The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1868-08-15

me ran DeIOre she lett the building. | hai
as haunting fear that she would eseap
Ally me, never giving me the chance of an
hey other word with her. That the idea O
in obtaining an interview with her was i'm
ion practicable, / knew, the moment ]
thought of it; but at that instant my
IAN wife turned to me, saying, " Mrs. Wal
ant lace wishes me to go and see her sister
the this evening. As it is still so early, |
IN will 90, for she leaves town tomorrow.
me viii you so with US, or shall we excuse
nc you
Pg Her cold voice pierced not my rapt
my senses. 1 cared not for the glitter in her
on' eyes. only said quickly, but as calm
Id, ly as possible, IF you will permit,
TO- will leave you in charge Of Mr. and Mrs.
Wallace, trusting to meet you at home
sr- soon"
" The next instant they were lost in the
.es1 fefs~my place, and made my wav
be toward the private door Of the Rooms.
In the vestibule the singer was standing.
tie detained by a group of ladies and GEN
to tlemen, who were congratulating her on
OF her success. paused outside that group
at not willing to speak to her until she
ID should be more at liberty. 1 saw that
to the flush had faded from her face. leav
IS ing 1t slightly pale though the briiliance
OF her eyes made the pallor less notice |
s. able. Ii she saw me, she did not appear |
s. to have done so and when at last the |
group separated, and she was turning to |
depart, 1 came to her side, saying, in a
It low voice, but tremulous, in spite Of my
= self, Miss Charters, viii you allow me
d to hand you to your carriage ?"
z had forgotten to use the name By i
which the public knew her-the old. Ii
dear name came so naturally. She did
not otter her hand to me- neither did | Il
s. extend mine; but our e2lnet in a look !
? winch neither OF Us, had life been the /
forfeit, could have prevented 1 know '
that forgot everything l ought to have
remembered; that my gaze was full of c
that lmplorlng, overwhelming passion n
which controlled me; that her eyes lost d
their look OF mere brilhance, and became II
! Hooded with that luminous, dreamy flame d
that l knew so well, that had irresisti- f
bic power over me. She must always b
have loved ne, or she could not look so W
now, for she was ever truthful Then W
some horrible misunderstanding must
have completed the separation between u
US. The look lasted but the space of a sc
thought; then she lowered her eyes, and m
said, in reply to my words, al
IF you wish II
" You are alone, see,' resumed be
" will it be too great favor to allow me oy
to ride to your hotel with you?' tn
1 spoke IN that impetuous way which at
IS not easily denied, for one has hardly
time to refuse request so unexpectedly sa
preferred. She bent her head in assent:
and the next moment I was sitting be- "b
side her, my frame still thrilling in re- 20
spouse to the slight and fceting touch of
her hand, ny whole being pulsating with sh
q happiness beyond words. Some indie W
fnt'ieatcd she had not intended to allow az
me to come. u
1t seemed long before / could speak, ur
and when l did say something, 1t was si'
the most insignificant commonplace 90
Words have so little power when the en- ial
tire existence IS awake to some intense IN
emotion. And did not honor withhold ste
all but insufficient words from my lips re re,
Could ever speak to this woman as to III
mere acquaintance? n,
| wondered if she knew of the ties l IL
had taken upon myself two years before! te
or had no token of me reached her since an
the night I left her, ages ago, it seemed u
to me? She replied to my remark in DC
voice soft and low, but yet cold and far 'u
of. Then, after moments silence, "a
she said, g must request you not to u
address me as Miss Charters. a little m
remaining family pride would make me :.
wish to remain unknown, save by the H.
name by which | am called here" al
% You will pardon me, | trust" L re-
sponded, feeling deadly chill, a terrible " %
reaction from my previous state OF burn cl
=. 4G-t, of oil brAt
that part of my lite which Ella Charters 10
was concerned. Ay Snd naturally =, :,
went back to the time wHen L knew =
you
Nv voice faltered in spite Of myself. g
With impulsiye movement, l bent Tor % %
ward aud took the white, ungloved hand e =
which lay upon her lap. 4;
"Give ME, at least, a friends privilege ie
of touching your handp l exclaimed o.
| q" You offer your hand to others-why u
not to NE? l have never done anything Il
to forfeit a friends right-never, though u
YOU gave me no word, no sign, after our 81
! last parting, until that letter which can
eelled all the best hopes of my life. Oh, cl
! Ella. at least you owe me kindness! II
If there is ever a time when man G.
may be forgiven the utterance of harsh
|
he would not have said-it is when sur L
prise and love both unite to oyerwhelm a
all nrudence. / knew, by the look upon \
I her fucr- she spoke, that she knew i>
nothing of my life since we parted. Her s.
! face faded to a colorless olive, her eyes 0
! dilated with painful intensity. She with
drew her hand, and pressed it upon her D
heart.s
I neyer wrote you such a letter."
she said. IL
A light broke uponme Then, indeed Il
7 had lost her uselessly, as well as hope
lessly! Dolt, idiot that | was to marry 5
another, once having loved her. Thought
of the man who must have parted us 7
who had been an unscrupulous but un-
successful rival.
"Then both your letters and mine were
stolen, and at last that one forged-by
your cousin; DO one but Mordaunt could
have done tr' 1 exclaimed, hurricdly, '
my eyes never leaving her face, which
Hooked upon as one looks upon last '
glimpse OF happiness; for ~felt that af- l
ter this interview 1 coule( (hope for no
/. other.in which l should see her unre-
strained.
at must have been thus" she said, an
hnspeakably sweet light overspreading
her face. Then, after moments pause,
, she said, looking fxedly at me, "What is
it, Youare keeping something from me. I"
! l covered my face with my hands, to
hide those eyes that gave me pang OF
/ pain and joy too great to be endured.
$ at is all too late-too lateP' / MUIR
r INJURED.
p II have lost youi 1 am married y
The last word sounded like doom to
4 me, and yet had to speak it. She did
Y not move nor speak for moment; then