The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-06-18

verv arrogant" said Bella,-"and so
6ou,;neeri5p.D To this Mr.. Gibson made
no reply aPm sure ] have endeavored
| to bear it well, though you must have
known what have suffered, Thomas.
Nobody can understand it so we'll as you
do"
Mr.. Gibson, tragically.
''Don't say that Thomas, because it's
wicked"
"But do. See all the harm l have
done,-and yeti did not mean II. ~
"You must try and do the best you can
now. am not saying what that should
be. am not debating to you. You are
a man, and, of course, you must judge
for yourself. But will say this. You
shouldn't do anything just because it is
the easiest. / don't suppose ! should
live after it. don't Indeed. But that
should not signify to you." -
81 don't suppose that any man was
ever before in such terrible position
since the world began"
sit is difficult,-I am sure Of that
Thomas" -.r r-
"And l have meant to be so true. /
fancy sometimes that some mysterious
agency interferes with the affairs of q
man and drives him on,-and on,-and
n,-almost.-till he doesn't know
where it drives him." As he said this
in voice that was quite sepulchral in
its tone, he felt some consolation in the
conviction that this mysterious agency
could not affect man without embuing
him with certain amount Of grandeur,
very uncomfortable, indeed, in its ma
ture, but stillhaYing considerable value
as a counterpoise. Pride must bear
pain,-but pain is accompanied by
pride.
"She is so strong, Thomas, that she
can put up with anything" said Ara
bella, in a whisper.
"Strong,-yes," said he, with shud-
der,-"she is strong enough"
"And as for love"
"Don't talk about it," said he, getting
ND from his chair. "Don't talk about it.
You will drive me frantic"
"You know what my feelings are,
Thomas; you have always known them.
There has been no change since was
the young thing you first knew me" AS
she spoke, she Just touched his hand
with hers; but he did not seem to notice
this, sitting with his elbow on the arm
of his chair and his forehead on his
hand. In reply to what she said to him,
he merely shook his head, not intending
to imply thereby any doubt of the truth
of her assertion. "You have now to
make up your mind, and to be bold,
Thomas" continued Arabella. "She
saws that you are a coward; but know
that you are no coward. told her so,
and she said that was interfering. o,
that she should be able to tell me that l
interfere when I defend your
81 must 90" said Mr.. Gibson, jumping
up from his chair. 81 must go. Bella,
l cannot stand this any longer. Iii too
much for me. / will pray that | may
decide Alright. God bless your Then
he kissed her brow as she lay in bed, and
hurried out Of the room.
He had hoped to go from the house
without further converse with any OF
it's inmates; for his mind was disturbed,
and he longed to be at rest. But he was
not allowed to escape so easily. Camilla
met him at the dining-room door, and
accosted him with smile. There had
been time for much meditation during
the last half hour, and Camilla had med
itated. Chow do you find her, Thomas y
she asked.
"She seems weak, but l believe she
is better. Ihave been reading to her"
"Come in, Thomas; will you mott 1t
is bad for us to stand talking on the |
stairs. Dear Thomas, don't let US be so
cold to each other" He had no alterna.
tive but to put his arm round her waist,
and kiss her, thinking, as he did so, OF
the mysterious agency which afflicted
him. Tell me that you love me,
Thomas" she said. "0f course l love
YOU" The question is not a pleasant
one when put by lady to a gentleman
whose affections towards her are not
strong, and it requires very good actor
| to produce an efficient answer
81 hope you do, Thomas. 1t would
be sad, indeed, if you did not. You
are not weary of your Camilla; are
your
For a moment there came upon him an
| idea that he would confess that he was
weary of her, but he found at once that
such an effort was beyond his power.
"How can you ask such question" he
said. -.
because you do not-come to me-"
Camilla, as she spoke, laid her head upon
his shoulder and wept. "And now you
| have been five minutes with me and
nearly an hour with Bella"
"She wanted me to read to her." said
Mr.. Gibson,-and he hated himself
thoroughly as he said it.
"And now you want to get away as
fast as you can" continued Camilla: :.
Because of the morning service"
said Mr.. Gibson. This was quite true,
and vet he hated himself again for say
ing it. As Camilla knew the truth OF
the last plea, she was obliged to let MN
60; but she made him swear before he
went that he loved her dearly. 81
think it's all right" she said to herself
as he went down the stairs. II don't
think he'd dare make it wrong. If he
does-ohi"
Mr.. Gibson, as he walked into Exeter
eHdeavored to justify his own conduct
to himself. There was no moment, be
declared to himself, in which he had not
: endeavored TO do right. Seeing the
: manner in which he had been placed
, among these two young women, both OF
, whom had fallen in love with him, how
could he have saved himself from vacil.
lationi And by what untoward chance
had it come to pass that he had now
learned to dislike so vigorously, almost
, to hate, the one whom he had been for a
: moment sufficiently infatuated to think
that he loved
But with all his arguments he did not
succeed in justifying to himself his OWL
conduct, and he hated himself.
ITO be Continued