The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-09-27

nest gray eyes vanquished her complete
| ly. and to her he seemed the most spen-
did and fascinating man she had ever
met She was too childishly simple to
conceal anything, and hel innocent adj
miration would have been apparent to a
less observing man than Mark Evcrton.
As for him, he was rather pleased at her
evident homage, and thinking her yer
pretty girl. he allowed himself to drift
into considerable devotion to her. Mrs.
Leslie he saw was very lovely woman,
and although Clara was not by any means
equal to her sister now, she was very
much like her, and perhaps would be as
fine woman at the same age.
So for that evening and the days that
followed, Mark was very devoted to
Clara. lie rode with her, drove with
her, and walked with her, till at the end
of II week they were on terms that bor-
dered very closely on those suitable to
lovers only. To be sure Clara was rath-
er in-ipid as constant companion, but
then she was very amiable, and entirely
devoted to Mark, so that he was begin
ming to imagine that he could not find
prettier or nicer wife, when one morning
they were invited to dine at Mr. Aliens
Il suppose we are to accept this inv-
tation with pleasure, as we do all the
Others said Mark glancing over at Clara
as she leaned back in large armchair.
playing with silky cars of little white
poodle.
AN initiation where ? she asked look
ing up with childish curiosity.
To dine at the Aliens to-morrow.-
Here is your note
AT the Allens'-oh, ycs!' Then, af-
ter n sudden pause, her face clouded as
she said:
Gertrude Allen must have come
home
Il dare say. Is she nice 2 asked
Mark, carelessly
Nice ! oh, yes and llandsomc Oh.
Mark, don't half want you TO 20 there
why not, pretty one ?
'Oh, because and the pretty face
dropped, crimson with blushes- because
| am afraid you will admire her more
than
More than l do you9 Never fear,
petite; she must be very pretty, if she is
/ prctter than YOU
SHE is beautiful sighed Clara but
Mark coming over to her chair and be-
ginning frolc with the dog. the subject
was dropped and entirely forgotten, at
least by Mark, until he stood the next
day in the Aliens drawing room.
Mr.. and Mrs. Allen, who were former
arquaintances, came forward to meet
DIM, and then their daughter was intro
durrd. AS Mark Everton bowed to that
tall and beautiful woman, and met the
deep, magnetic glance of her glorious eyes,
he felt, for the first time in his life. that
thrill OF the heart that announces the
presence OF IL being capable of swaying
on"'s destiny. However. in this prosaic
nineteenth century, one does not 10y any
means. at once yield to surh an impress
| sion; AMI Mark found himself, after a
/ few moments, going in To dinner with this
iair woman on his arm, without any other
sensation than that of being very happy
/ and well cuniented with hinself and the
world i'll general.
But the spell that those eyes had first
woven was rivetcd by the charms of her
conversation. Gertrude Allen had that
rare gift of fascination that outweighs
beauty, or youth, or grace. In her com
! bined as it was with these three other ir-
! aha ho
power of attractivene that had already
made her the queen of every circle in
which she had moved Poor Clara gaz-
ing across tie table and seeing Marks
eyes flash and his face light up with an
animation she had never aroused, felt her
heart grow heavy within her, and looked
so utterly miserable, that when Mark
came back TO the drawing-room he turned
his steps with kiRd inquiry toward
her
What is the matter, Clara you look
really ill.,
Il am not sick, she faltered, her blue
eyes filling with tears.
what is it then 3! little one, tell me ?
you were so devoted to Gertrude, !
thought you had forgotten me-
ia that all ? he asked, laushingly.-
well, will be devoted to you httl e
while, if it will bring back your color
A bright smile broke over Clara's sun
ny face.
1T will pay you much better 10 be de-
voted to me than to her, she said.
'Whyl how do you know that ?
ooh, because it would only be wasted
time with her.
Without thinking of how much this
speech implied of her own feelings, Mark,
with suddenly reused interest, asked ca
! gerly, . ... ...
why would it be wasted time is she
engaged ?
d horrible temptation was placed be-
fore Clara--it is very doubtful if she
would Of herself ever have had the bril-
liancy to think of o, Getting this easy bar
/ rier between the man she fancied and the
woman she dreaded, but with the sug-
gestion before her and the eagerness of
his manner warning her how deep was
the interest he already felt, she hesitated
moment, and then, as Mark repeated
his question-'Is she engaged to be mar
ried Tell me, Clara, if you know it,