Chapter-8 The Strength of Love

Chapter 8

A TERRIBLE MISTAKE

by Mrs. ALEX. McVEIGH MILLER

So Annette waited in vain that evening for Dallas Bain to call in reply to her invitation, and she could hardly wait till after breakfast the next morning to rush to Daisie and tell her the bad news.

Daisie was still in bed, for her sprained foot was worse this morning from her rash effort to walk on it yesterday. Tears rushed to her lovely eyes, and she sobbed aloud with grief and disappointment.

“I see how it is, Annette,” she cried. “He misunderstands me, and is too proud to give a sign that he cares. He will never forgive me until I explain everything to him.”

“Write him a letter, and I will carry it to him myself, and plead your cause in person. Then his hard heart will surely be melted,” returned the vivacious little beauty.

So Daisie was propped up in bed, and, with a throbbing heart and blushes that came and went[Pg 61] like the roseate glow of dawn, she penned Dallas Bain the sweetest epistle that ever gladdened a true lover’s heart.

She was fighting for her life’s happiness, dear little Daisie, and every word was eloquent with truth and love. Ah, the pity of it that he had gone away too soon to receive it—gone away with that proud, aching heart and that distrust of all fair women for the sake of one cruel misunderstanding.

Annette took the letter and beamed encouragingly upon her forlorn friend.

“Now, cheer up, Daisie, for I shall have him here to call on you this evening,” she predicted brightly. “You see, I owe Mrs. Fleming a party call, and I will go to make it this afternoon. I shall be sure to see Mr. Bain there, and I will give him this letter, and make sure he reads it; then all the trouble will be over.”

She kissed Daisie, and went away smilingly, for Annette’s disposition was bright and sunny; besides, wasn’t her own dear lover coming to see her to-day? And what more could a pretty girl want to make her happy?

As she did not know at what hour he might[Pg 62] arrive, she told her mamma that if he came while she was absent, to ask him to wait till she returned.

And, by a very untoward fate, the big, handsome fellow arrived soon after she started, and when Mamma Janowitz told him where Annette had gone, he said he would go on and overtake her, as he also was acquainted with Mrs. Fleming, and would like to make a call at Sea View.

Meanwhile, Annette, all glorious in her new summer silk and big white lace hat crowning her dark, bewitching face, tripped away to the grand white house, Sea View, only to meet a most cruel disappointment.

The manservant who opened the door to her suavely remarked that Mrs. Fleming and her guests all went up to Baltimore this morning, not to return till to-morrow.

“And Mr. Dallas Bain—did he go with them?” she queried.

“Oh, no, miss; he went away at daylight this morning—took the Northern train.”

Annette paled with disappointment, and almost burst into tears, as she asked eagerly:

“Is he coming back any more?”

[Pg 63]

“No, miss; his visit is over, and I’m sorry for that, too. He was a fine, handsome gent, was Mr. Bain, and a liberal one, too,” returned the man affably.

“Where did he go? Can you give me his address?” asked the young girl, thinking disconsolately of poor Daisie’s letter.

The man replied that he did not know for certain. He thought he had gone to New York to join Mr. Sherwood.

So Annette went down the steps, after leaving her card for Mrs. Fleming, and her young heart was very heavy as she walked toward a vine-wreathed arbor in the grounds, thinking she would rest there a while before starting on the long walk home.

And just as she entered the beautiful rose bower her betrothed, Ray Dering, came in at the street gate and saw her going in. His heart thrilled with joy, and he resolved to slip up unawares and give his darling sweetheart a most charming surprise.

But Letty Green, Mrs. Fleming’s sharp little maid, had overheard Annette’s conversation at the door, and, having more than her share of feminine[Pg 64] curiosity, she resolved to find out something more about Annette’s interest in Mr. Bain, thinking it might be a nice bit of gossip to tell her mistress while she was dressing her hair that night, and perhaps be the means of her getting a cast-off silk gown.

So she ran breathlessly after Annette, and rushed into the arbor, exclaiming:

“Did you want to know Mr. Bain’s address so very bad, miss?”

Annette turned, and saw such a kind, sympathetic face that she clasped her little hands dramatically, saying:

“Oh, yes, indeed; for I wished very—very much to see Mr. Bain, and I am cruelly disappointed that he has gone away without letting me know. It is very sad, very unfortunate, that he went away so soon; but if I can get his address so as to mail him a letter at once, I shall be very thankful to you!”

Any one not knowing the circumstances of the case might have supposed, from Annette’s impulsive words and tearful eyes, that she was desperately in love with Dallas Bain, and that he had basely deserted her. The artful maid received[Pg 65] that impression, and so, alas! did the jealous lover listening outside the bower.

Letty Green smiled, and said artfully:

“He must have gone away in anger?”

“Oh, yes, he did; but if I can only get a letter to him soon, I am sure he will come back at once. Can you give me his address?”

“I don’t know it, miss; but I will find it out from Mrs. Fleming and let you know to-morrow.”

“Oh, thank you ever so much; but don’t let Mrs. Fleming know you want the address for a girl, or she might be jealous,” smiled Annette, bestowing a piece of silver on the girl, who thanked her, and skipped away.

Scarcely was she out of sight ere Annette was confronted by the livid face of her jealous and violent lover.

“Oh, Ray, darling!” she gasped, in delight; but the young man caught her arm in a steely grasp that pained her, while he hissed into her little, pink ear:

“Don’t call me your darling, false, perjured girl, for I have heard all you were saying, and I know you have another lover who has deserted you, and whom you love better than me. But you[Pg 66] shall never live to recall him to your side. I will kill you both for deceiving me! Die, then, perjured little coquette, and I will soon send your lover’s soul to join you in Hades!”

There was a flash, a report, and Annette sank down to the ground with a stifled moan, the blood streaming from her breast, while her maddened slayer fled wildly from the scene.

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