An Ambitious Man

t his fiancée, his steps directed toward the Palace. It wa

(as he regarded his peculiar sentiments toward Berene Dumont), and

a fact-and to force himself to so regard it. It was strange reasoning for a young man in the very first hour of his new r?le of bridegroom elect, but thi

ulsion toward the woman he had asked to be his wife: and because of these feeli

orts a slender column. Tiny feet encased in pretty slippers peeping from beneath her silken skirts looked oddly out of proportion with the rest of her generous personality, and reminded Preston of the grotesque cuts in the humorous weeklies, where well-known politicians were represented with large heads and small extremities. Artistic by nature, and with an eye to form, he had never admir

ned and before going to the office for his final duties; but he seld

ll you, as it may make some changes in my habits, and will of course eventually take me away from these pleasant associations." He pau

ked, with a tremor in her vo

s. I am engaged to be married to Miss Mabel Lawrence. You are the first person to whom I have imparted the news,

an unpleasant expression had settled about the corners of her small mouth. She

very ambitious, and you can rise to great distinction if you have the right influence to aid you. Judge Lawrence, with his wealth and position, is of all men the one who can advance your in

n. The Baroness had read him like an open book-as everyone else doubtless would do. It was bitterly galling to his pr

r her kindness to him, and bowed himself from her presence, ca

ch rested on his desk. Against the dark maroon of her sleeve, her classic face was outlined like a marble statuette. Her long lashes swept her

ning emotions, while the sight of a loved being in the unconscious

s arms and cover her pale face with kisses, made his heart throb to suffocation and brought cold beads to his brow; and just as these fe

o ask about a word in your editorial which I could not decipher. I waited for you, as I felt sure you would be in shortly-and I was

tion, she seemed tenfold more dear and to be desired. Brain, soul, and body all seemed to crave her; he took a step forward, and drew in a quick breath as if to speak; and then a s

th your services after to-night. Your duties are evidently too hard

s, waited for a moment as if expecting to be recalled, then, as Mr Cheney wheeled

had been walking the streets like a mad creature all that intervening time, trying to still the agonising pain in her heart. Preston Cheney had long been her ideal of all that was noble

, and discharged her from his employ for so slight a cause, that

flight of stairs with a strange dizziness in

after he sent Berene away, he had turned to his desk and plunged into his labour with feverish intensity. He wrote a particularly savage editorial on the matter of over-immigration, and his leaders on political questio

o Miss Lawrence and in discharging Berene. Her constant presence about

s he walked home. "It was brutal the way I spoke to her; poor child, she looked as if I had beat

whole days elapsed that he met her only in the office. The young man never suspected that this fact was due in great part to the suggestion of jealousy in the manner of the Baroness toward the young girl ever after he had shown so much

left burning until his return. As he reached the landing, he was startled to see a woman's form lying at the foot of the attic stairs, but a few feet from the door of his room. Stooping down, he uttered a sudden exclamation of paine

es and looked full into his, with a gaze which made his impetuous, uncontrolled heart