The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-04-08

the neart L nave no treasures OF lONc
to bestow upon you. In all the years
to come, it will be the same
NO, not the same he said, IN low
tone, that thrilled the girls heart. 4
was wrong in the years past, but | am
right now STILL | would not recall
one hour of the old school-time. If /
had been perfect, you would not have
loved me The way toyour heart isn't
straight and smooth, Lucy
i am glad you arc sensible Of it, she
answered, tartly. Let me 60.
when it ploases me-yes. He still
held her by the wrist. 4 have a few
more words to say. / want to tell You
that whatever may come in the future,
l shall not change.
Indeed nor l.
4 am going away,
Forgetting herself for the moment,
she looked up into his face. 1t was
only a flash Of the hazel eyes, quick,
surprised, penetrating, then they were
bent upon the green grass as indiiler-
emily as before Arnold Gray smiled,
a quiet satisfied smile. 1t said as
plainly as his words had said, i can
wait
i am going away, he repeated.
so You said. As my hearing is not
impaired, there is no necessity Of re-
peating it.
I do not know when shall return
You do not? Then who does know
i would like to hear from you some
tiHes, he went on without needing her
i think a letter from You, now and
then. Lucy, would keepme good, would
keep my heart warm.
i am sorry if your goodness or
warmth Of heart Will depend upon my
letters for, most certainly Arnold
Gray, | shall never write you line or
a word
She looked him clearly in the face
1t was eye 80 eye. No quivoring or
faltering; no hope to be found in look
or tone.
All because l was thoughtless when
a boy? he said.
Yes, that and nothing beside
He loosened his hold upon her wrist.
She stepped away from him, stopped
and picked up the discarded golden
rod
Take this with YOU She said, laugh
ingly 1T will be apretty remembran-
Ger
He took it from her hand mechan-
ically
Shall / divide it with You ? he asked.
= i do not need It. Good-by
She turned away as she spoke. He
took step forward, then hesitated, as
: if battling with his pride; then went
: forward again
Lucy The word almost choked
him i am sorry for the rest.
There were tears IN his ewes. manly
honest tears, that were glory to ms
manhood His love was greater than
g his pride, and for Its sweet, holy sake
he could sacrifice everything to it,
Involuntary the little white hand
of Lucy Torrey was put forth. 1t wa,
only for a moment. The next it wa.
drawn back again, but the act did not
fl escape the eager eyes of Arnold
I i, too, ann sorry she said colby
and went forward again
, Just then the September breeze be
gan TO grow chilly. The scarlet anC
D crimson leaves iuttorcd down from tn,
trees before Lucy as she walked along
b One leaf, dark and red like blood
a caught in the folds of her mantle Sin
o shuddered rs she brushed it of. The1
another came. Stll another. Sh,
/, turned into an opposite path to ayoiC
:. them She was nervous, she said CIV
e ing a quick glance back to the spo
where She had left Arnold He was n,
e longer there; she could see him walk
+ ing slowly up the hill towards home.
2 He is nobler than l. am wrong
oh, SO very wrong. | believe ! SUITE
more than he can ever suffer 1t seem
II to me that my heart viii burst An,
e | love him, love him, tore him Sh
L said it aloud, taking off her straw ha
a as she spoke, and let the cool wind pla
over her burning forehead. i love,
: him when he was my tormentor a
school Even then | could not help il
|: nor can | hel II now, poor heart.
II She threw herself down upon tn
grass III the abandonment OF her grie
and wept as though her proud hear
n would break.
IS
II The week following, Arnold Ora
e. went South. Some said he went O
is business, others that he intended to lo
II cate Che was alawyer) there; the nor
II intimate friends of the Grays hinte
that to please his father he had gon
u to visit wealthy cousin with vie,
r of matrimony. To this last item {
IF gossip, Lucy Torey smiled.
Nothing can change him or-me
p she said under her breath.
n SO the winter came and wore away
II and there was little change. For
k while, after Arnold's departure, Lucy
e; heart thrilled and bounded when tn
'e postman brought her letters; but nc
long She put all thoughts and eS
pectations quietly away. Where Their
was no hope, there could never be an
disappointment, she said taking, he
Id philosophy home to herself.
1t was the next Spring that the wa
began. Arnold came home then, bu
n, Lucy did not meet him but once
was in the street. She grew so whit