The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-08-07


dations as unreal as all her old ones.
The vicar looked upon her with just
the same feeling as he had done when
she was twelve years old; had come
here now to give her kindly support
under the blow Of Gifford's last and
worst desertion-only that!
II had letter by to-night's post,
sir" she remarked, going, after the
manner Of her sex, to the subject
farthest from her heart. "a letter
from Cheltenham. Clifford tells me
Mrs. Ferguson says their marriage is
to take place before another month is
over"
"Mrs. Ferguson shows her discre-
tion, if she desires to secure Mr.. Mo-
hun for her son-in-law," remarked the
vicar, dryly.
"And Clifford doesn't seem overmuch
pleased with any of his future connec-
tions. He says Mrs. Ferguson is very
like what she used to be in the days
when he disliked her so In Baden; and
he has been to morning fete with
them, and seen Matty and her sister
play at some game that Is called-but
I scarce think that Clifford can hav-
written it right-'Aunt Sally Can you
believe it possible, Mr.. Follett, that
any young gentlewoman could Join in a
game with such a name as that?'
II can quite believe that the young
woman who has been staying with you
could Join in anything, Jane. She had
bold eyes, and a strong, determined,
firm-set mouth. She won't make such
a bad wife for Mohun, after all.''
"Oh, Mr.. Follettv'
"Jane, we will speak candidly for
once, and then, as it is subject on
which you and are not likely to agree,
we will let Mr.. Mohun's name drop be-
tween US forever. know him far bet
ter than you know him. Yes, Miss
Grand, though you do look at me so in
creduIously: and I say a strong and
not very refined nature is the one to
control Mohun's. You would never
have controlled him, Jane. He might
have drawn you to his level, but you
would not have raised him to yours.
Patience, long-suffering, idolatry, are
not the qualities to be desired for the
wife of a man like Mohun. Miss Fer
gusson, with the strength and selfish
ness and savoir vivre that saw writ
ten upon her face, Is far more likely
to suit him than you, Jane, with all
your love, and all your gentleness,
could ever have DONE"
1t was exactly the opinion to which
Miss Grand herself had already slowly
arrived; but Mr.. Follett was the last
human being on earth to whom she
could, voluntarily, have confessed her
change of creed. Her head dropped
lower and lower; her heart beat till
she was afraid he might hear its beat
ings; and her fingers began nervously
to pluck the leaves from little plant
of sweet-scented verbena that stood
upon the window sill.
"Don't in your indignation destroy
your verbena, Jane: or rather, as you
have already broken it to pieces, let
me profit by your spoils."
He took one of the little broken
branches from her fingers, and for
q
his hand rested upon hers.
"Jane, as you sit there, with your
bowed down face in the twilight, l
seem to see you again as you were a
dozen years ago, before my knowledge
of life or any love of Mohun's had
come to trouble you. Oh! child, it
would be well for both of us-yes,
Jane, we'll for me, and for you, If we
could return to those times"
His voice faltered-a very unusual
thing for Mr.. Follett-and James heart
plucked up courage.
"We can't 60 back to them, sir No,
no, we can't-we are changed; l mean
1 myself have changed, as much as the
circumstances Of my life. can't go
back to what was when 1 was girl.
and"-very quickly and decidedly this
-"I have asked you to come here to-
night because I wish to tell you OF a
plan that lies upon my mind. l mean
to leave Chesterford, Mr.. Follett; can
live here no longer"
'Jane, this is folly!-this is the mere
first outbreak of your disappointment
in Mohun."
"It has nothing to do with him." she
cried, almost bitterly. "It is Of myself,
and of my own happiness alone, that
am thinking now. Very long ago, in
the time 1 was engaged to marry him,
Clifford used to say he would like to
have this cottage, and pull 1t down.
and make the garden part of Yatton
He shall have it now 1t shall not be
an eyesore to him any longer. And ]
shall be glad to leave it, and all my re-
membrance of it! I like to tell you
this, because 1 would not have you
think l acted without consulting you.
But my determination is fixed. Moth
ing shall make me live any longer III
Chesterford"
The vicar was silent; but even in that
dim light Jane could see that his face
turned fearfully white, and her OVID
heart throbbed faster.
''You say nothing. MI. tollett. DC
you think my decision wise oneE
"Jane"-but she started at the agita-
ton of his voice-'will you let me tel
you what l think?'
"If you please
ST told YOU once before, you know,
but YOU could not hear me then-no,
lane Won need not deny it, for indeed
Won knew knew what words these
were l spoke. But once, the morning
that I told you Clifford was coming
back, I spoke to you of the possibility
of YOUR loving any other man than
him. You know the answer that you
gave me?"
81 never understood you. sir! l
never thought that you could mean
"That I at my age, would presume to
ask YOU to be my wife? Well, Jane II
was even so. and you refused me; un
consciously, but perhaps none the less
cruelty to me for that. Now you know