The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-10-12

1--WE tllttl Vi OH, tS IL tlluS Ilc NOulU ATONE
| for enforced negleets. | remembered
| that Louise had sneered at lovers and
theirabsorbedw ways, living forand think
| ing only of each other, and tried to be-
| lieve that this was the cause of all that
gave me so much suffering. But our
| next meeting, when | remained appa-
rently forgotten for hours, would destroy
| this illusion.
At length slight illness of my moth
er compelled me to attendance upon her
for many days. While l was thus en-
ployed Louise and Guy were left almost
entirely to each others companionship.
Sometimes Louise would creep in to my
mothers room, and in her soft caressing
manner, insist upon sharing my watch,
but invariably, ere half an hour had
elapsed, Guy would come to remind her
of some forgotten engagement, andwith
a profusion of laughing apologies, and
promise to take good care of my lover,
she would run away to join him.
| / seldom saw Guy during this time,
and then, in one of these rare meetings,
instead Of noticing my pale cheek, he
chided me for allowing Louise to spend
so much time in the sick room. was
too much surprised at this, as we'll as
grieved, to tell him the truth at once,
and before 1 could speak the opportuni-
| ty was lost. Louise had called him and
he had moved to her side. But myeyes
that had before begun to be unsealed,
were now fully opened. saw that Lou
Use was false, that she was putting forth
! every art, even to imputing to me sell
fishness, to deprive me of the affections
of my lover
This revelation gave me the hitherto
hidden key to her character. In all our
Il
err known her before. But now, clear as
if traced upon the printed page, I saw
the record of the long series of her de-
ceits and shameless perfidy. / watched
her more closely, and with mynew COM
prehension of her character, saw more
| clearly her motives, and the malignant
triumph with which she beheld her vic
tim each day more ineXtricably involved
in her tolls, while the friend for whom
she still protested the warmest affection,
was suffering agonies she had no power
to control.
My mother was still very ill, and
confined myself almost entirely to her
room, only joining Louise and Guy when
| could not refuse to do so without be-
traying myself. This | was too proud to
do, except in the pale cheek and CULVER
ing lip, involuntary signs that Louise
better than any one else.
was schooling myself to what ! be-
lieved must come. The period of Lou
ise's visit, as first arranged, had passed,
but she did not speak Of departure, and
l felt sure that she only delayed until
Guy should be lured on to the point of
proposal. Then, her triumph complete,
she would return home to prepare for
her bridal, perfectly Indifferent to the
heart that had loved her and been bro
ken by her arts.
But an accident, one of those strange
cOaatre temps that even the most willy
cannot always avoid, at last interviewed |
to destroy her plans and reveal her char
acter in all its deformity, to the man
whom she had been striving to win |
from me.
One brilliant summer morning, when |
joyous nature seemed to array itself in
enmity against my sad thoughts, / was
passing languidly through the wide en-
trance hall, and saw Guys small office
boy, his Mercury, standing there, and |
holding two bouquets, which he present
ed to me. One was for Louise, and a
little note accompanied it. With mine
there was no message. / called Louise |
from the parlOr, and gave her the note |
and flowers. A wicked glance of tri- |
uHpn, ulSSulSeu Dy smile, was my |
reward, and she ran away up stairs to |
answer the missive.
Half an hour passed before she came |
down, and | saw her give two notes to |
the boy, telling him that one was for his !
master, and asking him to drop the 9TH |
er at the Post-oftice which he had to pass |
on his way homeward.
Another hour had passed, when, from |
my post by my mothers bedside, 1 saw
through the open window, Guy Carlton |
coming hastily along the avenue. Lou
Use was playing andsinging in the parlor,
but to my surprise he did not join her,
but sent a servant to ask if he could see
me for few moments in the breakfast
room.
ssShe has accepted him." thought,
land he has come to be released from
his VOWS to me-" ,asles
But ] was mistaken. 1t was to the
confessions of penitent l had to listen.
Louise had been her own revealor to
him. The letter she had enclosed in the
envelope to him, had been intended for
another, and had exposed her plot, and
dilated upon her triumph. Guy had