Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28

her face as if the strength had gone
suddenly out of them, and for a long
silent instant she stared across at
Lord Ridforth. Then she gave a loud
sharp cry that was well-nigh a
scream.
Jerry Castlei 1t was Jerry Cas-
tlel
II know" she said in swift whis-
per 1.-THE Harvest Moon! l saw it this
morning in that window. / saw it.
Jerry found 1.-THE really found it
somehow-and you brought it to me-
He put one hand into his waistcoat
pocket, and, between thumb and fore
finger, withdrew a small object. 1t
was the Harvest Moon.
A deep flush swept Miss Lindon's
face, and her hands twitched and
moved toward the pearl, but with
drew themselves, and lay, as it were,
half encircling it.
Abruptly she folded her arms to-
gether, and laid her face upon them,
and began to weep with terrible and
rending sobs. Lord Ridforth watched
her without tremor.
But after a long time the girl sat
up once more, and her face was still,
but grief had ravished it incredibly
And So" said she, Il have killed
him. l have brought him to his
death" She said:
mo, l didn't even love him. If /
had
you told him you loved. him, said
Lord Ridforth. ''You-kissed him,
understand, and promised to wait"
Did II" she asked duly. 'fDid 1
do that? ! dare say. It's rather like
me" She gave an exceedingly bitter
smile.
you see" she explained patiently,
Il wanted to marry well-to have po-
sition and influence and beautiful
things-jewelry-all that 1t has been
a passion with me. On that cruise. a
few weeks ago, when l met you, de-
liberately did everything in my power
TO attract you to me. | saw myself
making a great marriage. I'd have
given my body and soul for 1t. You
knew, suppose? You saw me at it?"
81 did" said Lord Ridforth.
well, I failed at that, and so 1
took the Soames man instead. I let
him propose the very evening before
we landed at Suva. And-Jerry saw
us-saw me let Soames kiss-Oh!"
She covered her eyes, writhing.
80 now you know what 1 am
have been"
Have been?" the man demanded
YES" said she. Have been. 1t
may seem a little odd. but. you see, l
love him now. Now that he is dead
l know that | love him; wish I could
crawl on hands and knees to where
he lies and tell him so. | wish / We're
dead and lying with him in his grave.
perhaps you know she said
perhaps deep down in me. under the
other things, I've been loving him all
the while. ] wonder"
Love" observed Lord Ridforth, cor
something rather like 1t, has often be-
fore been purchased by some such
trifle as lies there before YOU
"Oh," she said, you mean the
pearl? You mean the Harvest Moon?
Yes, of course. What shall we do
with 1t, | wonder2'
do with it?" cried he. Wear it, of
course. Wear it at your wedding
and ever after. TIN make you IA
NOUS" The tone was harsh and jeer-
ing, brutally bitter but again she
showed no resentment.
ooh, there won't be any wedding"
she said, speaking still in her color
less. child-like tone-but the eyes told
it all! Did you think I'd go on and
marry Mr., Soames now? Oh, no, in
deed! You see, I love Jerry Castle,
and Jerry's dead, and | killed him.
Then, after little space of vacant
staring, she bent over the Harvest
Moon.
What shall l do with it, Lord Rid
forth?'
1.-THE pearl is yours" said he but
he began to watch her with a new
expression in his eyes.
It don't want it," she said, shud-
dering. There was a time when l
would have sold my soul for it and
laughed over the bargain, Now-oh,
| don't want it.
II think" she said, Il know wha t
to do"
She set sherry glass before her
and filed it from the little bottle she
found.
Miss Linden dropped the Harvest
Moon into the glass; and as IL dis
appeared the man across the table
made a sound like an audible groan.
Little bubbles. streams of them, be-
gan to mount to the top of the glass
as If the liquid in it were cham
payne, but it was not, it was vine
gar. He looked across the table at
the girl, who sat there still, and his
hard face softened. He was a grim
man and ruthless, quite merciless
upon occasion. but there was some
thing in this deed that touched a re-
sponsive chord in him little WON
an could not have done ii.
"And now" she said, twill YOU
do you think, Lord Ridforth, that
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