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se HE FAMILY STO!
¥
bouquet of white roses, but I was afraid she
would spoil her dress and her delicate slip-
rs,” .
The handful of shining gold ho pressed upon | m:
her fairly dazzled poor Patty,
“Go and get her,” he said. “Mind, don't
mention havin, seen me here.”
“You don’t mean any harm to her, do yo
Mr. Nei! P'she asked, Hesitatingly. "1
often heard of discarded lovers shooting their
t art,”
“Have no fear, Patty, I tell you I love her
wish to barm her? Let
his path
her come alone down tI to where the
white rose-bush stands.’
* Alone?” echoed ratty.
«Yes; why not ?”
* Nothing; ai shall be as you say, Bic, Nei.”
The mai way, and a moment ‘ator
sous one drew the nies eureaina, shutting | w
out the bride Yrom the steady ¢ the mo-
figure out under the
The motments dragged themselves by. Fir
qrleafifteen minutes passed, but ebe did not
Tam wing desperate!” mutter
Garland eer lng wi hiter nd Ww ‘whiter,
I shall scale t
jor 51 ‘opens, an prett;
brile-clect,. ‘fies out into the jen.
there to sav larling,
the bride; m is not there to shield his
promised bri ride, and poor Freda rushes on to
er fate.
[APTER IX,
-ATAL MARRIAGE,
who has a strange presentiment of
comme "evils lovely Freda Paused in her
bridal robes on the ‘threshold’ a and fazed out out
into the moonlit garden, How little she
dreamed that among the fragrant roses there
lurked a handsome, desperate, white-faced
man,
“There is an old saying that it is unlucky
gather her wedding-bouquet,
‘a
for a bride to
but T am going to temp
a, with @ foroed tan fb
hysterical, and ¥ e
was almost
be ni
the same heart thre
altar by her lover, that she had
rides experiencing.
olden, vanished,
cus tow different was ther
read
of other
‘irlish,
“Gan no one—nothing sare me from this
e
‘The wedding-guests would come vj
d
congratulate her; they w: would never know it} door
was a union of hands—not of hearts, that was
handsome young lover, from
jeath hi
given, to the
fate more eruel than
whom
the
nearer and nearer, and.
handsome face white find oot eagerly watches
from bis leafy covert for the slender figure
to come abreast of the oak-tree behind which]
he stands,
‘Again fate steps in and wrests from hitn the
ize he covets, ie can execute the
Baring abduction he has planned so care sal
sap em atiamen open the arched gate and
auch up the path, and turning an abrupt
gore. walk, to fi e with) &
‘Site starts back with a little ery
Mr, Mortimer Philip!” she clan ims.
e gi the radiant
ave face breaks inte
Fo
vision aghast, then hi
if ‘lieves she has
is
He
hand in hig strong, Hinpasioned clas)
Freda looks she sees that he carries
f course
Then the Reverend Mr, Winters steps for- te
“Have you no word for me, Miss Nor
be asks extending his band, but there is no
smile of elcome on the lovely young face,
white as the snowy blossoms ste has taken
from Philip > Mortimer's hand
Je can reply, Geneva comes out in
search of the bride-ciect She is amazed at.
prhecling 1g suddenly abo
‘arms at the very altat ye
fn turning about so abruptly, he stumbles
against the gnarled roots of thy old oak-tree,
together for weal or for woe to the bitter
ln aconfused murmur she heard the gues- | ini
ue!
tions ‘and responses of her lover, and an-
swered the questions put to her; then Pili
turns to her with a happy smile, ‘murmuring:
eda, yi
He 3 bia noble head and kisses his
child- pence but he draws suddenly back, with
Hed cry; her ips are as cold as oe.
ip to her, and takes her in
rou always bo aa happy as on this
Jich sees you a beloved amd. cher-
Beer ‘ride she whisperes, softly.
“4 bride!” Freda mutters under her breath.
“Oh, Goat a bride bya terrible mistake—a
mistal
Philip, watching. her,
heart in
that he has won her—the one desire of his
cout,
raises bis honest
titel nike, be fourmured, sull gazing at
her fondly.
ho had but known how it would end, be
prould bare pra ed Heaven that she tlght
"tame, and
wit
daunt me, If she does not| Pointin;
it
‘- now he td by the hand who
le
d x the arria age Pavore, rapidl; aly throu ithe Fa
.d| street, peopl
rushing the 1 ietle
‘as| quit
‘a prayer of thankfulness to Heaven | mé
hi
wo myself worthy of my beau-
“Tean dio happy now,” said the squire,
lasing bis hand on the bowed,
that you are safely: provided for,
Lite ya
rificed msself—yes, sold myself
10 we
|ebeepoke no
siways feleauch @ strange prese
about foture” continued the 1 yusres
drawing the slender figure closer to him. “I
will tell you why. oust not laugh at
me, though. lown it has been a foolis
it has troubled me for Tong
“+ When you were but a rery little child, a
gypsies pitched their tents
Toodiand down by the river,
There was 80 man
rack of
‘ich. belon,
a hold ‘your head high now, proud
in which i¢ will
to the dust; andiitis the child you
‘will bring you
that at cup filled to the brim pith the bitterest
e will ie ool light of heart as
is fair of face, If t tes decree that che
should wed at i allthark You, and listen well
to the ey 's Rrophecy y—she will be a bride
bya fatal mistake!
tempted to
‘as tenderest, I
si for 1g years after, those we
thedead hour of the night, as I
He could not think why she clung to him,
the pitiful, horril tt which he
| Sho look on rae ‘arlig: 8 tace aga, as she
ung to Rion 3a ing:
apa—oh, papa, good-bye!
fe longed to stop an
cheer for the beautiful bride,
"The drive from the villa to the depot was a
short one, and during it mot a word was
nm so strangely
mated.
wi ‘ith closed eyes Freda leaned back i
curling golden jlashes
eeks, with a heart
at ihe thought oe thi fair young girl
all his own—his beaut
‘When they entered. the
iful young bride.
algeconchy
e are going.
dden, I did not, have
paration.”
not matter much where we go,”
sho Fesponded, but she said it ‘eich lips that
trembled, ae he saw, an his
suddenly an
he cree ack from
ream do that” ehe spanked,
could not bear it.”
“y
Mortimer stared at at
ring
ently, ‘ahery tears rushing to ner bites eyes
ke
tion on on eh seorey'h he marked, adeep flush
ae Shall wait patiently until you offer to
kiss me of your ow! he said,
quietly, a, grave simile ighting yup his. han
some, noble
"Then yous it forever!” cried the
beautiful, ‘efiant aihesle belde, bursting into a
passion of bitter
RX.
THE BITTER QUARREL ON THE WEDDING-
: TRIP.
THe face of the bridegroom grew pale as
“S'Freda," he said, sternly, “you do not
an that bP
es, 1do,” she sobbed, drawing back from
n that,” he re-
‘One would almost imagine
of a lovematch.”
“1A bargain! you moean,* sho cried, bit:
1) that. is what it was, and y
know
crmeon. a cheeks; * 3 ou
tossed restlessly on my lows those words| 012
‘one e
[weddingore—o should he
and duty told him
Y | within “that houry but
k
fient love, the might
he:
al!
corner of the carriage, her lips tightly com:
seem
| stood fae lost al charm for him now,
ure of the future which
"Have you any wish “oe
wot send a—a |
few weeks?” ie teked, precntly: "Thad ene
gaged rooms 8
ton, but per!
headed, i te
just as
The going to
| it.” .
«I never heard of a bride raising an objec- inter
re
tree
tats have Been forced marriage, instead | m
were uttered, and would have recalied them
ifshe could, They were uttered in a udon
passion impulse, » however, and the mit
chief was don
She had noe “dray rawn ‘k from him more
t Our marriage was
a
ee Veherepied, defiantly, bitter sobs st a pl
8
her fi
«Will you tell me why you call
so?”
gsked, and his voice sounded Tike. pothing
hum:
“Teall it what it ist”sho cried, speakin
rapidly and gverily, with flashing epee a and
no
me asont |
rou brow ‘that, If
foreclosed
‘and. tursel us all from our
fomes ace father Mees are bet been Tuined
in his old ied you,
, because of that, and you
fay od help me,” heanswered brokenly.
wing as rigid leath,
1, 88
trough you married me for love, little Fre-
Was it possible you believed anything 80
wild? she retoi
“I did, indeed,” he replied slowl
fg had recei ved 1 a terrible blow; Sat he was
ma the
not the man to
heights of heaven down to the black € despair
of hades, his dream of lov
Freda, hig darling, the bride whom he had tho
just wedded, did n
or was this &frightf
ot love him. Was he mad,
ae ‘rom which
ye Without another word, yet with a shrill would wwaken
ugh more horrible to hear than the] “3 cd er ao Heaven, s0
wil jest burst of fury, she wheeled suddenly well bation than Titeitecit, and this was the
about and plunged into the w. en . n
f course it wi nonsense, With the] He been mad, indeed, to fancy that a
shrowd cunning of her race, she had at-| bright, Tmischiewoue. "echoolgirl slike ‘Freda | "a
Norveil could or would love a quiet man. like
35] himself; he six-and-thirty, and she only six-
wo ot am ne lad that you have told me this so
e said huskily; + it is better that we
t mot she, marries, she | should understand each other,
will be a bride by fatal slat oan _
Oro vas ‘ail nonsense; Much better, Iam glad we P ogethes:
‘oth fashion, I
gill he continued, a icing the fair oT have called our marriage a. bar-
young face; “and” when webilip ortimer | ¢ain—let it remain a bargain, You were
a| asked me for your hand, I was pleased—nay, | fin4 ¢o my father, Linow, and thank you
delighted. I said ro myself: ‘I she marries | ror that; but r payment, and
im, I can die in peace. load has t
been lifted off my mind by this marriage, thy gebnut aut jba0 reason, 1 thi,
darling. answered, hupkily, “I could
neset guar with you, Fi
ned his white face prard the win-
Should he send ‘its young bride home at
her back to the squire on her
“Pride
e-Whoe samentmog
to keep her with ita,
me, by dint of great
wore! nig Jove aust win
ree breath of
ai
not he must save
make the best of his cruelly fatal mur-
Tage. ‘Sho was his bride by a, faval mistake,
| but mut the mistake must be carefully hidden from
t
ip-loving world,
his name, because
shi
ng | nig wife now, but she should have her, wish
—they Wi
the sky—he wi
never offend het
ife
‘ould be as far apart as the earth and
would never intrude pon her,
future, which vad
to face with the 1 athe” Feeds
love was se not tor him,
And thi
is handsome, noble man, whom any
e the bride be fad wedded
ith a dreary sigh The ioresist
had died out of his eyes, and he
grow old and I
aggard as he gat there, fac | iy
ie pes ne fan ‘k pi
him.
where Fou
face—Heaven help hit
the Hotel, Washing;
would not’ suit you,”
“Everything shall be
“1 havesaid that it docs not matter,” she
I petulantly; one place in the’ world
je same as another to m
se ‘had thought of spending a week
i eek at Nagara Falls, then
ing my’ 6 Rodale a fortnight,
e did not answer,
as she had said, a
and the e deep silence which
ained token the time
‘ashinj
rou tired, Freda
helped her from the car.
ee she pled bahortly; “it was a
1 crear
eB shiver ede ‘a she said it and then placed
er had quietly upon bis arm t9 alk the
beach in waitin, much @ way a8
wormed him that he mbst ttake no advantage
of it
jhe was ni
When they arrived at the hotel they were
shown to the elegant ait of oom 3 which
had been engaged for
“poson think you ne ce them, mad-
am? hi losing the door, but still
stanaing there ew is Tobin
Fredi jut in ser Poe ‘a mo-
se
sadly, bitter hit
a” Sanit “ ir strange 1i
there is to ben we ine our etn we m “aust
be perfectly stray i forward, It would give
est pleasure to sit here with You,
at I am afraid of ing. If you would
rather be alone, te tell me
I would rather be ‘vione,” she replied,
ll dead at his foot i in her bridal rol
Be sorrow
three lives were w Sco.
oi
She yes frightened as svon as the words
uring her he:
‘He turned from ‘Ley, with a sudden moan,
though his pain was greater than he could
bear: thea hi he e aviedy held out his hand.
“Goodnight, and Heaven bless you!” he
murmured.
For long hours. afterward Philip Morti-
mer stood at his window, watching the night
aT next few days passed quietly enough.
The novelty and change of scene was not
la, and her handsome,
ess end attention
mi
ed fe
and I torbore troub- com
last
e voued wistful-
thing wonde jerful, Ho never seetn 01
her; her least wish, her slightest desire,
or faintest t caprice, were ati
she hardly expressed them, He never spoke
er of lorewnever intruded—but he sur-
Founded het with an atmosphere of
tionate care, which soon becann Sndispen
sable to hei
‘She begun to rely pon him for the comfort
loving him, the idea
el passed, an
the same with them,
Freda had ‘one her best to forget the hand:
ung lover who had kissed her
sionately under the chestnut t boughs “tthe
lawn fete, declaring be mus or die,
but it-wab uselese—cuseless: the emiling face
and laughing dark eyes of Neil Garland were
ever before hi
her colder still to the man she
‘his made
had married: she ged madly into the gar
of her life, but as
id not ot e even occur io
onths o ocean ta
vortex of fashionabl in lite
new ss far
hilip Mortimer's love had never abated, al-
ugh day by day he knew their hearts were
drifting further a
ince his marri hoped always-—
hi iis pow
her—he had been the host st patient, “the ‘most
gentle and assiduous of wooers; But he hs
His heart w: fr wing \d sad,
had lost some of his gentle, “oving manner;
the noble, generous nature fretted under the
chain.
Why could she not love him?
we that you fairly hate me, Freda,”
he cried bitterly and. despairingly one day.
“Trould rather you, would Gill me than
show me such icy ‘coldness. I have borne
Your treatment Datiently for a long time,” he
ded. Why ot win your heart and
make you love me?”
She turned £ from him with a shudder.
sobbing eo hysterically ‘a the ola ha st
“Don't, Freda, don't, pet,’ said the old dow, and looked out at the pe ers.” Wa
squire, uclasping og the: lovely white °, without seeing it. Brin ay that rove 49 he ip lips, st ae aid not, see
from round hi (itis not pice 2 have How he longed to take her in his arms, and for he see und fe eee
(zargtaina on your on your wedding tell her in passionate worgs how he loved on DitteTIy: eo yon give #0 an-
her, that life would be nothing to him with- 4 an
{little later the carriage which re the out her love, and by sheer force of his affee- other an the sale ou never give ¢0 me, me,
ti and ‘amidst Rladsome good wishes, Fe a a a eta rain | what to do to ‘lease you I would doit,” he
ay pride came to his rescue. No, no, she woul “3 A
porns the bende a sd gsoom Let Oabel vie only despise him the more. Grloving but Tove you more than ever, t | th
pers, the brid om view there, he fought a terrible battle |thint the eonad con aki
PoTow little the happy old squire dreamed of writting there, he fou think that if you woul ne and kiss
me when [ lie dying, I should almost ie will-
ing to die, De you. ‘understand such a great
love as thi 8 orc 1 Sel
hi yh Pe
the Dieter crak Serie “its
d then in that dark past—who could doul
hs passionately aa he loved her she loved
another, but he must never know that.
CHAPTER XI.
‘WILL, YOU NEVER EEARN To Love ae?”
“Winn you ever care for me, Freda?”
ked; but no answer fell from the white
lips, Ab! how Xen
6 them,” he continu
out Freda, equally ‘as bitterly.
ness arrai
as ours, E iene
He drew a step nearer to her, holding w
his white band with a gesture of silence, ant
ot 80 phy you are not content,”
Freda, haughtily, “eres
oe mn Taot contents > hi
ately, laughing so bitterly thatheg quis an
ened her, ‘Because I am not made of marble
because I have a living, human heart |
that longs fortove,a Seoul that cries out against | 9”
ince our marriage; can you
bi
not gu ‘uess what it
“No,
in "your exes,
round m;
say! «have learned to love you a vate
oF vil such a hope e}
that you would, as
neck and ga
3
“No,” she replied, faintly, “I do not
think it ever will.
turned on his heel, crashing the door to.
after him as he left the room.
From that day Philip Mortimer was a
changed man; he grew stern, morose, watch-
fa) jealous of the smiles she bestowed on
othe
ieclared to hirneelf that he would bear
her indifference, but that,
reference for another man, he would slay
1m jugt as surely as the sun'shone,
Hi was very popular in society, because of
his hand ce, hi
The weariness of the lovely littie bride's
face, the languor of the beautiful figure,
chill indifference of the young wife were
significant.
‘ot that society had as Jet heen regaled by
gossip, but it w
the fair young bride did not ‘eve her husband,
Ralph Tr
elevated his eyebs
e}] HT di
e
s went on as satisfac Story
that you would | Ti
ifshe showed any | Fi
omplish | F
the porsinde
Freda would not go to Europe, and in two
months’ time they returned n,
and the firet person Freda cneouatered as
was driving along the boulevard, was her
old rival, Juliet King.
as Neil married Juliet?” she wondered
with a fiote throb. of pain at hes heart;
“and are they here on their wedding.trip >
A few skillful questions brought, out ‘the
fact that.on the night of her marriage Neil
Garand had suddenly disappeared from the
Village, No one knew where be went or
“I liked him so wich, ," sighed Juliet,
¢| plaintively; “but it seems he never cared
for me.
e light, careless reply, but
ith astrange exultation in
lover had not
she ‘drove home Wi
her heart, kn« mowing her ol
married Juliet
to return to Neil Garland himself, Tt
murs before he recovered consciousness,
the blow which he ® had received by the fall
being such a har
iawn, one of the servants found
as-| him lying there, and hastened at once to his
assistance and the work of restoring him,
Frightened ‘at his protracted absence, the boy
had long since zeturned 40 the hotel, and pus
up the horse and co
mm the servant, Neil found out cha the
coremonys and the bride
h Tray
ello!” ‘erie 8 Ralph, “what's the matter?
Angbod
oarsely..
“No!” echoed hig friend au
‘Yes, iis true,” exclaimed a shag,
“Tf had not listened to, yous ged feted
seth that Rene fools Juliet King, I would not
have lost her,” he groaned.
«You weren’t obliged to take my advice,”
retorted Ralph, assuming an injured to
he glanced at his friend's white fac
‘more fool Ito do it!” cried Neil,
fa Norvell is married?” cried Neil,
d biteery,
averse shrugged his shoulders and
id not now Jou cared so much for
her,” he said, #1
“Well, did!” eried Neil, hotly, “I love
her so well that I swear I’ would take her
away from nits even now it Foul.”
“I would never advise you to harbor such
th oughts," smi nse, twirling thought-
fully at his blonde ru
webs Fou wouldnt? “Why mot?" cried
ceil,
Phoadee
“Well, fo for two _or three reasons,” replied
Ralph, ‘In the first place, it is always a
risky job, 60 far as I have ever heard
off with another mai ife; and this Storei-
mer is a dangerous fellow to cross; he is
man to shoot afellow dead who would dare
iy much attention to his
esi 5 ie is over head and
eh?’ cried Neil, grinding some-
kes ‘ fierce imprecation between his
Thies Cocths
+ Oh, dear, yes, not a doubt of it—any oue
could see that! Let him keep her now that
added Traverse, with a vireu-
ears in None
t Ther better than you do, when all's said and
done. les, the woman isn’t born who'll
break youn heart, you know,” eaid Traverse,
a go. of expressio:
faved about more than one in your time, Neil,
boy, and more sro, if you are par-
Heute as wes, Noy no: if'you take
ny advice you will leave pretty Ered alone,
¢ | and learn to forget her by falling in love with
“Por tw 0 months i Neil Garland drifted about
phere fan ed, doing to forget
the capris Pls ue eer beauty he had
1 Iovesl so well, but it was useles
‘Kehast he qirifted back to Weshington,
of his arrival the irae ‘pare
agraph that met his eyein the daily papers
was the announcement of tho return’ trom
heir wedding tour of Philip Mortimer and
his wif
That same ternoon Juliet King paid
Freda a hasty
@ found her Tying indolently on a pretty
couch that had been placed near
attired in a dresing-gown of, Niue ali
"white lace that wasvone. of Wortl’s
masterpieces. All her luxurient hair was
loose, falling like a veil of gold about the
dainty, flower like fac
n't & moment earcely to stay, so
now f you are going to the ball at Mrs
Ratha torie’s to-night? It will be agrand af-
suppose Ishall go,” replied Freda, in-
aitterently “Philip spoke about it.”
“<I did not know until to
che had been Iying it
the inotence, the
“Mr. Garland’s coming or goin
interest to me, ie te
ily, but otal ieuuie-
hed, and hev-white henge trembled violently,
“ Let us talk of something else.
With feveriah gayety she began to discuss
&
A flush like a red rose- cleat game to her
face,
‘ Ww” said
'reda, to,make el iet think she was
en; in'hey dress, but the flushed face
and absent air betrayed
hour later Phili ‘hp "Nort fimer entered
's boudoir; and found her busy over the
of bail-dresses with her maid.
i, wi
ey ‘darlin, ing,” he tfully, when the
ive iat
door had closed behind the maid, * would you
e
mind remaining away fro
this ball to-night?
Forgive me—do
not lai ugh at me. [have had
since the invitation was
accepted, that we ought not to go.
Freda turned on himn angrily, her blue eyes
fo flashing.
ua are too old to enjoy such
amusements, it is cruel of you to stiempt to
from attending the ball.
if you like, but that, vill not
Fevent me from going,” she said, haugh-
By
Ola!” onl ly Heaven knew how that bitter
word cut him, It would have been kinder
leaner fa hanged WAtIs. Hie deserves.