The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-06-26

with that of the well wearing cnarHl-
ing beings with whom he mentally
placed her at such disadvantage. For
a woman to look young long two Things
are necessary-first, an infantine mig
nonne of cast of features; secondly,
great capacity for feeling nothing
acutely. And Jane possessed nelther
of these. Her fragile. oval face was
one sure, even in far happier HE
than hers had been, to lose It's youth
early. The fine complexion OF ner
younger days had alone saved her from
looking too frail and delicate even
when she was quite young girl, anu
this she had wholly and forever lost
within a very few days of the ending
of her engagement to Mohun. She was
pale, more than pale, bloodiess-looklng
now. The blue veins were painfully
distinct upon her thin temples; faint
violet shade around her eyes gave them
an unearthly look of size and luster;
her lips, so scarlet when Clifford kissed
them last, were colorless and wan. The
seven wears which had brought Mohun
to the best stage of mans life, to the
fullness of mature youth, had brought
Miss Grand almost to the confines of
age.
81 am greatly changed, Clifford" she
said to him once during the evening.
"You never thought to find me as old
and faded as 1 am?"
"You are Jane Grand STILL" said Gil
ford. The daylight was quite gone
now. and in the tremulous on-coming
Of night he saw only the dropping lines
IF figure the soft-curved throat, the
delicate hands, which took him back
10 strongly to his boyish passion. Jane
Grand-more to me, however changed
than any other woman in the world.
She did not .ask herself by what
process his Indifference to others had
been attained. All that her heart
greedily drank was the thought that
she was dear to him, was something
TO him still. The love story had re-
opened at much the same page as OF
old. Sitting together here in the tWl-
light. Mohun was simply sensible OF
comfort to himself, of peace, of quiet,
almost of freshness in this little silent
room. with the odorous country air
playing on his face, and a woman
however gone off who still adored him
at his side.
Jane felt only that the dream OF her
eirlhood was clothed with flesh ana
blood once more. She was with Gift
ford: Heaven had not remained for
ever deaf to her entreaties.
Yes. changed though they were IN
some things the story had reopened at
the same page as of old-one loNlhs'
the other submitting to be loved. II
was a page beyond which Miss Grand
was fated never to read as long as Mr.
Clifford Mohun continued to be the hero
of her romance.
The time went on upon swift wings
that summer evening; and when at
length the lamp came in, Clifford began
to think he had too hastily passed judg'
ment on James good looks. Lampllght,
of course. suits all compilations, that
are not young and faultless. best; ana
then poor James face had become really
flushed with something like its old soft
color during the intense happiness ol
the last hour and hall.
AS she poured out tea and brought II
to Mohun, just as she used to 90 Wheh
she was a girl. he was struck with the
perfect grace-which was, in truth, her
one inalienable charm-with the sort
fall of her plain black DRESS her noise
less step, her timid, pleading voice
more timid, by far, than any or thp
much younger London voices he was
accustomed to. How would 1t be for
him to return to his old, pure, uncalcu'
lating first love? give up the life ne
had got so little of satisfaction and so
much of ruin out Of, and betake MINI
self to the creature comforts of calm
country domesticity, with this pale,
gentle adoring woman for his slave?
The question really seemed capable
Of being answered affirmatively; ana,
after a good deal of preamble, Clifford
ut last let Miss Grand know that IT
was not utterly impossible for him to
entertain it,
con revient toujoursr-she was sit
ting beside him in the old place by the
window again when Clifford began with
the stereotyped quotation for all sucn
cases-"on revient toujours! Jane, the
years seem as nothing since you and
saw each other last. 1 have come back
suddenly upon my youth at its best.
Can't the old hopes come to life again.
too?-the dear old hopes we shared
together, Jane, before that horrible cay
that divided us?" .-..
Miss Grand clasped her bands, and
turned away from him nervous:y. ale
always reiterated to herself that G1l-
ford Mohun's character was high ana
generous and noble one; but wisdom
stronger than her reason warned her
back now from taking him at his word
in any matter at all pertaining to dis
interestedness or elf-sacrifice.
ITO be continued.)