The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1870-02-24

submit to opposition, and her unrequited
love burned in her bosom like eonsum-
ing fire. 1t was daily, hourly agony to her
to see Belle basking in the full radiance
of the love which she so hungered for;
-8la as ler ever watchful eyes detected the
sweet telegraph of love between them
the stolen glances, the mute but eloquent
pressure of the hand, the whispered caress
her love for Stephen grew more intense,
and her hatred for Belle waxed more
fierce and deadly.
The next day broke clear and cloudless;
and early in the morning May and Belle
went bathing. May was bold swimmer,
and dashed recklessly in the curling sea
foam, and swan and Aoated about with the
graceful abandon of Nereid. Belle, with
her long golden hair, confined in net,
looked none the less lovely; but the rough,
tumbling waves filed her with terror; and
although the embodiment of grace on shore,
in the water She was awkward and i'll at
ease
"Ah if Icould only swim like May"
she murmurtd. "Stephen says | could, if
l only had the courage. l will conquer my
foolish tipidity;" and making bold
dash, she struck brayely out ON the rush
ing waves.
But her impulsiye courage was swiftly
followed by paralyzing fear, and she felt
creeping sensation of horror and inert
ness steal over her. A great waye came
rolling toward her; and as the fierce foam
dashed over her, she screamed wildly for
help. May Melton heard the cry, aud saw
the white arms thrown up in mute suppli-
cation; she knew that by a few vigorous
strokes she could save her; but the evil
fend that she had nourishid in her heart
for the past few weeks now tempted her
with overwhelming power; her wicked
love for Stephen Leroy rose up with ten
fold strength, and strangled tue weak voice
of conscience. Bellies lovely face, whose
g!amor had stolen from her the only love
she had ever coveted, rose before her in
all its pure beauty. "No-no; let her
diow was the cry Of her heart.
All did the struggle last a moment or
.qn hour she never knew. But the good
iv@assi triumphed. She dashed wildly
through the heaving wave, screaming for
aid Desperately she struggled to reach
tho drowning girl. Oh, heyen if she should
be too late And the waves, as they leap
ed around her, seemed to whisper, with
cruel joy, "lIurdeross mlrderess {"
With frantic energy, she darted through
the waters, nearer, nearer. For the Sc
cond time Bellies pallid face had sunk be-
meath the dark pillows; and yet huge
waves rolled between them. But others
had heard her wild cry for succor at last !;
and soon she saw the white face Of Ste
phen Leroy, ghastly in its horror, as he
swept past her vaguely. She saw the
golden head of Belle flash momentarily on
the cruel waves, and was dumbly conscious
of an'agonizing instant of dreadful sus-
pense as Stephen, too, disappeared.
But, joy, joyI he reappeared; and, in
his stalwart arms hung the delicate form
of Belle Burton. They struck out for the
shore May felt her strength leaving her;
her ears rang with the moan of the sea
but one thought paramount in her brain
upheld her. She reached the shore, and
almost breathless in intense emotion, stag
gered toward the limp, lifeless form that
Stephen Leroy had just laid upon the
sands. One glance at the CHASTITY face
circled round by thousand ringlets Of
golden hair, Mortified stare at the palIod
despairing face of Stephen Leroy, and she
cried, wildly, "Murder! murder !" and
sank, shuddering, on the sand.
Oh, the terrible anguish of a mind op.
pressed and tortured by such remorse as
May Melton felt For the next three
weeks she wandered in the tormenting
phantasm of a delirious fever. She raved
and groaned, and wept; ever haunted by
a supplicating voice that would not be
hushed, and upbraided by pair of sad
reproacbfgl eyes that were ever present
Visions Of Belle Burton, still and cold
would rise before her. Dead and by hel
means and although wrought to a frenzy
of remorse, she could not turn her fasci
mating gaze from these dread chimeras o
her Imagination.
When reason once more returned to her
she found herself utterly weakened anC
helpless. For few days everything wa
vague and uncertain. She could not re
member what had happened every effor
of the memory dazzled and bewildered her
But at last the fatal event of that dread
full day became once more feaslul reali
ty. She battled with the fiefJo btood o
anguish that surged within her until th
little vitality which she had left seemed
about to leave her. Oh, if she could onl,
live that one brief moment over again
Vain, vain wish But hark through tn
open window on the breath of the summe
breeze floats a sweet voice. Oh, can it be
And, almost suffocated with the tumultu
GUS throbbing of her heart, she listens.
"Sho is better, dear Stephen; and, oh
it would have been dreadful if she ha
died She risked her life to save mine."
eyes, my darling, it was fearful peri
Thank heaven that you are both saved
1t was a noble effort May Melton made
] heaven bless her."