The Shasta courier., 1869-02-06


which his happiness was sealed-and both
were desolate. But in the world of the
past, Won Leisten, though more irrevocably
lonely, was more TRANQUILITY blessed
The Freyherr released the entranced
spirit OF his friend, and babe him follow
back the rays of the moon to the source of
his agitation.
;. A smile crept slowly over the speakers
lips.
In an apartment flooded with the silver
luster of the moon, reclined, in an invalids
chair, propped with pillows, woman of
singular though most fragile beauty Books
and music lay strewn around, and lamp,
subdued to the tone of the moonlight BY
an orb of alabaster, burned beside her
She lay bathing her blue eyes in the round
chalice of the moon. A profusion of
brown ringlets fell over the white dress
that enveloped her, and her oval cheek lay
supported on the palm of her hand, and
her bright red lips were parted. The pure
yet passionate spell of that soft night pos
sessed her.
Over her leaned the disembodied spirit
OF him who had once loved her, praying
that his soul might be so purified as to
mingle unstartingly, unrepulsively, in hal
lowed harmony with hers. And presently
he felt the coming of angels toward him,
breathing into the deepest recesses of his
existence fearful and purifying sadness.
And with a trembling aspiration of CRATE
full humility to his Maker, he stopped to
her forehead, and with his impalpable lips
impressed upon its snowy tablet kiss
1t seemed to Eve Gore thought of the
past that brought the blood suddenly to
her cheek. She started from her reclining
position, and, removing the obscuring shade
from her lamp, arose and crossed her hands
upon her wrists, and paced thoughtfully
to and fro. Her lips murmured inarticu-
lately. But the thought, painfully though
it came, changed unaccountably to mel
ancholy sweetness and, subduing her
lamp again, she resumed her steadfast gaze
upon the moon.
Ernest knelt beside her, and, with his
invisible brow bowed upon her hand, poured
forth, in the voiceless language of the soul,
his memories of the past, his hope, his re-
pentance, his pure and passionate alteration
at the present hour.
And thinking she had been in sweet
dream, yet wondering at its truthfulness
and power, Eve wept, silently and long
As the morning touched the east, slumber
weighed upon her moistened eyelids, and,
&neeling by her bedside, she murmured
her gratitude to God for a heart relieved
of burden long borne, and so went peace
fully to her sleep. x <
1t was in the following year, and in the
beginning of May. The gay world of
England was concentrated in London, and
at the entertainments of noble houses there
were many beautiful women and many
marked men, The Freyherr Won Leisten,
after years of absence, had appeared again
His mysterious and undeniable superiority
OF mien and influence was again yielded to,
as before, and again brought to his feet the
homage and Difference of the crowd he
moved among To his inscrutible power
the game of society was easy, and he walk
ed where he would through its barriers of
form.
He stood one night looking on at
dance. A lady of a noble air was near him,
and both were watching the movements of
the loveliest woman present. creature in
radient health, apparently about twenty
three, and of matchless fascination of per-
son and manner Won Leisten turned to
the lady near him to inquire her name, but
his intention was arrested by the resem-
blance between her and the object of his
admiring curiosity, and he was silent
The lady had bowed before he withdrew
his gaze, however.
=" | think we have met before" she said;
but at the next instant slight flush of dis
pleasure came to her cheek, and she seemed
regretting that she had spoken.
"Pardon me-" said Won Lesten, "but,
if the question be not rude, do you remem-
Der where ?'
She hesitated a moment
/" / have recalled it since have spoken"
she continued; but as the remembrance
of the person who accompanied you always
gives me pain, l would willingly have un-
said it. One evening of last year, crossing
the bridge of Lima, you were walking with
Mr.. Clay. Pardon me; but, though l left
Lucca with my daughter on the following
morning, and saw you no more, the associa-
tion, or your appearance, had imprinted
the circumstance on my mind"
"And is that Eve Gore 2" said Won
Leisten, musingly, gazing on the beautiful
creature now gliding with light step to her
mothers side
But the Freyherr's heart was gone to his
friend.
As the burst of the waltz broke in upon
the closing of the quadrille, he offered his
hand to the fair girl, and, as they moved
round with the enhancing music, he mur-
INJURED in her ear. He who came to YOU
in the moonlight of Italy will be with you
again, if you are alone, at the rising of to-
nights late moon. Believe the voice that
then spake to youp' < x
1t was with implacable determination
that Mrs. Gore refused, to the entreaties
of Won Leisten, a renewal of Clay's ac-
quaintance with her daughter. Resent
ment for the apparent recklessness with
which he had once sacrificed her maiden