Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1906-08-10
CHAPTER XIV.
Continued.


ment was put in the newspapers, and.
for reasons that you can understand.
did not care about writing to my
friends, although to you. perhaps, a
letter would have been easter than to
most people. All. Mrs. Chester" she
runs on. with the frank self-absorption,
the unaffected egotlsm that renders the
society OF newly married persons so
dismal to the rest Of human kind, do
you recollect conversation we had in
your own room-all roses, and white
dimity. and full OF the smell of sea
weed, that last evening l was at Fief-
de-la-Reine:'
Yes, Daphne remembers the cOnver-
sation accurately, word for word.
Il don't mind confessing that | felt
the least. just the very least. degree
bitter against you that evening"
"Bitter-against meT'
"You seemed so coptented with the
world and the world with you. and my
own spirit so heavy. and-well. If the
truth be told, it did appear to me.
weighing our lots. one against the 9th.
er. that had some email reason to
feel jealous"
So Aunt Hosie was right. Human ma.
ture remains the same always Glenn
entina's love for severne. 'lukewarm
though it may have been. contained
just sufficient vitality to admit OF that
old-fashioned sentiment, jealousy
II recollect one thing with great
clearness: that prophesied your hap
piness." says Daphne. a little con
science stricken.
And how you extolled Sir joint
Well. looking at his character now with
unprejudlced eyes. can say, honestly
and dispasslonately. that think be
deserved every word Of your euiogies:
can. indeed, poor fellowr'
Up springs the blood into Daphne
Chester's face. Something in Clemen-
tina's Multiplying tone wounds her to
the quick. As though she had a right
to feel wounded. to take any lingering
interest whatsoever, either in Sir John
Severne or in his wife's estimate of
himl
"0nly his merits were not made for
me. There was the pity Of it. The fact
was. we became engaged much too
young. felt It instinctively that first
moment when we met again. don't
you remember, Mrs. Chester, how Felix
and l broke in upon a little sketching
lesson Sir John was giving you under
the rocks? And every hour we spent
together afterward convinced me more
and more of our mistake"
Daphne Chesters cheeks burn like
fire. she has heard rumors, even at
Fief-de-la- Reine, Of the rapid pace.
the emancipated doctrine. of youthful
matrons of the day. Condolences like
these. condolences from the lips of a
wife not two months married, posi-
lively stagger her.
"You must have guessed am sure.
seeing so much Of us as you did" And
now it is Clementina's turn to show
embarrassment; she casts down her
eyes, she turns her bright new wedding
ring round and round upon her finger.
'You must have guessed-that cared
for my Cousin Felix"
"Your Cousin FelixF' repeats Daphne
Chester, by this time too thoroughly
nyStified to do more than REUTER- the
brides own words.
He is not brilliant as far as books
90; it may be good judges would say
hs has not got Sir John Severnes SOL
i'll qualities. and he is certainly poor.
while Sir John Severne, as certainly.
has plenty of this worlds goods. But
you see one cannot reason about caring
for peoplel II think I have cared
ftr Felix always" says Clementina. the
sweetest flush Of womanly feeling
staining all her face, "and know that
to be with him. poor. abroad, anyhow,
will be the only possible happiness of
my life"
Daphne had turned first red, then
pale, then red again, during Mrs.
Broughton's confession-for it is time
to call tue bride by the name she wears
50 joyously. No word of congratula'
ttnn can she speak. Bewilderment
scarcely yet enlightened, the dawning
Of new wild personal hope. combine
together 10 render her dumb.
..Your Cousin Felix. IL mean Mr.
groughton, is with you?" she asks, at
length. stammering as guiltily as
though her heart owned a secret pas
sion for Clementina's husband
''Yes. he is at the hotel. and later on
10 the day you will see him-that is. il
you will let US invite ourselves to
Fief-de-la- Refine high tea. Felix re
quires good many hours for break.
fast and rest, after the horrors of
Channel steamer, and, as Sir John was
ready TO escort me. | thought | had
better drive on first and give you
warning Of our advent"
"sir John Severne isis travelling
with you. them"
Surely. were clementina's lips alb,
solutely engrossed in herself and her
Felix. she must decipher the meaning
OF Daphne Chester's trembling voice
aud rapidly changing color
s'Traveling with us? Well. that is
comical idea. Do you think we could
endure to have any other society than
our own7 No; our crossing over 70.
gether last night was purely accidental
I never knew Sir John was on board
tntil we got past the Needles, and
tsen the vessel began to roll. and
srery one was feeling so wretehed,
that it quite took away the awkward
ness Of meeting
s.Awkwardnessg repeats Daphne.
mechanically.
Amidst the chaos of feelings that be-
set her. blank wonder certainly pre-.
dominates; wonder how any woman,
learned or ignorant. could discard Sew
erne, without a pang. to become the
wife OF Felix Broughton
Il can tell by your face that you
think very badly Of me. Of course And
vet my own heart tells me if ever there
was a case in which TO break an en-
gagement would be more honorable