She reddened at sight, of Frank
Thorley's ghastly tsoo.
“Did yon send for me, papa?" she
asked of her father, who sat with his
face in a shadow.
For reply be reached and took her
ungloved hand in his. It wan a dain
ty hand, sletder, small ami white,
glittering with rings. Ho put his fin
ger upon one, a small diamond sur
rounded by rubies, and lifted his
glance to hers.
Roxie shrank a little, and looked
as to cry.
Turning toward Frank Thorley,
Mr. Lyle said, “ui on one condition I
will forgive you. Repeat what you
have just said to me, in the presence
of this misguided girl.”
Poor Fi ank Thorley I Perhaps he
thought even exposure would be pref
erable to such humilatioa before her
whom he loved. Perhaps a second
thought of his mother came and
nerved him. He hesitated only a
moment, and told the story with a
half desperate, half sarcastic elo
quence, that took the vivid color out
of Roxie'c brilliant face.
"Won’t you forgive me, Frank?”
she cried, and clang to her father
with a burst of sobs.
"Will you forgive her, Frank Thor
ley, or not?" demanded Mr. Lyle.
"Heavon knows I forgive her, sir,
aa I hope to be forgiven.”
“Thank you, sir. I think she has
wronged you more than you wronged
me, and I will show you, young man,
how I can forgive to-morrow."
But when the morrow came, Frank
Thorley had left Now York, with his
mother; and vain were all Mr. Lyle’s
efforts to discover him.
