The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1868-12-07
With trusting confidence into his own, q,

with the glass of water | had quite for
gotten. He started slightly at the un-
expected mi!eau, but came forward the
next moment with the calm bearing that
always distinguished him.
At his entrance. Edgar moved from my
side, pud placed himself at the foot Of
my couch, scowling dnrkly down on
Phillip as he held the cool liquid to my
lips.
/. The silence between those two soon
grew so oppressive that, unable longer to
endure it, half raised myself. and sig
nifcd my desire to go to my own apart
mont.
Neither opposed me, and, rising, en-
dearored to reach the door. My head
swan round, my limbs refused to sup
polt my weight, and, faint and dizzy, |
would have fallen to the floor. had not
Edgar, who sprang to my assistance,
supported me. He half led, half carried
me up the long stairway, and with a fond
cares he parted from me at the door Of
my room. | staggered to the bed, and
threw myself upon it, with a sharp,
binding pain that almost took away my
breath.
Ibid not again leave my room that
day, and my thoughts, quickened into
unusual intensity, kept me- wide awake,
and lay thinking far into the night Of
what had passed.
| knew that Phillip Mordaunt's mar
riagc had been an unhappy one. A
beautiful. passionate face, with bold black
eyes, always locked down upon me from
over the mantcl in my guardians library.
and tho original of that bad been his
wife.
The picture held a species of fascina-
ton for me, for when l looked at it, it
was Edgar's face saw, only into feminine
beauty.
She was his aunt, and | had heard say
that the Harringtons we're all alike, and
that the same hot, fiery teuperamcnts be-
lcngcd 10 all. i never remembered tc
have seen his face more like the one in
the library than when he was in that fear.
full passion, aud | shuddered as recalled
it.
The old housekecpcr would talk to me
of her for hours together:
"She worried his life out with he,
fearful temper" she would say, '.and ]
wouldn't have been hired to stay in the
same house with her for day lift hadn'
been for my poor master, that l nurscc
when baby The worry made him ool
ten years older. bu. death took her a
last and brought him peace"
Long after my engagement to Edga,
had become known, the good old soul
whose devotion to my guardian was par
OF herself, used to ramble on ia the samt
manner, always ending with:
"Thc l!arringtons are all alike. every
one of them. I'd see child of mine il
her grave before I'd have her married t.
one of them
Aud l knew by the significant toss o
her head, and her emphatic repetition
that she was thinking OF me; but love i
full Of hope as well as blindness. and
refused to pay any heed to her kind!
warning
Il can never be other than happy will
love such as his" | unused; and with :
sigh OF content l turned over on my pill,
low and tiilnk'ns OF him sui, slept and
dreamed OF him'
The pain had not entirely left my head
the next morning when | awoko, but 70,
Edgar's sake. and the look Of anxiety
saw written on his face, announced a
the breakfast table that all trace Of it had
disappeared.
The glad light that came into his eye:
amply rewarded me, and / cndeayorcd By
my seeming gaycty 10 eiEacc all remsm.
brancc of that dark scene in the library
the day before.
The will was strong, but the flesh was
weak" and in the afternoon l had tc
again lie down, overcome by the force Of
the binding pain that sent Inc reclins tc
my bed.
Days passed. The memory of hi.
rashness kept Edgar's jealousy dormant
for few days. and during taat time the
most exacting love could not have asked