The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1918-02-21

dropped it into his pockct-the rose,
in the heart OF which reposed the dew
drop which emniemiZed the soul ego
of dead Walter Osborne.
Half an hour later Marvin Farr en-
tered a gorgeous mansion, aglare with
electric light, crowded with gay COM
pany. a close friend, its owner, Ar
thur Bond, greeted him efluSivcly.
"She is here and has been fearing
you would not come" spoke the lat
ter.
Your sister, Mrs. WilliS?'
"YeS. Marvin. we're old ChumS, and
Their" is no man | would more willingly
welcome as the mate of my sister than
You. L can tell you something you
have already guc,Sed-EudoSia loves
YOU"
Marvin redeemed at the auduciOuS
statement. He puled at the thought
of the poor girl he was SCheming to
desert, to forget; of the heart ne was
about To crush, already PROSTATE I'M
der fresh grief
"EudoSia is going to the beach re-
sort for Il week, tomorrow" proceeded
Bond. Myself and my wife will in
wife you there ~ our guest ut the cot
tage. You will Gomez"
And your siStrr?"
"She is ready to be won. Make hay
while the sun shines, old fellow! You
have no rivals"
And in the cOmnany of the beautiful
widow, reputed To have million in
her own right, Marvin Farr basked
through the midnight hours. The
glare, the company, the responsive
eyes of EudOSia Willis enthralled him
for the time being. When he left her
it was with a promise made to spend
II week at the home of her brother at
the beach resort.
Outside, hOmeward bound, the fresh
evening air cleared his beSotted brain.
He shrank within himself as he ana
lyZed the treachery he was about to
commit. In Il business way he had an
income sufficient TO cover all reason
able expenditures of n modest house
hold. The rOSe-guarded home of ES-
1t would become paradise of delight.
But EudOsia Willis, her butterfly life,
allured him. He would never have to
toll. The senSuouS beauty of the
stately woman would fill his life. On
the one hand, simple love; on the
other, lavishneSs, luxury, the ready
requiSitiOn of change, eXcitement-all
the alluring enchantment of Opulence.
81 will write Il few brief lines to Es-
telle. l will confess to her that / am
unworthy of such love as hers. Poor
girl. Wrctched, selfish craven II But
the die is cast"
When he reached his own room his
hand came in contact with the rose in
his pocket. He flung it careleSsly on
the bureau, went to bed, tossed IN
easily for time, and finally went to
sleep, feeling that he had sold his soul
To the evil one.
His dreams were not pleasant ones.
He awOke in the morning unrefreshed
and irritable. The weight of remOrse
was on his mind.
III get through with it at one
dash" he muttered, land send the note
to Estelle. I'll leave the city, so my
determination cannot be weakened.
Wealth, luxury, society," would be a
fool to barter all this for love-"
How the sweetness of past hours at
the rOse-hung garden came back to
him! Passing the bureau, he reached
rose.
Within it the soul of tears fingered.
Their moisture had kept the flower
fresh as when ii was plucked. The
strong, vital scent of the rose made
the man reminiscent. Farther back
than Estelle ran the swift grouping
thoughts of Marvin Farr. They used
to have such roses, all purity and
beauty, at the old homestead where
He chOked up as the poignant men,
DRY of that mothers loving care and
advice came back to him.
always be a man." she had said,
Iind he was about to become pol
trOon, a traitor, ruthless desecratOr
of the holy pledges of love. He wa
vered, dimness came into his eyes.
He fell to his knees by his bedside and
burst into tears.
When he arose his face was calm,
his eyes wore new expression of re-
solve, mingled with cOntritiOn. With
a steady hand he indlted a note to Ar
thur Bond, to inform him that circum-
stances prevented his accepting the in
vitatiOn to the beach resort.
The dewdrop sank deeper into the
heart of the rose, to become q part of
t-Of the rose which was to become
4 cherished secret mementO to Marvin
Farr through all the years to come.
And after, when gentle, loving Es-
-elle was by his side, there seemed to
De with them a spirit that blessed
hem. The dewdrOp had performed its
mission and the soul of Walter Os-
borne was at rest.