The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-05-04
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CHAPTER I.

ing both arms against the wooden railing
and watching the sun 90 down.
Below, the river ran black and slug
gish. Fierce and far, betwixt notch o
blue hills, the lurid sunset burned itsel
out swiftly. The saffron and purple IA
lded fast to ashes Then. in the blanchet
horizon, nothing was left but singl
wicked stain-a ragged smear of Grim
son, frightfully like blood.
Barbara Peale watched it, shudderino
A moment before, she had been thinkin.
of her wedding day. Tomorrow
Would this bloody sun rise fair for he
and for Dirck? She dropped her pas
sionate black eye to the water below th,
bridge. There was the crimson stail
again, foating-foating upon the murk,
Idarkness-b broadening kere and ther,
through the tiny eddies Of aae current
redder, even, than that sign in the sky.
Barbara stood like a statue A lith,
and tenuous figure, in sober drab Sh,
wore her ugly bonnet aswing upon
glimpse of dazzling neck Her face wa.
fine and fawless, with skin like wax
and some tremendous coils of blue blacl
hair weighing down the small and shape
Ily head. Standing there alone, thi:
girl, moved by some sudden and Anac
countable impulse, dropped her forehead
ON her trembling hands and began tc
pray i ~ t4 ''.0 fa5l
The dull thad Of iron hoofs echoed on
the planks of the bridge. 1t drew nearer
and nearer. Some one dismounted anG
led horse forward to the wooden rail
ing Barbara raised her head, but sht
did not turn.
sIs it you Dirck ?" she asked, still
trembling. 1u Sass 2s
The hand that held the bride Of the
horse slid suddenly about the girls waist
1t was a faultless, milk-white hand, blaz
ing with diamond solitaire. 1t hello
her for the moment like vice.
Barbara he answered, sit is not
Dlrck. 1t is l."
She looked up quickly. Their eye:
met. Hers dilated, wild with terror
His, narrowing at the corners as he
watched her, turned blue and sharp like
steel. With cry she wrenched herself
free She made quick gesture.
$50 you have come baekf' 7
A smile fitted over his blonde, high.
bred face.
7"Yes, Barbara, / have come back. You
told me when l went away to forget you
My beautiful saint, l have tried, but
find it impossible. So ] am here again.
"Basl, you have done wrong" she
said, holding to the railing in her agita
ton. ~
He had riding whip, silver-mounted,
in his hand. With this he stood snap
ping the round pebbles off the bridge
| into the river below. All the while his
handsome, evil eyes never wavered from
] her face esa,-T
| .sWrongr' he echoed "Barbara,
have come back to make you my wife
/ have come back to put aside that fine
scorn of yours 1 have come back tc
defy my father-to lose the whole world
| if needs be, so that l but win you. ,Lool
at me. This long struggle has worn mt
out, you see, but you have conquered"
"Basil, stop-oh, stopr +.
.'No. Hear me through. You canno
put me by with a word,as you did yeal
ago Come, Barbara, let us understand
each other l love you madly. ! hav'
loved you thus one long horrible year
You know me well. That which / cove
l must have / am Basil. There il
bad blood in our veins. / repeat that
have come back to marry you"
AS through glass, darkly, Barbar:
saw the crimson stain down there anon!
the edlies of the river, fading away. 4
hot wave of color, half anger, ,half-shame
spread across her cheek.
| "Basil," she answered. "you do no
know what you say You are ricl
mans SON. Because of me, Colonel Basi
sent you abroad. He could not see yol
stoop to wed with me. Moreover it i
even as you have said-I do not love yol
IL never, never loved you"
"Well, go on"
She raised her great eyes.
Tomorrow is my wedding day. To
morrow / shall be a wife, but not yours.
The riding whip dropped from hi
hand He stood looking down upol
her. In his own face famed up sud
den white fire Of fury.
! Barbara, you dare not give yoursel
to another man, knowing that 1 lov,
you"
She began tying on her ugly bonne
under her beautiful white chin. 81
"Yes, Basil, dare" |"
| He laughed derisively.
sand you stand up here and tell me o
| it! Barbara, who is the man ~
She sought to pass HIM as he stood
barring the way.
II will talk with you no more" sh'
answered, quietly.
"Tell me his namer'
| "Let me go-let me co.
"One moment" he cried, his whit,
teeth showing through his long mus
tache. "You will not speak that name
Well, then, listen to me. 1t is Dircl
Cuyler 1t is the stiff-necked builder o
the new factory down yonder in th'
river The fellow who has taken my ia
ther's pet scheme out of his hands. Th,
fellow whom my father hates with al
his heart 1T is something, Barbara, tc
know how Basil can haten' -i.
She answered nothing. Suddenly ht
seized her hand. He drew her forwarC
to the extreme edge of the railing.
$50 that is the man you love! Tha
is the man you would marry. Littl'
Barbara, it cannot be! Underneath thi
sober drab of yours, guessed long ag'
that heart of fire smoldered. 1t shal
burn for me, or l win trample it out tt
ashes! God sooner than see you tn
wife of Dirck Cuyler, would fling yol
into the river-I would leave him moth
ling, Barbara, but your fair, drownet
body for his wedding-day.
Her hand seemed, crushed in his mer
ciless grasp. The great diamond tha
he wore blazed up in her face balefully
Blind ard dizzy, she clung to the railing
fHe tore her away. He caught her up,a
if he would. in very truth, hurl her int
y