he cannot know,
"With regards to yourself, l remain
most respectfully yours,
"HERBERT NORRIS"
The artist re-folded the letter, gave
t back. and slowly sauntered out into
he hall. He was followed by Miss
Aspinwall, who, gliding by him, ap-
preached the newcomer with grave
cut courteous dignity.
"G0od-evening," said she, and began
/ conversation that naturally and with
'asc led up to the subject of Cleveland
md the people who live there. The
,rtist stood in the doorway, with his
,ack to them; but he heard every
word, and showed to those who thought
t worth their while to watch him, a
.ountenance of growing pncertain:J,
Is the strangers answers came quick
and without embarrassment, even
when the Morris family was discussed.
1t last he moved to hide his agitatlon;
le crucial question had been put in
hese words:
"NIr. Morris has little infant, be.
ieve. Do you know what name they
lave given it, Mr. Degraw|
The answer was direct and unhesi.
ating:
"They have called her Frederka. At
cast, that was the name decided upon
IN the last evening / spent with
hem"
"Thank you" was Miss Aspinwalrs
.esponse. II have been wanting to