"YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I HATE TO RAKE UP THE ASHES OF THE PAST."
"Vast the empire Love rules over--
Held in bonds his subjects are--
Firmly shackled is each lover
By the boy-god everywhere.
Yet we could not live without him,
So, young tyrant, let him rove,
Though by turns we doubt and fear him,
Still we cling to Love, sweet Love."
FRANCIS S. SMITH.
Geraldine was so relieved that her mother had not come to upbraid her
about the personals to Hawthorne that she affected a great interest in
what she had just heard.
"Do let me read it myself, mamma," she exclaimed, eager to get
possession of the newspaper before the lady should find any more
startling paragraphs in it.
Mrs. Fitzgerald readily gave up the paper, her excitement over the news
she had just read having destroyed all interest in anything else.
"I shall write to my cousin at once, to condole with her on her
bereavement," she said, rising to go, and adding: "It is quite a
coincidence that both of us should be widowed almost at the same time."
When she was gone, Geraldine glanced over the personal, and hastily
destroyed the paper, though she sighed:
"I feel mean over keeping this from my dear mother, but what can I
do? I must not forsake my true-hearted lover for the sake of a mere
prejudice."
And believing that she would be sure to hear from the personal very
soon, her heart grew light with joy.
Soon it was time to go and meet Cissy.
Mrs. Fitzgerald accompanied her daughter to the station to meet her
friend, and when she saw Miss Carroll, she liked her at once.
She had been dreading to see a very ordinary girl indeed; but Cissy's
beauty and style, above all her lady-like manners, won their way at
once to her proud heart.
And she was so glad, too, over Geraldine's happy looks that she felt
almost grateful to Cissy for accepting her invitation.
What a happy day the girls spent together!
They had so much to tell each other that the hours passed like minutes.
Cissy was rejoiced when she heard of the discomfiture of Clifford
Standish, whom she had always disliked and distrusted.
"You know I warned you against him, but you would not listen," she said.
"I was a silly, stage-struck little goose, that was the reason; but I
have been well punished for my ambition," Geraldine replied, frankly.
"Then you have no further desire for a stage career?"
"No, indeed, dear. My experience on the road quite cured me of that.
Why, I was never so hard worked and unhappy in my life. Besides, after
all, I don't think I had any great talent for acting. I had some
triumphs, it is true, but I believe it was only because I was rather
pretty," Geraldine owned, candidly, and then the conversation drifted
to other subjects.
"You have not seen my little half-brother and sister yet. They are
beautiful and charming little children, and love me dearly already,"
she said. "Their governess, Miss Erroll, is one of the handsomest women
I ever saw--fair and stately, and with that look in her face, somehow,
as of one who has an interesting story in her past."
"And do you know the story?"
"Oh, no; she came to mamma from New York, I believe, with very good
recommendations. That is all we know; but the children get on well with
her, and she seems to study to please every one."
They were alone in Cissy's dainty room, lounging at ease in their
pretty dressing-gowns. It was bedtime and past, but Geraldine could not
tear herself away.
"Are you tired of me? Do you want me to go?" she queried.
"I could talk to you all night, darling!" cried Cissy, brightly,
without guessing to what the confession would lead.
But Geraldine came over and put a coaxing arm around her neck.
"I'm so glad you aren't tired, for, Cissy, I'm just dying to take up
our conversation where we left it off, you know, that Christmas evening
when we were parted so suddenly."
"Oh!" cried Cissy, remembrance rushing over her in a burning wave.
"You were about to tell me a delightful love-story, and I was all
impatience to hear it. It was about Cameron Clemens, you know. You
owned that he was once your lover. Now please go on with the story,
that's a dear!"
"Oh, Geraldine, how you like to listen to love-stories!" sighed Miss
Carroll, with a far-away look in her soft gray eyes.
"Of course. All girls are fond of love-stories!" laughed Geraldine, and
she added: "You know all about my love affairs, Cissy; now you must
tell me about yours."
And she kept up her entreaties until Cissy sighed and yielded, saying:
"You don't know how I hate to rake up the ashes of the past, dear, and
go over all my trouble again, but I will do it for your sake, although
I dare say you will not find it very interesting."
"Were you ever engaged to Mr. Clemens, Cissy?" exclaimed Geraldine,
plunging at once into the subject.
"Yes," acknowledged Cissy.
"Tell me how it came about, dear?"
"Oh, in the usual way--we fell in love."
"But how?--where?--when?" persisted Geraldine, with charming eagerness.