Page:Peterson's Magazine 1867 a.pdf/459

 450

MARRIED BY MISTAKE.

challenge. The dress, too, was perfect in its simplicity-pure white, with a crimson rose or two in the hair and on the bosom. "I will return in a moment, " said Zua, annoyed by that searching look ; and she left the room. " How very beautiful your daughter is," cried Ruby, with enthusiasm, taking her old place by the window; "but no wonder. " She whispered the last words, as if to herself; but they rose with subtle flattery to the proud man's ear.

me down here. Nothing that is not pleasant, I hope." "I cannot tell ; I hardly know. From the hour I heard of this I have thought of nothing else. It seemed like an evil omen that you should be hurt on the way to me." "An evil omen ! Oh ! I hope not," said Moreton, glancing through the open window, where he saw Zua walking in and out among the roses. Ruby followed his glance, and grew pale as snow. He could turn his eyes toward another woman when she was by-the thought made her tremble. "It flatters me that you think so." "Flatters ! Oh, sir ! who would dare to flatter "You-you are pale ; you are changed," she said, with a quiver of pain in her voice. you?" Wheaton laughed. "Pale, of course I am ; and changed, too, as " I think you might find courage enough, horrible pain can change a man. Do you wonMrs. Gray ; only it is not worth your while. ” der at that, sweet Ruby." "Me? Oh, dear ! I never could flatter any She smiled, and made an effort to deceive one. The feeling springs to my lips, and out it { herself. Now, that she was thoroughly in earcomes. There never was so foolish a creature nest, there was no use for her art but to blind in that respect ." her own intelligence. She would not believe that he had ceased to love her. "Foolish ! that is no word for such lips." "Who is it that flatters now?" "But with your friends, with me, for in"Mr. Moreton will be happy to see you, Mrs. stance, is there no change ; are you exactly the same?" Gray." "Poor fellow !" exclaimed Ruby, looking at "Exactly the same ! As if anything on earth Mr. Wheaton. "I hope it will be in my power that breathed the air ever was exactly the same to console him a little. May I beg of you, Miss two days together. " Wheaton, to show me his room ?" "But I speak of feelings." Zua had not moved from the threshold ; she "And they change most of all ; here is a proof. stepped back, and allowing her guest to pass For the first time on earth, Ruby Gray, you seem into the hall, opened the door to Mr. Moreton's to be in earnest, natural as the flowers out yonroom. Ruby passed through, touching the door der. This would surprise me if I expected with her hand, as if she would have shut Zua { stability in anything ; but when a coquette beout, but dared not. There was no cause for comes sincere, even for an hour, I think it is fear ; the young girl asked to be excused, and not impossible that the leopard may change his walked into the garden with a quick, proud spots." step, as if some one had wounded her. "A coquette, Preston ! Why will you call me Ruby Gray changed utterly as she entered by such hard names ? Why will you think such that room ; the roses faded on her cheeks, the { things of me ?” self-confident manner vanished into natural Tears trembled in the woman's voice, her timidity. There was no power of fascina- beautiful lips quivered. Yet ten minutes betion left to her then ; but she was in fact fore you have seen her by the window, looking natural and childlike, as real love makes any into Mr. Wheaton's eyes, as if there did not exist another man on earth. Still she was woman. "Oh ! Moreton, I am so sorry- so very, very glad, to be sure, that it is no worse." She went up to the bed on which the young man lay, and placed both her hands in that he held out to her. He felt the little hands tremble through the gloves, and was touched by her emotion. "You are kind to come when a fellow needs his friends most," he said, dropping her hands from his clasp with a sigh. "Sit down and tell me what has happened since they chained

honest in saying, "Why will you think such things of me?" She had only meant to fascinate this man for a moment- in fact, had not thought of it. Habit had become second nature to her- that was all. Moreton rose upon his elbow and looked at her keenly. A cloud came over his face, and he settled back to the pillows holding his breath. At last he spoke, "If it displeases you, of course I will not do it. "