The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-04-28

Rudolph iEadIy; geyeu nfypu could Tor.
get the sacredness OF friendship, 1t would
do no good. She will be as true to Mr..
Lyle as she was to you. Uncle Karl, do
not blame meT-I could not rest satisfied
until I didApve told her" i
"Told her what" exclaimed Karl,
springing up like an enraged madman.
81 told her the truth-that you had
loved her always, loved her still-that
you came back to seek her, but came too
late."
You should not have told her. It
was wrong; and now she will never let
me come near her-never speak kindly
to me like sister. But what did she
say? Is there q single string of Juliet's
heart, attuned only to the melody of the
past? Was she surprised? was she
vexed? Did she believe you? How did
she act?"
'.She spoke kindly of you, but
butt ="
''Dont speak it'll I know. She loves
Thed. The words are sculptured in fire
on my brain. And this makes it SO much
harder to bear--if it were anybody else,
but it seems so hard, that it is Thed
who has stolen jules love from me-"
Though hate him for it,, said Ru-
dolph, ST must protest he is not to be
blamed. It is your own fault-or rather,
that vile Cornelia's. and that odious
Gretchen.
II implore you not to mention them
| in the same BREATH" cried Karl; "not to
class them together. Poor Gretchenl
It would wound her gentle henrt to
know, that through her unconscious in
strumentality, was doomed to life of
lonely misery. She deserves no censure
in this matter, Rudolph; let not word
of defamation pollute her name. Re-
member her dying hand was held in
mine; her dying breath touched my
cheek; her dying head was pillowed on
my heart Remember this, and never
mention Gretchen's. name, except with
reverence"
''Pardon me; I will never trespass
again" and then Rudolph added, pettish-
ly: "But I don't understand you-you are
beyond my depths. In one breath, you
vow you love, and have only loved, Jh-
liet; and, in the next, you speak in such
a way as would induce the belief that you
loved only Gretchen. Can two flames
burn in the heart at once? has your af-
fections been playing q game of see
saw-loving first one aud then the
other?"
''I answer in the words of Paulus
d1milius, None of you know where the
shoe pinches.' [ have never loved but
one, and that is Juliet Clayburn From
the Grst day my glance fell upon her,
she became the star of my existence
the one sole object of my hearts idola-
try. When I thought she was lost to
me, tried to love Gretchen-I did learn
to regard her with Platonic affection,
brotherly tenderness, but nothing more
II had time to give you an insight into
her life and character, to explain to you
everything which occurred between us,
you would better understand my past
conduct. Oh Rudolph-Kudolph do
not vainly fancy that your penetrating
vision has dived down into the fathom-
less depths of my wretchedness. There
are dark and intricate labyrinths of sor-
row and temptation and despair, through
which have passed, which do not enter
into your Imagination to conceive"
'Open your heart to me-tell them all
to me-" said Rudolph, tenderly "My
heart yearns for thee, my uncle-yery
pleasant hast thou been to me; nv love
to thee is wonderful, passing the love of
woman"
"And you shall know will tell you
all, Rudolph. In the whole world there
is none other would moro willingly
~ uoo e1au JOu. 1Ou are my Ill now
father and mother-friend and wife
you are everything to me now, my boy"
The French clock on the mantcl struck
the hour.
els it so late?" exclaimed Karl "Then
my communication must be reserved to
another time. But you shall hear or see
me soon again. And now help me, Ru-
dolph, or will be left. I cannot meet
Julie again, since she knows the truth;
and, if stay, nothing can keep mo away
from the sweet agony of her presence.
Help me-haste is of vital Importance.
While Kari was strapping the one
trunk he wished to carry, Rudolph went
to the stables, harnessed the horse in the
buggy, and drove round to the front
door. The yard, like the house, was
perfectly quiet-not a servant was stir
ring Karl brought down the baggage
they jumped in, drove rapidly, and
reached the depot as the Inst signal for
departure was blown. Rudolph ran be-
side the platform to grasp his uncle's ex-
tended hand.
'EareWelli Benr mo in mind nv