The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-02-22

not but pity her----'
"And pity is akin to love-" laughed
the stranger Il understand your
case completely, Tresloy. But surely
She's pretty enough to suit even Your
fastidious taste
- doll--a vapid. wearisome dolll'
returned Tresley, impatiently. "And
to think that | am tied to her for life!
"rhen why the deuce did you mar
ry herY'
IL tell YOU, Rayner was q fool--a
,ool to her brown eyes and golden
hair; and now, when it is too late, l
have discovered my mistake. -
"WeD, old fellow, I'm sorry for you,
but tho best advice | can tender is to
make the best of it, returned bis com
panion, yawniug. And now let's
hear what your plans are for the
spring emit you go to Europe with
ON party p
Anabel's dizzy senses comprehended
the Conversation no farther. She had
sat. silent aud motionless, every word
burning ITS imprint on her heart as il
they had been livqg-pls. SO Maurice
was weary of the pretty child he had
taken 10 his home; and this explained
the coldness, almost aversion that her
tmid elaNing ways had been vain To
lspel
She sat there nearly an hour, with
her heal droopiug on her breast, and
her hands clasped idly on her knee
Finally she rose and went up stairs
with slow, languid steps. She had
entered the room a child-she left i a
hard, determined woman.
II was almost dark when Maurice
Ire,ley came out Of his library, to look
for the little wife who delighted t.
tup on all bis errands.
"Amabel Amy
But there was no response. Maui
rec looked impatiently round.
Stephenson, he said to the smart
maid who was replenishing the fire
with coal, go mp to Mrs TresIey'.
room and tell her that Mr.. RayneI
viii stay to tea.
Aes, sir.
Half a minute later Stephenson
came back.
she is not there, sir"
'Not there ~
"No, sir: and Mary Anne says she
saw Mrs Tresley go oct, all wrapped
up, two hours ago
did She drive the grey ponies q
NO, sir, she went on foot AnC
please, sir, here's bit Of paper l founC
on her dressing case, with your nam
ON the outside"
Tresley opened the note with a con
tracted brow, inwardly vexcd tina
Amabel should not have consulted hin
regarding her outgoings and incom
ings. But there was something in thu
penciled lines that blanched his check
Il know now that you are weary o
me; had | known it before you woul,
sooner have been l,iieyed of the bur
den of my presence Forget me--anC
try TO return to the old time befor,
Won ever saw AHABEL
That was all Maurice Tresle.
smiled bitterly TO himself
"a mere childish pet" he murmur
cd "She will be back, halffrighteueC
ont of her senses, MS soon as it grow!
dark. II is unfortunate, however
that she should have overheard tina
unlucky conversation r
But Amabel did not return-sh'
never returned.
1T is no use, sir, said the gray
haired emissary of the police, shaking
the snow from his great coat. Nv
have inquired everywhere, but the clu'
fails Us at the boat landing. Up t.
that spot she was seen--tracked bu
there we are at loss
"She must have taken the boat t,
Grenoble!' exclaimed Maurice, eager
".
"She did not, sir; we have means o
knowing every passenger that came OF
at Grenoble,"
{ "Then where can she be =
THAT is the question. 1t is nov
three weeks since she disappeared; w
have set agents at work wherever Their
was the slightest probability of he
taking refuge, and still there is no Ike.
I to the mystery Excuse me, sir, bn
] was Mrs Tresley easy in her mind
tranquil and collected, 1 mean--whel
she left your house?'
] Maurice WINGED a little.
S "No--I hardly think She was.
: The gray-haired man pnt the tips O
his fingers reliectively together.
? Did you ever think there might b.
remote possibility of suicidel'
/ Maurice Tresley NiHced at the awfu
2 possibility 50 coolly touched upon b.
5 the matter-of-lact detective; and whei
2 the door had closed behind his horn
, BILE equanimity Tresley sank on chan
4 with his face buried in both hands.
5 "My wife my little soft eyed Amy
' have been cruel, harsh--I deserve n
better than that Heaven should des
5 with me rs | dealt with the lonely OF
l phan. Oh, my lost wife art thou SAT
in Heaven, or wandering homeless 0
the face of the cruel earth p
= But there came no answer to hi
/ pleading cry.
When the child Amabel had left he
husbands roof she had directed he
footsteps to the highroad that led t
the steamboat landing, but she wasju'
too late; the boat had gone