A Wasted Love

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1164, 7 December 1904, Page 4

A Wasted Love

Author of" Loslio'g Loyalty,"" El

CHAPTER lit,

(Continued.) I: " Sparo him, madam I Oh, indeed, in* , deed, you do not know what yon any I" 1 \ The countess looked down nt her with i dry, burning eyoa, and put her asido m if I she were a lay figure, and yet not roughly 1 or unkindly. " Do I nut ?" she said passionately, " It is you who do not understand. It is only i I who know what this tiling that ho has | dono means. You. pieiid for him, girl ?" ; she laughed a laugh, terrible in its misery and humiliation. " You would not if jou i knew of what I havo been dreaming nil these years, You would not if you knew ! that 1 had hoped—" she sloppott, and looked from ono to tho oilier, and though tho girl did i.ot understand the broken sentence and the glance, Royco did, and hts face flunod, '"But that is all over now," exclaimed the countess. "Jf 1 was ambitious for . him, my son—and God nlono knows how ' nmbiliouß 1 was, and how much I hoptd forl-I owQ,a duly to-oihcrs"-slia had nearly said" you "-"and I will not forget it! Ho has sacrificed his mime and his honor —" Royco hold up his hand, "Enough mother" broke from him hoarsely; " I havo sinned I admit it 1 But my honor " 11 A man's honour is lost when his name is besmirched and stained as yours is 1" came the passionate retort, " Yon go too far," ho said and his voice was almost inaudible," hut if you bolievo what you say —" " I do I" sho exclaimed fiorc ly. I " Then this is no plaeo for me," ho ; said sternly, "You asked mo what I was going to do, Ido net know; but this I know, that, outcast as I am, I would rather dio in a ditch than cat tho bread tafnted with scorn and contempt. 1 shall not stay here to shame you mother —I will go I" "Yob, go I" sho cried. "The son I lovod and prayed for is as dead to mo as if ho lay in his coffin." "Oh, madam I" moaned Ircno piteonsly, and she glided to Royco's side and caught his hand. " Come away from him I" said the ' countess, commandiugly. " Come away! He is not a fit associate for a pure-hearted girl who bears an honoured name! He is disgraced—an outcast I" "Yes, Go, Irene I" he said in a broken voice. " She is right.. It is what the world says—and wiil always say! Go, Irene I" He pat her from him, and she stood almost between the two, weeping bitterly. "And now, mother," he said," beloro I go will you not say ono word oi forgiveness ? I know that in your anger you have uttered words thct mean more than you think.or rcalisd, D,> not fear that I shall hang upon you a burden and encumbrance, I am going, as yon bid me, but," his voice broke altogether, "say just one word that will soften tho others! 1 am sorry for what has happened, anil yit if it were all to como over agnin I should do the same. If he had been a king 1 should havo struck him! I could no; hold my hand and live, To havo sat th> re i.nd borne his insults meekly would indeed huvo seemed iihonour to me. Bin it is all past. As yi ut say, I am disgraccl, and I will carry my disgrace away and hide it and myself, if I can. lam going, mother; will you not say one word-one word of forgiveness ?" "No!'' sho responded, "Thoroisno forgivoness in my hoart; tliero shall be none, no lie, on my lips." She took up a purse that hung at her Chatelaine, and opening it looked into it, ''There i 3 money thtre," she said cold. ly, "I do not wish you to starve. When you have gambled that away, my liwyern will supply yon with more. Tako it ami ♦-go I" ■She flung the pttrso on the table, Hitook it up, lo.ikedat it and then laid it down again, " Good-byo mother," ho said, but evon as ho turned ho hesitated and looked appoalingly at her, The look might havo melted her, bin she kept her eyes averted, and with a sigh ho passed out, Irene standing breathless with alternate hope and fear, started forward after him. "Irene, como back!" said the countess sternly. For tho firs', timo in her life the girl disobeyed that voice, and followed lioyce. Ho was winking" slowly, wh his head on his breasl, and as he turned at the featherliko touch of her hand, she saw that his face was white and set. "Oh, Roycc, Hoyeo! Are you really going?" shotuurumred, He took her hand, and for a moment was unable to speak: then be said: " Yes, Kerne, I urn going. How could ißtay?" "Butwhore, Roycc?" sho asked, hor face turned up to his with pity and sympathy in her lovoly eyes, He raised his brows and .shook his head. I " I don't know yet, Renic," ho said, " It doesn't much matter; a? far as I con from Monk Towors. Why did you come after mo, Renio ? You heard what sho said ? Go back ? Yoo must not mako hor angry with you." ■ Tho tears welled to bar eyes, " If I only know whore you were going and what would becomo of you, Royco I Won't you writo to me, and 111 where you are, and whether you are well or ill ?'' " I won't promise, ltonie," ho said gravely, " I'm bad at writing, and if things went wrong with I should bo too. proud to tell you. Good-hy, dear honel Don't fret about mo, I'm not worth it." Her hand still clung to his arm. , "Tell mo, Royco," 6ho murmured, and her eyes dropped, " havo you—havo you any money ?" "Yes," ho replied, forcing a smile. "I havo a little—enough." "Oh, not enough," she said quickly, and she put her band up to a chain round her neck, "My hand trembles so that I can't unfaston it. Undo it Royco!"

BY CHARLES GARVICE

llaiuo,"" A Woman's Soul," &o,

Ho unfastened (he snap, nnd she took iho chain off awiTtly and prosscd it iuio Ilia hand.

" I haven't any money with tun, lbyc?, but I will send you somo if you will lot mo.and you will, won't you? Ymi won't ho too proud to tako it from your—aisle, Royee!'' His face flushed, and he smiled still., "Youare not my sister, Renio,'ho replied, " but if you were I should bo too proud, us vou say, to ttike monoy from you." ' . "Oil, ltoyee! But Ihe chain I You will lake thai.? You can selli',"

Ho shook his head; then as her eager face clouded over with disappointment be U'ifas'ened a siimll locket from the chain

" Not the chain, dea r Renee," ho said; "hut I'll t'dte the loeket, that I may a'wiys have something whh mo to ro mind me of yon, not ihnt I shall need v. And now, dear llenie! There, don't cry! I'm not worth n tear or a sigh. Therethere!"

Her hand dropped from his a'tn, and sho put it in his hand, and it twined round his fing.'rs, lovingly, In tho innocent eyes there was a look that said plainly ;| " Tako mo in your arms, Royco; Ids me, for 1 lovo you," " Perhaps he uuderstood tho look, for his colour came and wont. But notwithstanding what his mother had said, Roycc Landon had not lost all honour, and he resisted tho great temptation, and instead ho raised her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly, reverenly-

"Good-by, lietiic!"hesaid in a very low voice. " And -don't think worse of me than you can help I" Then he turned and strode off, but as he entered the avenue ho looked back and waved his hand. She was standing white lily-liko in her thin, whito dross, hor hands before her eyes, and ho know that she was crying, and for him, She waved Iter hand, hor lips formed his name, and tbon ho was gono. I (To k continued.)