A GRAND FLIRTATION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 127, 30 May 1891, Page 4

A GRAND FLIRTATION.

Th« west was all aflame with the autumn sunset ere Cora Smith and her little twelve year old sister &|ty}tce closed the CPftftg* door behind theffl, and van dqwo thegaragn path towards the stile, wharena was waiting —Ha other words, where hawl-eyed, swfleffaced Cora Smith's city lover was w&itlfo for his ladylove, as she, b,a.g manyjpj .xjjghl waited for film. ' '''V' Almost every evening they met there at the stile— their " trysting place," he said, just half way between hejf hope and his lodging-house. He had proposed it, and she was nothing lqth to was '.so pretty and romantic. * ■#»'• Auntie Sarah was fist a,t all ple&ea frith this dark-eyed young stranger, and though 1 she had not forbidden him the house, both lovers knew she preferred " bis room to hjl company." And so, always witjbi dear little Madge at her side, she daily meged down the path through the leafy w«JBs to the half-way trysting place where, she met halt handsome, dark-eyed lover, Neil Rpwaq, How her heart flattered to-njght a*, shfl thought of him I ana the warm lovo-light deepened and darkened tjie soft brown eyeil "Neil, Nell!" she said, almost uncoi}* berf&^e, ■ ■ v'jTyWiga «M» you love Mm so vary $#r Sis! A swift hot colour came Irjte thofttw Cneekf, and then she paused, auddeflly Hold' Ing the hands of little Madge in a fervent grasp. . a- - ;$ "Better than all the world— better than °7 y? nt^ my Ufe. And lamto be b|3 wf/e, Uttie Madge, this good man's wife, when the spflrjg comes. I shall leave j&ii' and auntie, an,d uncle to be all his. Bfit tHfe is our little sister, and only Veto rt hen rjer puds relaxed thilr hold, ant! drawing the little scarf over her shoulder^ sh,e tripped silently on. They Hvere almost there-rnearing the edge of the wood, and the atile was but a few steps away. Anothef ' step forward, and then Madge held he! I sister back. ' . M I ■•■ Walt 1" sfce whispered ; « I can see W6 nj,en on the seat, Cora. We do not want Vo meet strangers there. " < i > "N6," she saia, drawing back in trlA shadow of the wood ; " it Is Neil's friena, Willis Dean. We will wait until he go&! for I do not cayeto meet him." V Even as she spoke the figure rose, and t&h sQvjnd o { hlg voice came on the twilight alfe distinct and clear. •♦And whit of this love affair, friend Neil? When is it to end, and how ? Are you really in earnest, and do you mead tb marry the girl ?" „.* Cora Smith's hand closed upon the arid Of Madge till she shrank in pain while they waited for the answer. Neil Kowan laughed softly. " Marry her !" he repeated. " She is just the subject for a grand flirtation, and I assure you I have done the thing well. But for anything further— bah 1 1 am going back to town to-morrow, and this is our last meeting ; so be off, old fellow, for I expect her every moment." Just for one moment Madge Smith's heart stood still in awful fear, for she thought Cora was dying. That white, ghastly face there in the twilight, that motionless figure, those tightly-locked hands— it surely was not the fair, sweet maiden of a moment before. But the spasm passed, and, without a word, she rose and glided noiselessly away, and Madge followed her in silence. I Neil Rowan waited until the light had all died out of the west, and the dew lay like summer rain on the grass at his feet. His cigar was smoked down to ashes, apd his lazy reverie was broken by the cry of the corn-crake. J'Pif^'Lff^ to-night," he said mentally; «that is certain. The scheming auntie up yonder managed to prevent it th *?J lme> Oh, well, it saved a scene I I will drop a loving farewell note, and aft ft ends— a summer's amusement. Ha, hrjffi'r and Neil Rowan strolled homeward, smfclrij? half unconsoiously, " I won't have her, I know— l won't have her, I know— l don't care a straw who has her." xi Th r e ,/ arewell note came to Cora Smith the following night, but the fever-bright eyes never rested on the page, for, ere the insane light gave place to reason again, death sealed the white eyelids. To such natures as this girl's, love is life, and the rude blojy that awoke her from the one bright dream of her youth, snapped the tender cord thit bound her frail spirit to earth j and Olit of the depths of hera&fal grief, the kindly hand of death led he? folhe mountain top, where isbuilded the city of the New; Jerusalem. * Day by day, week by week, month by month, sb sped the time until ejght years were doubted. Eight times the gWbad growti over the little grave in the lonely via* tfistl^a the autum leaves over the narrow mound. >'-\ ■ - •• ■ ■ ■?^ hrfi?*%* h £ nBeS htid the eight Bars mtb TOp Others, and the headstones' BefeWi namefe 6t dm. aunt an'd uncle slhrL Tfijy had rested there six years ; and eVery Summer beautiful Madge Smith came down iTi er hpuse ln town - and Hugged iri the old home a. week, trimming the grasses and plaruing bright flowers on thl mounds. Bright, beautiful Madge Bmith, the" Heiress °m. I™!?- Smith ' 8 ldden wfc #.' $» wealth he. guarded so well during t%i tdilwoin, weary life. „_ yea , rS before « M&^ e th le/t school, to reign duQen of society. Beautifuf, SW^WH with th at(Joid, white high-bred face, those wide, fathomfe^s glittering amber eyes, a figure matchless )n m^. etr u y ? nd gra , ce ' accompUehed, polished, tod the heiress of great wealth, no wonder c l°. V0^ ol(i nd y° un »- knelt at Madge -™f™' shl ?, ne - Strange wonder, the world said, that all were scorned-not gently and with word? of pity and apology, but spMed ;bSnge y es ery U SCornfulll P 3 j Aye, Madge Smith was an enigma and ■mystery to all who knew her. No warmer .mend, no brighter companion did those of her own sex seek. But never were those ■lips seen to smile, or those wonderful eyes |to soften, in response to any lover's; no iiffij*? 8 mo , re frlgld than she t0 a!1 men. A ,"» did } say? Nay, Dame Rumour had plenty of gossip just now. Only a few n^ a n x ew rival appeared on the mfn£° f « aCtion - Neil merchant and m " S air^' entered the list oHMadge mj* s adorers -not for her wealth, surelv Madame Grundy acknowledged gracious y on in amaze to see the flush stain her white Aqd did he not recognise her, you are wondering ? Nay, how should he ? Sweet Cora Smith, apd the summer in the country ,were forgotten things with this man. He' jhad broken half-a-dozen silly hearts since ithen, and left them all with Time, the great healer. He had flirted and left the past all behind Wm. And now he came and mid the

raw tar hands trembled and tor eyes shoifeas she listened. 11 Wait; 11 she said : " I wltt rive you my answer to-morrow 1 night : it to my birthday, and 'l shall give aft entertainment. You com*; I will answer you then. Be in the library at ten, and you shall hear my ansv er." Ai d" the night 'came, and he was there wait ng. lie paced the room impatiently. Would she ever come, this girl that was dearer than his life ? Aye, she was life to him' the world had seemed old, stale, flavourless, until he met her, the woman who, : alone of all heir sex, had ever stirred the slumbering passions df his heart. How bright the future seemed I He was so sure of he'rjanswer ; had not she given it all but in words ? Aqd just then he heard the light ripple of a woman's laugh in the adjoining room. Her ' laugh : he knew it among thousands ; and her voice : she was speaking loud and clean. . "There, Guardie, you must let me go now. : Mr. Rowan is waiting for me in the library. You know I art to tfr biro my answer tornight." Arid her guardian's voice, speaking tenderly, replied : u And that answer-nrl can gues* if, little Madge. You are going to marry this rrian, and leave us all." Stfe laughed 1 softly, "Marry him?, JSfp, indeed, sir I He is just the subject fora grand flirta'tion, and i assure yon I have done the thing w,ell ; but for anything further — bah I 6ut he is expecting me. so by-by, till I come again," and (she tripped lightly through the halfopen door, ere the amazed guardian could utter a syllable. A t white, ghastly, shivering figure stood by the library window. " For mercy's sake, Madge Smith, tell me you w«re jesting !" he cried, as brilliantly, glowingly, beautiful, she glided into the room. " "Not so, my friend," she answered, lightly; "I spoke the truth. If you overheard my words I need not repeat them. ' It is my answer." "But you gave me hope; you led me on; you; have given me reason to think you loved me," he cried 1 passionately. " It is the one love of my life ! I have centred every hope and thought in you, Madge Smith, and for my Sake, fdr mercy's sake, do not wreck myilifel" She" was very pale now and her eyes were; bladk and glistening: ' "JNeil Rowan," she said slowly, " I have prayed fdr this hour for ejght years, but, nevpr in my .wildest dreams did I think my prayer would be so fully answered, When I saw the hue of death,. the white agony on my; only Aster's . check-^w.hen I saw her writhe in speechless agony at the words ?he heard eight years ago to-night, I vowed to avenge her. Again, \yhen I heard the thud of the earth upon her coffin, I vowed that vow. Fate has brought it about even sooner, more completely, than I had thought. If I have given you one hour of such agony as she suffered, I am content. If you could live arid suffer it for countless ages, I should be better content. Good night 1 1" Shortly afterwards the sharp ring of a pistol rang with startling distinctness through the crowded drawing-room. All sprang to their feet, save Madge Smith. Perhaps her cheek paled a little — I cannot tell— but the light of her eye never changed, her smiling lips never related, as she gazed upon the blood-stained corpse In the libary. Neil Rowan had taken his own life, and Cora Smith was avenged.