The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-08
ny MARTHA MCCULLOUGH WILL
fAMS
tcopyright. 1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press

JAMS.
ICopyright 1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press
Christine paced the floor. sobbing
stornily. She was tall and twenty
the prettiest girl in Rycgate--and
her ssep=nother haG just said she
should aaot go 10 the Mayhem dance.
This after she had counted on II for
weeks. she loved to dance, footing
Ii light IS thistIedown, but il was nc,
for the pleasure Of measured motion
that she 70 re5elled.
Jimmy Carroll indeed, wastne
head and froat OF her rebellion. she
had not seen him for three months
and she bowed him with all her heart,
He had left Ryegate for bigger
town after his father died. He mad
come to seq her upon the eve of COINS.
bat again the stepmuther had inter
vened She hated Jimmy. pious4y.
holding him desperately wicked. She
had been fun 81 good counsel u him.
so full. - taoz. she had left him no
time to tax to Christine-further. she
had given him no Qpportunlty- So
the girl ind her sweetheart had part
cd with no more comfort than "a
handelasp.
All Though the three months since
Christine had fed her heart with the
memory 1T i1ov- hrs fingers tremhted
as they touched her own. she had
been sure re would write, but not a
line had come 10 her, She knew.
though. through hi, cousin. Alice
Ware. that he WAS enchanted with
city life. and making good in his new
career.
The knowledge made his silence
hurt the more. But shs had been
sure things would straigs1ten them
selves at the dance. Jinf0y had not
courfed her outright As long as his
invalid father lived he lad been too
fair nin Jed 10 bind her. But there
had been looks and ingerings. ana
encss--under the mistle t..@---a kiss.
Christine had known what was in
his heart, ana been sure he, like
wise. knew what was in her own.
She had been high and mighty with
young Manning, who was her step
mothers nephew, and would one day
re her netr. Al first Mrs. Gray had
suddenly she changed front. and did
all she could to furlner his suit. II
he was a minister, she said. his wife
would never have occasion TO stunt
or Scant he rseif. nor Ia be behoiden
a. the parish IN any way. Then Jonn
WAS 50 good, So high minded and
pure-the girl that got him would be
lucky lndG&0. AL thaf christine al
Ways flung up her head, saying care
iessiy that that was piece of luck
she would net envy anyts,dy-vaat
even her secret enemy.
Naturally that had bred unpleas
antness. Vet Mrs. Gray tried hard To
smother it--she was Indulgence itself
to her stepdaughter save In regard 10
Jimmy Carroll Though she did not
name him outright, he was the text
OF many a sermon-~a Wild fellow,
goddess unstable and flighty. he was
the snare of the evil one which she
prayed her Christine might escape
Christine wondered. Not until after
her father died had the step parent
been so tender Of her She ala not
dream the truth-that Mrs. Gray had
suddenly found out that her step
daughter was in a mild way an herr
esS--ceming into her mothers por-
ton. which had been held in trust,
under the viii of her grandmother,
the day she was twenty-one. 1t was
not a great fortune, hut 1t was more
than Mrs. Gray would he able to
leave John Manning. She was a
graspfng woman and selfish--Chr:s-
tines happiness weighed nothing in
the balance with her. against the ag-