The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-12-21
COUSIN BEATH's SECRET.
ICONCLUDED.1 |
III.

A week, o fortnight went by; long
days of rich unclouded sunshine
evenings of Tranquil weetness-even-
1ngs long, and still, all perfumery
with the breath of flowers, like those
Jack had declared made the loneli-
ness of his empty old house intolera-
BILE to him; but neither glancing sun
shine nor tranquil sunset brought
my old friend any more to Meadows
leigh.
cannot tell all that want was to
mel scarce know myself; and [
chafed angrily, as [ was forced to
own that was powerless to do any
thing but mourn over it.
Who but Jack himself could iudce
how Tar his presence was fitting in
the house where the sharer of this
precious mystery was for the present
domiciled :?
At the end of the first week [ had
called at The Wild; but Mr.. Morti-
mer was from home, and not expect
ed to return till night. At the end
of another, I sailed forth once more
in that direction.
The footway to the domain called
The Wild led up through my own
grounds, crossed the high road. and
entered my friends by q low gate.
The day Was one of these same sum
mer ones, bright and still, hot and
glowing. Brilliant sunshine stepped
all the fields of waving grain, fast ri
penlng now to harvest, in foods of
golden light; but the arching trees
that met overhead, above the pretty
woodland path [ walked, only admit
ted here and there glimpses of glow
ing splendor. At length [ reached a
sudden opening in the trees around
me, through which the pathway
wound, and, turning into it, I came
to an abrupt halt, in utter and un-
bounded surprise.
Why, what was this, and who were
these, standing among the Pickering
shadows yonder ? Surely could not
mistake that figure, full of graceful
lines and fexile curves; I knew every
one of them by heart. I knew, too,
the downward bend of that golden
head, with its pretty rippled hair
drawn into knot behind the ears.
could fancy the very look on the
downcast face at this moment, though
1t was turned from me-and then
wel-yes, / knew my cousin Beaty's
usual walking dress of simple holland,
and the little velvet hat with the
bright wing, in which she looked
like herself, in short, and like no one
else ever did, in my eyes
And II this was Enthusiastically my
cousin Beatrice, the tall gentleman in
light morning clothes, the set of
which was somehow so indescribably
loose and easy, who stood hat in hand
beside her, speaking so earnestly.
and looking SO steadily at the bent
down face that yet turned towards
HIM too, was no less certainly Mr..
John Mortimer.
How long had this conference be-
tween these two apparently hostile
powers lasted? How long was il
going to last Was a truce being de-
clared, or war determined or i? Or
was peace, mild-eyed and beautiful,
lowering sweetly over this commun-
ing pair :?
How could I tell, who had never
been admitted within the mysterious
circle that seemed somehowto enclose
these two? Should I advance now,
on my way, which led me straight
upon the unconscious creatures or
should turn back and pretend 1 had
not seen what L had ? While I still
remained dubious, pondcring these
Things, Beatty turned and saw me;
and observing that, without mo-
ment's hesitation, she came slowly
towards me, and that Mr.. Mortimer
followed her, I in my turn advanced.
L did not care to look too CLOSELY
into the child's face, as she came up
and quietly put her hand within nv
arm, but l did look at Jack.
He colored little, but he met nv
eyes very frankly and steadily, and
when he held out his hand, it was
with the unmistakable look about
him, somehow, of man who never
had, who never could do anything he
was ashamed to be caught in.
Il was on my way to The Wild,
Jack"