The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-02-22

IL ME
/ A VACABOND HEROINE !
81 3 ANNIE EDWARDS. u:
BY ANNIE EDWARDS.
CHAPTER III.
Continued.

W a uo1GS L10 CIlUuSOA III d AOOO
over Belinda's face. Captain Tenn
pie! don't know what you mean
by Captain Temple!" she exclaims
suspecting what he means only too
well, and eoloring with hot shame
over her own suspicious. Rose is
coming here alone with her maid, OF
course"
ooh, of course!" repeats Augustus,
with the slow, affected drawl that ir-
ritates Belinda to such desperation.
81 don't for moment mean that
Mrs. O'Shea, under these or any 9TH
er circumstances, would act other
wise than with the most ladylike pro-
priety. Still, when one considers
everything, Miss Belinda, there is no
great wonder in Captain Temple hap
pening to travel in the south of
France, and in this particular district
of the south of France, just at the
time when Mrs. O'Shea and her maid
happen to travel here, tool"
His smile, his tone, a sudden
scorching remembrance of certain
lachrymose illusions in more than
one of Roses recent letters, bring
Belinda from suspicion to certainty.
IF I thought l could believe
such thing!" she exclaims, then
stops short, both sunburnt fists tight
clenched, her lips set together like a
small fury's.
"If you could believe that two
people who loved each other in their
yoath-I conclude you have heard
the romantic story before this?--if
you could believe that two people
VINO were in love with each other
some dozen or more years ago, were
fated to marry and be happy at last,
what them" asks Augustus. "Mrs.
OShea's marrying again would not
interfere with your life much, as far
as 1 can see.
"If Rose marries again I swear
never to speak to her or to her hug-
band while live," cries Belinda tenn
pestuously. II will not believe such
disgraceful news until she tells me
with her own lips, and have not the
very smallest curiosity in the matter.
Is he dark or fair? Good heavens,
are you dumb, Mr.. Jones? What
kind of man, ask you, is this miser-
able Captain Temple?"
Roger Temple is fair - yellow,
rather, all these Indian fellows are
alike; shuts his eyes at you as he
speaks deuced nasty trick for
man to shut his eyes at you as he
speaks. / met him once or twice din
ing at your mammals before I left
town, and we had not two words to
say to each other. l don't care for
your 'haw-haw,' Dundreary, army
men," says Augustus. "Too much of
the shop about them for my taste"
"Too much of what foryour taste?"
asked Belinda, with profound dis
dain. All, was not the only human
being she ever loved of this same
Dundreary, army genus as Captain
Temple.
"Too much of the shop - their
shop. Too much patronage of other
fellows whose line doesn't happen to
be in rAmrods and pipeclay like their
own"
"And l." says the girl, stoutly,
love soldiers, and if ever l marry
anybody it shall be soldier. How
different you and l are in everything
difference of the blood, I SUPPOSED
We O'Sheas are a fighting family.
Two great uncles of mine fell side
by side across the hills there, at Bad
ajoz"-she indicates by a nod of her
head the distant ridge of Spanish
Pyrenees-"and my papa was SOL
der, and, though it happened he
never came in for foreign service,
did a great many brave acts, can
tell you, during the different riots
and electioneerings in Ireland. Most
likely you have no connection with
the army, Mr.. Jones?"
None, excepting a maternal uncle
who was an army tailor Mr.. Jones
might answer. if he had a mind to
speak the truth. He valves the
question.
Il was going to ask you to come
down to Harrambour's,' he says.
Don't be angry with me, Belindai"
He can call her Belinda at the safe
distance that separates them now.
And let us make all our differences
up over some macaroons."
Every man, says the cynic, has his
price. Belinda's price, as very short
acquaintance has taught Mr.. Jones,
is macaroons. Sweet stuff generally
may be said to be Belinda's price in
the present scraggy, unfledged stage
of her moral life.
A child of seventeen, without son
in the world for macaroons. and an
Augustus Jones, his pockets lined
with British banknotes, ready to buy
them for her! Does it require a very
profound knowledge of human ma
ture to foresee how things are likely
to end unless indeed some other
actor, Offering something sweeter
than macaroons, chance to cross the
stage of Belinda's little life drama.
She hesitates, relents and a min
ute later they have quilted the place
and are making their way down the
principal street of the town toward
the macaroon shop. ST. Jean de Luz
is taking its wonted afternoon siesta
at this hour. The awned balconies
are deserted; the very churches, filed
morning and evening to overfiowing.
with fans. prayer books and fiirta-
lions, are empty. Heat, as if very
rain OF fire, quivering, piercing, intol-
cradle, is everywhere.