New-York tribune., 1912-02-25

90 rely on you to explain them all to
me. | hear you're extraordinarily
clever at that sort Of thing. ,,
Victor bristling with gratitci vanity, proicsScd NM
self quite willing to act as the adys teacher. So she IN
,yfrl two or three Others accompany them ana shc
managed well that before kncwlt Victor Was holding
forth to an attentive audience OF girls at one end Of
long dmly lit gallery, and Henry and were examining
Su lancsc jcwclry at the other.
Henry looked at me coldly and my heart sank. y on
seemed very well entertained at dinner MadcnoscIc,
hc said.
An, understood! He was jealous jealous Of Vic
tor, burst into unsteady laughter. 81 WAS trying to
persuade him-to refuse 10 marry me, | sad
He drew a long breath and saw by his face that he
wanted take in his arms, as ne had done that DAY
in the water The blood ran TO my head, ic all gdIy
AMI light and happy-oh wickcdly, plcrcngy happy.
We smiled at each other.
"lm ridiculous forgive me, he said; rbat somehow
TO see YOU with that fellow Listen, Llh he inter
rup,c himself hurrcdly I'VE have only afcw moments
ospca together and much TO be said. "NOu know what
| feel toward yOu-don't you' These days that you
have been my mothers guest, ! have tired to respect
you and your situation as another man PROMISED "lt.
It's been a tough struggle; but I've kept my mouth
shut-havcn't l. Haven't l. Look at this pendant!
The carving Of these urquosc IS considered very re-
markablc.
Of the hall subsidcl. he thrust large lump Of silver
ornament into my hands. | touched it mechanically
with a wandering finger Al. 10 be near Henry, TO see
his face and hear his voice 10 speak with HIM at last
heart open 10 hcartl
"Bu, tonight. Lili my mother has come TO me with
the most extraordinary s'ory-thc most amazing. Lis
'cnl Have | understood II rightly Is II true IN the
frs place that Mother knew your family long ago IN
France and that YOU came 20 America with the single
objcc, Of finding her
Ah nv family Even to this son Of hers, she had not
spoken Of Papa. no. the dear, longIcad past, saw,
was 10 remain forever secret between Harriet and me.
Somehow, the thought, striking through the confusion
Of the moment, drew me closer To- her, nearer IN spirit
even than to her son. Al, the dear, dear friends that
tonigh, | must leave forever.
listen Lii And is it true also tha, YOU are marry
ing this fellow Cobb only on account OF compact made
with his mother before Your arrival al New York: that
if YOU could not find us Your friends YOU would enter
the house Of Mrs Cobb; that She should give YOU her
protection and supply your needs and that YOU IN turn
should marry her SOM
fcl, nv face burn with shame. lovingly it sounded
our bargain, how soriil, thus stated by the person
who's respect wanted, more than anyone cIscs in the
world!
ayes" answered fccby forcing myself to tell the
truth, that WAS our understanding But please don't
think badly Of me for conscntlng 10 IT, You see,
had been brought up tO ideas OF marriage very different
from those YOU have here, other Americans. Oh,
I've changed 50 much I've learned much, since I've
been here in America. But then il seemed quite nat
ura an my duty besides to accept the husband picked
out for by someone older and clcvcrct than |. To
be sure, hal never MIN; but on the other hand
he was willing to take me without a of dOwry. That
was my great difficulty after all You see, poor Papa
had misfOrtuncs before he dicl-an there was before
New York, not knowing Il single soul, with GcncNcyc
on back and only five hundred francs in the whole
world
"Po,r little girl" Hcnry's voice actually shook, and
his eyes wcrc-oh, kind as he looked me- but with
some hing behind them that made me trcmblc too.
"Poor beautiful little thing After all, you might have
fallen into worse hands than Mrs. Cobb's. But, God
knows, hers were bad enough. Look hcrc-this infa-
nous compact YOU it made before your
arrival at New York;
at was made on the sca-in the harbor before we
landed | began to trcmblc-what was coming now?
"But on the steamer | mean The conditions were
explained you you had given your promise asserting