Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-13

Rzs59Y sell In now. His white face took on
S curious leaden hue, his voice was
hoarse as he spoke
vi course | have no good points in your
Eyes, lie SAID with thick sneer "And once a
woman gets an idea into her head there is no
ioo,.s IL out again. Your father is all right
nothing ever happens to men of that class I
% saT MN 10 his room last night, and very well he
haa done tor himself Won over two hundred Mt
bridge, too Sir Charles can take care of him.
self" - "''''
Beatnce's face famed and then turned male
again She had caught herself hoping that some.
thing had happened to her father, something suf.
ncientiy serious to postpone todays ceremony.
ANA yet she knew that she would have been far
napier @ IN the knowledge of disaster like that.
n, Why did you want to see me?" she asked.
1 have not too much time to spare.''
Of course not. But you can cheer voursels
with the reflection that we shall have so much
time together later on when the happy knot is
tied Has it occurred to you that / have piven
you nothing as yet? I brought this for YOU"
Richfords hands, still trembling, produced a
bulky package from his pocket. AS he lifted the
shabby lid stream of living fire flashed out
There were diamonds of all kinds in old SETTINGS
the finest diamonds that Beatrice had ever seem
Ill at ease and sick at heart as she was she
could not repress cry.
All, L thought could touch you." Ricbford
grinned. "A female saint could not resist dia.
monds. Forty thousand pounds gave for them.
They are the famous Rockmartin gems. The
family had to part with them, SO the opportunity
was too good to be lost. We?"
They are certainly exquisitey lovely" Beat.
rice stammered. 81 thank you very much"
IF not very warmly, eh? So that is all YOU
have to say? Amt they worth one single kiss >"
Beatrice drew back. For the life of her she
could not kiss this man. Never had his lips
touched hers yet. They should never do So If
Beatrice had her own way.
II think not" she said in her cold constrained
way. 1T is very princely of you, and yet it does
not touch me in the least. You made the bar
gain with your eyes open; told you at the time
that could never care for you; that I sold nv.
self to save my fathers good name I know
the situation is not new one; know that such
marriages strange to say, have before now
turned out to be something like success But
not ours. All the heart I ever had to bestow
has long since been given to another / will do
my best to make your life comfortable, I will do
my best to learn all that wife is asked to be.
come. But no more"
Richford turned away. The cold con,emn,
struck him and pierced the hide of his indiffer.
ence as nothing else could. But he was going
to have his revenge. The time was near at hand
when Beatrice would either have to bend or
break
Every WELL" he said. eve understand one an.
other. We shall see. Au revoir!'
He took up his hat and his stick, and strobe
off without further word. Beatrice put the
diamonds away from her if they had been SO
many deadly snakes.
The time was drawing on now, it onlv wanted
another hour, and the thing would be done.
Lady Marlborough came in and admired the dia-
monds; in her opinion, Beatrice was the luckiest
girl in London. Why girl should dislike man
who would give her Diamonds like these she
could not possibly imagine.
will ba
dear" she said sapiently. "Why didn't meet
Richford before?"
Beatrice echoed the sentiment with all her
heart. She resigned herself duly to the maid;
she took not the slightest interest in the proceed
ings; whether she looked i'll or we'll mattered
nothing.
A big clock outside was striking the three
quarters after eleven; already the carriage was
at the door. As yet there was no sign of Sir
Charles. But perhaps he would join the party at
the church, seeing that the head of the family
and not himself going to give the bride
away. Lord Marlborough, little awkward in
his new frock coat, fuIning about the library
Don't be too late" he said always like to
be punctual. OF course that father of yours has
not turned up, though he promised to drive to
the church with us."
Father was never known to be in time in his
life" Beatrice said, "It is not necessary to wait
for him."
in. "We can leave a message, and he can fol-
low to the church in a hanson. Let us be NOV
ing, Beatrice, If you quite ready"
Two or three carriages were there, and into
the first, Lord Rashborough handed Beatrice
They drove along the familiar streets that seemed
to Beatrice as though she was seeing them for
the last time. II almost seemed to Beatrice that
she was asleep, and that the whole thing was
being enacted in dream.
Here we are at last" Marlborough exclaimed
What a mob of women What a lot of Howersl
Why anybody wants to make all this fuss over
getting married beats me. Come along"
II was a society wedding In the highest sense
of the word, and the church was crowded There
was rustic and stir as the bride swept up the