The Yale expositor., 1908-03-06

whispered another important bit of
news.
II am so sorry for young Mr.. Innes.
Ii seems that he has made some fool
ish ENHANCEMENT that is running his
prospects. His aunt is furious because
the match with Miss Mariner is on
And now Mr.. Ames, who had offered
him a splendid place in his Office with
draws his offer because he thinks that
a young man starting out in a business
career ought not marry. 1t seems that
the wretched fellow is going to marry
the girl at once. | don't know who
she Is. His aunt thinks il is some no
body that they will have to beashamed
Of
Jean was becoming hardened to
misery, and this story did not cause
an attack of faintness as Gertrudes
had done. But | must tell him." said
Jean to herself. despairingly. II can't
let him go on losing everything. There
isn't much left but life He's lost love
and happiness and fortune and
career"
When Mr.. Innes asked her to walk
along the shore in the moonlight she
assented, and started out with the
cheerful feelings of one marching to
execution.
Miss JEAN" said the man at length
I've been wanting to speak to you
for week. but you have persistently
avoided me-"
He's going to speak of it himself,
thought Jean in an agony of shame.
He walked on for a moment in
silence. No doubt it was hard to be-
gin. At length, he said abruptly, II
wanted to ask you to marry me-"
"Oh! how dare you! How dare
you!" cried Jean furiously. How
dare you ask me after what has hap
pened?"
"Oh! you mean those stories about
my engagement. That needn't trouble
you, it isn't true"
Don't you think | Know It isn't
true when it is you and / that they
spoke of"
Il hoped that you hadn't heard the
name of my supposed fiancee. Not
many people seemed to know, though
| had not heard it myself. can't
imagine how the story started. !
think it must have been a case of
thought transferance. You see. I'd
been thinking of that particular thing
a great deal, and some OF those ami
able old ladies who sit on the hotel
/ Unronha haun thnn0htc Of r
own, so they gathered up mine which
were floating about loose"
ut was l that started the story
said Jean in hollow voice. mo, don't
speak. Let me tell you about it, A
man asked me to marry him. and he
said such persuasive things, and
wouldn't go away, and | was afraid I'd
say yes though / didn't want to. SO
told him there was some one else, and
he thought | meant you, and let him
go away without telling him the truth.
Oh! ii was disgraceful lie! | don't
expect you to forgive me ever.
ought to have told you at once, but
couldn't. was going to tell you to-
night, though, and that's why ! came.
I'm so sorry. l only hope mother will
take me home tomorrow, and you
never need hear of me again"
81 don't see anything in all this that
should distress you" he said He was
smiling a tender amused smile at the
childish confession, though she did
not look up to see it. 81 wish ! dared
hope that your suggestion to Ted
mean to the man you spoke of-had a
willing spirit behind 1t. Since we've
both thought of it can't you make II
true, dear Jean?"
Don't speak of it again" she said
in her coolest manner. Its just your
exaggerated idea of honor that makes
you think you ought to protect me.
Don't deny il. You can't possibly care
for me when I've ruined your life.
Yes, it is ruined. You've lost the girl
you love, and your fortune and your
career just because of me-"
hope I'm not going to lose the girl
/ love-" he said gravely.
81 mean the one your aunt was
angry about she said falteringly.
oh" he said, my aunt and | never
agreed about that. You see met you
the first day we came here. And IL
you're troubled about Aunt Caroline's
disinheriting me. pray do not give ii
another thought She does that every
three months. When / introduce you
as that mysterious girl l shall be re-
stored to favor It's the truth because
she has already expressed her admir-
alton of you. But of course. couldn't
seize that golden moment to tell her
that you were the girl, for wasn't
sure of IL. And that fussy old Ames
did say he didn't want me, but l was
rather fishing for dismissal there.
had had a much better offer few
days before. threw the news of the
engagement credited to me in his way.
Now is there anything else, Jean?
Don't you think you have been over
conscientious? A man wouldn't spend
moment considering those things
when it was a question of winning
you"
"Ohf" hroathad liam afraid IN M