The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-07-03
CHAPTER XIII,
Continued.

continued.
'You are very generous to speak to
me like thisp' she faltered. "You don't
know how happy it makes me that you
should still remember our old days so.
I-I-never thought to have felt again
as l have done this evening""
And then followed other little broken,
tender exclamations of a like foolish
and inconclusive nature.
Mohun thought she had taken his
meaning seriously; and very unpleas-
antly hot the thought made him feel.
AS it was impossible for him to go back
now, however, he thought he might as
well make a desperate rush at once,
and leave the issue in the hands Of
the fates.
''We got our courtship over long ago,
Jane. 1 could say nothing now as we'll
as did then-when 1 was boy. In
stead of attempting to act part I'm
too old for, will you try to think of me
as was? You have not forgotten me,
Jane?-you have not forgotten all it
cost me to part from you? You've got
that ring 1 gave you yet?'
She looked into his eyes with some
thing of the same piteous yearning that
you may see come over a sick mans
face when an unthinking visitor speaks
to him of the life and health to which
he knows he shall never more come
back; then she burst into tears.
''Do I remember you?-have l got
your ring still? Have ever ceased to
think of you?-have Z ever parted from
it, day or night, since you gave it me?"
And then with trembling hands she
drew her wedding-ring from her breast
and showed it to him. "Oh, Mr.. Mohun
oh, Clifford; don't bring back my bit
terest sorrow to NEEDN'T tempt me
for a moment to forget what must
never be forgotten! Be my friend al
ways, and don't think I shall ever mis-
interpret you, or any of the friendship
that you show to me! I am quite apart
from the world, you know. 1 am
placed like no other woman living. We
can be true friends and neighbors; but
but shall never look for any more.
could less bear to bring disgrace upon
you now than could have done when
I first loved you, seven years ago.
Clifford, forgive me if I have in any
way hurt you by saying this againe'
Mohun forgave her readily; indeed. if
the truth must be told, he was great
deal more relieved than hurt by her
reply. He was not very passionate in
anything now; and it did not take him
many moments to decide that he had
come creditably out of a somewhat haZ-
ardous position, and that he would do
well to accept the friendship which
Miss Grand offered him. Philosopliz-
ing over it all as he walked home that
night, he became more and more recon-
ciled to letting things remain in the
position where Jane had arranged
them. The disgrace of her parentage
no longer Influenced him as it had done
when he was a lad: he had lived
enough to rate the worlds good opinion
infinitely lower than his own personal
well-being; the question that really
concerned him was. whether it would
not be all intense mistake for him to
marry at all? Had he taste for do
mestic cares and expenses? No. Had
he ever envied the condition of any
married man out of his whole acquaint-
ance? Certainly not. Jane might
prove a very different person, as Mrs.
Mohun, to the humble, hopeless adorer
that she was as Miss Grand. Besides,
like the immortal Frenchman-what
would he do with his evenings, as long
as he remained at Yatton, if he mar
ried her? Evenings spent like this one,
beside the open window of James little
room. or loitering-Jane with him
through the shady rides of Yatton,
would. he felt, be ineXpressively seda-
tive and pleasant in their effect (and
Clifford had grown wonderfully cpl
curean in all things pertaining to his
own material and immediate comfort
now) In winter, if he stayed so long,
he would go to the cottage every night
when he had nothing better to do. and
Jane should sing to him, or he could
lay outstretched upon the sofa and look
at her as she worked-or to go to sleep
Just as he chose, He would have all
the best part of domestic life, and none
of its annoyances.
Miss Grand had decided eXcellently
we'll Friendship (strongly favored
with love- for a still charming woman
derotedly attached to You, but never
lis ble to misinterpret your friendship,
or lead you on into matrimony, is an
f0I 10 1,n
lot of few men.
How could he have been rash enough
to run the risk of exchanging this
calm, unfettered state from which he
could break free at the earliest moment
that he grew tired of it, for the -ex-
pensive. troublesome, never-endlnG
monotony of commonplace married
life?
Thus thought Clifford as he smoked
his cigar during his homeward walk
through Yatton woods that night Al
the same hour Jane Grand, in rap
ture of delight, was thinking over every
word he had uttered in the course OF
the evening; building castles of exalted
friendship, wherein. they should dwell
together and be blessed; forming plans
of reformation for him. Of which she
trusted to be the humble but appointed
agent.
I am sorry to think how much NOR
of practical sense there was in Mr.. Mo
huns very coarse realism than in al
the romantic, self-sa crificing aspira
tions of that most tender and unspotte
woman's heart.
CHAPTER XIV.