The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-10-29
THE LAMPS All
SCARBOROUGH.
{ Concluded

This was pleasant. Iheard the re
treating footsteps, and could have stamp
ed my own foot at them in despair. g.
had horrible conviction that crlsi
must come-nay, had come already; ant
how was / to meet it7 i'll could hav'
gone up to Cecile, and spoken to he
calmly; if could have said, "Let al
this farce be ended; do notlove you
never did love you, except as brothe
might love his sisterw But then coult
not do this. If she cared for me, it woult
be brutal to do so. .n..r .rs-.,g o..
heard Cecile come in and close the
door, and / confess that my heart beat
uncomfortably.
Robert said she. ; y
turned round with as good an attec
tion of carelessness as could command
but it broke down into an impulsive ex
clamation when l saw her.
"Why, Cis," said !, "you have been
cryingp
She tried to retort, but it was rather
a failure. ,
"You have been crying" repeated
"and don't believe you are well. We
are cousins, you know, Cis. Is there
anything can help you in ~
ayes, there is," she replied: ~ want
to speak to you, Robert. We have been
good friends always, haven't we 7"
"To be sure we have" said /.
81 want to be good friends STILL" said
Cecile. ~ want You to promise that
you will think none the worse of me fol
what l am going to say"
81 think" said, gravely "that you
can have nothing to tell which would
lessen my respect for YOU"
"Thauks," said Cecile. at is about
myself. We are neither of us blind,
Robert, though we have been acting as
if we thought each other so. You know
as well as do what has been, and is, IN
my mothers mind respecting us. Must
l speak palmer 7"
mo" said l.
"Well then, Robert. she continued,
81 don't think you have dealt quite fair
ly by me-"
felt as if a big hand was raising up
behind the airy castle had been build
ing only an hour ago, but did not an
swer.
"You know you never cared for me-"
she said: cat least in that sort of way.
If you will not speak, Robert, must"
The hand got nearer and bigger.
"But you have behaved as if you
cared" she continued. "You have led
mamma on to believe that things were
turning as she wished to have them
turn. BY fits and starts, in languid
sort of way, you have tried to make me
care for you, Robert; you cannot de-
ny it."
A sparkle of excitement had risen to
her eye, and the traces of tears were all
gone.
"Well, Cis-"
"Don't say anything yet" she inter
rupted. 81 repeat, you have not dealt
fairly by me. A girl cannot refuse or
accept man until he has offered him
himself, can she' In plain words, you
would neither retreat nor come forward,
and what was | to dot If ever l SEEM
to draw you on"
(which you did," said 1.
(Which perhaps did," said Cecile.
81 cannot tell. If i did, it was in order
that You might ask for your answer, and
get it, Robert. You have made me very
unhappy, Robert"
l felt my heart leap up into my throat,
and my braing grow hot. What was COM
ing nextl
NOW for the TRUTH" said Cecile.
"Stop one moment, Cecilc," said L.
"Let me tell you"
81 will let you tell me nothing" she
interrupted. Robert, l am engaged to
Charlie Ferrars. Do you think that
while you are acting as you do now,
mamma will listen to one word about
him
In the new light that dawned upon
ME, / think l was nearer falling in love
with Cecile than ever l had been in my
life.
"Charlie Ferrarsp | cried; "and he
came down here to plead his cause with
my aunt; and she told him she had 9th
er views Tor you, eh' Would'nt let him
see you, perhaps; so that was why he
had an idea of throwing himself over
the Castle Cliff. l see it all. o, Cis |"
"You are not veXed with meW said
Cecile.
"Vexed 7" said l. If YOU could only
know what it is to me. SO / am to draw
back for Charlie, and all the blame is to
fall on mel / am to pretend that / won't
have youi
"Robert ~ she exclaimed.
"Do you really love him, Cis 7" said /.
"He is the best fellow in the world"
l began searching about for my hat,
which was in my left hand all the time
"What are you doing Robert 7" she
asked. 81 thought You woHld help me-"
\ II fa1
"Go to the promenade, Cis; you must
Tell my aunt am to meet you. l will
do that anyhow; only don't keep me new,
please;
In less than half an hour was out on
the balcony of Mr.. PeDryn's lodgiHgs,
and Constance was with me,-very
close to me; l might even confess
that my arm was round her. And cas-
ual passers by could look up ifthey chose;
they could see nothing for the heavy
curtain over the window behind us.
Even if they could have seen, l don't
think, in my then state of mind, that l
should have cared; and Constance was
saying, But you never mean that You
could not have had the heart to stay
away from Nugent."
Dub suOulu, luOuSD, salu l. IL
you had said anything else, l would
never have gone near, the place. Are
you sure l am quite awake,-that it's a
real you have here or only dream"
"Do look like dream ~ she asked.
eyes you do very,"I replied. 81 can
hardly believe you are not one.' Why do
you move away l don't want to go.
am content. The world has been very
good to me to night" -sG-.
"But Robert, you said"
"Ah, poor Cecilew said l. And you
won't mind helping her, for my sakei-
Come, then"
Once more under the lamps on the
promenade. The band was playing; the
seats under the colonade were full, and
passing alongby the sea-wall, saw the
fisherMan's beat in the ripple Of the
moonlight, just as though he had never
stirred from his post, but stayed there to
see the end. And there, amongst the
inward stream of Deople came my amt