Miss Fairfax of Virginia: A Romance of Love and Adventure Under the PalmettosRathborne, St. George
General
Miss Fairfax of Virginia: A Romance of Love and Adventure Under the Palmettos
Rathborne, St. George
Love stories; Virginia -- Fiction
"Would it be presumptuous if I asked to know her name, Roderic--this
girl of San Juan who risked so much to save your reputation if not your
life? I feel under obligations to her, for your name is very dear to
those who know you--those bound to you by ties of consanguinity."
"She comes of Spanish descent, but her heart is now only wrapped up in
the future of the lovely gem of the Antilles. Her name is Georgia Inez
de Brabant."
Perhaps his manner gave evidence that she was treading on dangerous
ground.
"Thank you. Perhaps some day fortune may bring us together. I shall try
to love her, Roderic, because you call her your _friend_!"
Then she branched off upon the subject of the cruise, to which she
seemed to look forward with almost childish delight.
It is not every one to whom is given the proud fortune to own a modern
steam yacht, and this daughter of Eve could be forgiven a fair amount
of exhilaration under the circumstances.
Perhaps, truth to tell, the prospect of ten days basking in the company
of her athletic cousin had something to do with her light spirits.
Owen's time was not wholly his own, so that he was soon forced to sally
forth upon the streets of the Irish metropolis.
When Cleo was alone she hastened to her luxurious apartments and
searching the inmost recesses of an inlaid traveling writing desk which
had been taken from a capacious trunk, she soon pounced upon a small
photograph.
It was wretchedly done by a tyro in Ponce, but even boorish work could
not entirely conceal the fact that the face was that of a most lovely
dark-eyed houri.
Cleo looked eagerly at it.
"I have had this now two years. Roderic dropped it in the garden, and
I hid it away for a joke and then forgot to speak of it. This is the
picture of a daughter of Porto Rico--is it the same who is now in
Dublin, who last night at the peril of her name warned him of evil? I
have reason to believe such to be the truth, for unless I am greatly
mistaken I saw this same beauty coming out of St. Patrick's cathedral
yesterday morning, when a gust of wind blew her veil aside. In this
land where Irish gray or blue eyes abound I was immediately attracted
by such a beautiful pair of melting dusky orbs.
"Heigho! this is Roderic's fate no doubt. Heaven grant that he may
be happy whate'er betide, for he deserves it. I would give all my
miserable millions for his heart's love, but it can not be. There is a
startling story of the past connected with this girl, I am sure. Why
did they separate--does she love him still? Well, perhaps the future
may tell."
She put the photograph slowly back in the lodging place where it had so
long rested securely. Even great riches had not the power to bring this
young woman unalloyed happiness, for the one treasure she would have
valued above all other earthly possessions seemed denied her by a cruel
fate.
It were hardly fair that all the joys of earth were handed over to the
disposal of one mortal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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