Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-10-01
NUMBER 46.

rapid ascent, and Helen stood surprised
before Mr.. Lee, with warm glow upon
her checks that made her more beautiful,
in his eye than ever before. He advanced
to meet her, with varying expression of
his handsome face, and she held out her
hand to him with easy grace, saying with
a smile:
81 was not aware of your arrival, sir,
and ushered myself into your presence
very much like a romp !, but you mus. ex-
cuse me, for AIMS rapid convalescence has.
made me more light hearted than have
been for months"
MAY there not be another cause for the
exuberaRce of your spirits " lie asked,
with an attempt at playfulness,
"NOne that am likely to acknowledge"
She answered in sober tone. "When
lady assigns a cause for any emotion,
whether the right one, or not, it is fair to
presume that no other can be extracted
from her; if she intentionally gave the
wrong one, for the sake of truth she will
assign no other" -, ..,s.si ~ =
Il am so well satisfied with the reason
you have assigned, Helen, that have no
curiosity to enquire further, even if your
gentle rebuke were not sufficient to repress
any feeling of inquisitiveness."
"Rebuke, Mr. Lee intended none,
and supposing you asked the question in
jest, answered in the same strain. [ do
not aatter myself that you feel any inter
est in what concerns me, and I should
make myself ridiculous by assuming the
contrary" iesa
al am sorry" he replied, in an under
tone, ''that you know so little Of my heart
as to suppose that can feel otherwise
than deeply interested in all that concerns
you" oa
She looked steadily upon his counte-
nance, for momont, in order to catch
from its expression, the meaning of what
he said, then passed him without word,
and, STOPPING over Ann, whispered
have just received a letter from dear, gem
erous Mr.. Motley, and want you to read
it," And placing it in her hand, she
turned to Mr.. Lee, and said
IL hope you will excuse my absence, as
the business of housekeeping demands my
presence below stairs" And she glided
out of the room, leaving MIR. Lee puzzled,
confoundcd by her manner. For the first
time, since his arrival in the neighbor-
hood, he had ventured upon an expression
of this sort. though all he had seen Of
Helen, at home, had been tending to re-
vival of his love and admiration and con-
fdencef and he had INDUCED the hopo
that his advances, whenever made, if not
met, would not be discouraged. Great
was his disappointment then, at the manner
in which she treated his first effort at ro-
newal of former relations; yet there was
blended no feeling Of anger with his dis
appointment, aud he admitted that he had
received what he richly merited, and he
could but respect her the more for the
spirit of independence she had manifested.
"It is as you supposed, Ann" he said
after long silence; 81 have forfeited her
love forever" i6l ii
81 hope not" she answered "but can
give you little comfort. Do not despair,
however, if you are really in earnest; if
there be a spark of love left, il may be
famed into a fame, if you can inspire
confidence in your stability
"But there is the difficulty" He an
swered. "Three times have / faItered,
and though l acted consciously, she can
judge me only by my actions, and they
are little calculated to inspire confidence,
especially in one who, by intuition, fore
saw the Inconsistency of which have
been guilty. No, the case is hopeless, and
perseverance will be rewarded with con-
tempt"
[To BE CONTINUED.
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