Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1914-02-06

out tue Vtptt-
"For Miss Rose BIakely. i07 Gal
bralth Terrace. City. Please Forward
Gaibrnlth terrace was Rose Blakely's
old address. and the missive had been
forwarded from one place to another
until II had reached the Mordaunt
home. whore Rose now IN reduced cir
eumstnnces, was living.
"But she cannot want It as dor
cried Margaret passionately. as she
tossed the telltale paper in the fire
and watched il turn to black ashes.
why. out Of all the men In the world.
should he be the only one I care for
and why should he be Indifferent to
me?r
Thus poor Margaret Mordaunt voiced
the wall Of unhappy women since the
world began, For q long time she sat
there gazine into the fires heart. think
Ing Of many things At last her maid
came to dress her for the ball.
Margaret listlesSly gave herself into
Pauline's skillfuI hands. and presently.
when She emerged dressed as the
suspected that her own heart was sore
aud aching.
AS she tied the LITTLE black mask over
her eyes she said to Celeste:
Perhaps Miss Rlakcly would like
some assistance Celeste"
81 fmve ASKED her. Miss Margaret.
but she sent word that II you would
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She has n bad headache"
q am sorry" said Margaret. but she
could not help the relief IN her heart.
She stopped ut Roses door and urged
her to come down later. but the girl
looked so pale and unhappy that Mar
garet closed the door gently and came
away.
Three hours later the rooms were
a-giitter with lights and gay with the
yaricolored costumes OF the dancers.
Mrs Mordaunt. stately and handsome
as Queen Elizabeth. was unmasked.
Once she beckoned the Queen Of
Hearts to her side.
Margaret" she said, Miss Blakely
is feeling better. and she is upstairs in
the little brown study. | have urged
her to come down later. and she has
half promised. She viii wear a little
red domino Don't forget"
NO. mother. dear" said Margaret.
with unaccnstomed gentleness.
"Who is the tall man garbed as the
melancholy Dane? The one you have
danced with so ofteny smiled Mrs.
Mordaunt
'Oh. Hamlety laughed Margaret. Il
suspect it's Mr.. Edmonds. It's so pu2-
zling. and such funr She danced
away. and Mrs. Mordaunt smiled be.
cause Margaret was so beautiful and
sighed because she knew the girl was
unhappy. which is a way that mothers
have.
"Oh. prince" said Margaret sudden.
". Il would have you do me a favor"
Hamlet bowed gracefully. "As your
majesty pleases."
please go upstairs" ordered Mar
garet with trembling haste. ito the
eezy room we call the brown study.
Il is at the head Of the stairs There
you will find a very beautiful rose II
you can gain possession Of it you may
bring It down here and wear It. I wish
you successw
FOR an instant Jack Edmonds sur
veyed the girl through the narrow eye
holes Of his mask. He recognized Mar
garet Mordaunt, as many Of her guests
, had done. but he wondered al her gay
mood with him.
Again he bowed aud made his way
toward the door. many a charming eye
following the progress of his tall,
graceful form. 1t was not often that
Jack Edmonds ventured into society.
lie WAS busy man. and the urgency
Of affairs called him away from home
very often. But in the last few months
he had become well acquainted with
the Mordaunts. and now he felt quite
Mt home in the hosnitable mansion.
He paused at the door Of the brown
study. 81 wonder II shall find the
rose. he smiled as he turned the knob
The rose was there. but it was not
the dollhouse flower he had expected to
find.
1t was Rose BIakely. his rose. Rose
Of the golden heart.
She glanced up as he entered and
startled look came into her eyes, She
WIS in the act Of fastening a crimson
domino over her little black frock. and
the entrance Of the masked man had
surprised her.
II was sent here to and a rose.r said
Hamlet softly
At the sound Of his well remembered
voice Rose Blakely trembled and hid
her face in her hands.
Margaret Mordaunt sent me here to
find rose. he went on. "and If /
could win it was to wear II against
my heart. Rose, Rose my girl Of the
golden heart. haven't waited long
enough for your"
And then Rose came to him.
Later they went downstairs to
gether. the demure little form in the
crimson domino and the black garbed
prince Of Denmark. Their masks half
concealed their happy faces.
Margaret Mordaunt saw them com
ing, and her lips whitened. One jewel
ed hand clutched her heart, againsi
which lay the golden satin valentine
which was all she had left of the day.
Joy, all that remained to her save the
knowledge that she had been tempted
and had resisted
And although Margaret Mordauni
did not know II then. at that moment
when she met these two and smiled
bravely upon them. at that moment
her own heart became a golden one
and the beauty of it lighted her whole
lie and that Of the man who after.