The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-10-08

alleis fais IL .S ISys3 M aepa x1s u IS had not
love Of fhesbstfS fSthod bfssbe msassiiiSs IS i
he called friend Hie,7 he knew was q
nature upright and generous, from acoi-
don't, not principle. and, in his eyes, the
fact that he had loved Constance frC m
their first meeting, with, all the passion
of his Southern blood, wds O sufficient
excuse, for his treachery.
He had met with little encouragement
from tho girl, who, true as steel to her
absent lover, had too little of the co.
quette in her nature even to while away
the idle summer hours by filtration
with her guest. He had trusted to Ri
chard Yane's forced absence, to the
efficiency of prop;nqu;ty and to his devo-
ton, but above all to his native indie
pendence. He had now reached the
end of his summers vacation, and i'm
perative business calls. already too long
deferred, warned him that speedy re-
ever much his vanity might suffer by tho
acknowledgment, he knew he was no
nearer the desired goal than he had
been two months previously. Obstacles
to his nature were only incentives to
action; the young lady's decided indif-
ference only made tho prize more valua-
BILE; and, cherishiDg tile old adage that
s'faint heart never won fair lady," he
had determined to make q bold push
for it.
Such were the thoughts that passed
rapidly through his mind; yet he hest
tated to speak, somewhat with the same
feeling which causes the gambler to
pause, ere he throws the die by which he
is to recover or lose irrevocably his all.
The silence had at length become awk-
ward, when he said, abruptly:
"Miss Constance, I leave the Oaks to-
morrow"
II shall not forget the laws of hospi-
tality, and shall speed the parting, as I
welcomed the coming guest" she re-
piled, archly.
SIS that all I am to carry away with
me, Constance?" he asked, looking into
her face with eager, questioning eyes,
bringing the hot blood to her temples.
'And my eternal gratitude, poor as is
the compensation when weighed against
the preservation of my life, she said,
seriously.
"Gratitude!" he exclaimed, sneering-
ly, "that feeling man shares with the
brute! I want none of it. Tell me you
pity me, and L rejoice, for pity is akin
to love, it is said, and that were some
thing!''
81 do pity you, Mr.. Roberts, if you
have beguiled yourself with any such
false hopes" she said, resolutely. "I
am aware that in romance the rescued
damsel invariably rewards the rescuer
with her hand and henrt; but even then
it is always considered necessary that the
heroine should be heart whole and fancy
free ready to yield her heart, not only
to the gratitude you so much despise,
but also to the shafts of Cupid. I'm
fortunately, do not happen to be in
that category, beingi as you arc we'll
aware, betrothed to Richard Vane long
before Temper's fright gave you more
than passing claim to my regard"
''What right has Richard Vane, or any
other man, to life which, but for me,
would long ago have been extinguished
in the waters of yonder river? One mo-
nlent more and his claim would have
been forever cancelled, by power before
which even my great love would be
powerless. That moment sundered all
pre-existing ties. Besides, ladies are not
apt to consider such ties as very binding
when it suits their own sweet wills to
break the shacklesl The words have
not been spoken that bind you irrevoca-
bly!"
GAS irrevocably, rs far as you and
are concerned, as if the minister had
proclaimed US man and wife," she an
swered, solemnly.
"Look at me, Constance, and tell me
If am likely to yield one jot or title of
my rights. Death breaks ties the most
sacred. You have stood at the portals of
death, and only these arms snatched you
from its grim embrace. Think you, I
will consent to yield to another's arms,
what has been given me by fate, because,
forsooth. OF an idle promise? No; the
life saved is mine, in spite of twenty
Richard Vanesl''
"Pon my life, you WOO right royalty.
Sir Calvin Roberts," she replied, sneer-
ingly. 81 fear me, even such claims
must be disregarded by the ungrateful
wretch you have honored with your
favor. In the penny romances already
alluded to, the rescuer infallibly proves
to he knight sans pe,ty CT sans reproche,
who woes and wins, with honeyed words,
q willing darusel; and it has always been
a subject of wonder to me what the con-
sequences might be should there be any
xy~r-.