The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-09-28
ehse OF her manners to Paul. She tried
TO be kind and gentle to him INT aha

that Of her manners to Paul. she tried
to be kind and gentle to him but she
could not succeed. 1t was evidently so
forced, and 50 painful. that even feeble
beautiful Paul pitied her. Not that
his pity ever took the shape of break
log of the engagement, or Of im.giu-
ing that she did not love him. lie
only thought she WAS angry or irritable
and that he in the wrong somehow-he
could not understand how, exactly but
be still believed in her love. Poor
Paul! weakly yet wildly. ho sometimes
kept away for whole days, with . pet
ted, sulky, injured manner. Or, he
would come to the house every d.v
AID all day long, following Ma agdalen
about wherever she went, pressing on
her his love and caresses With a tender
gentleness that was wonderfully irri.a-
ting; till she loathed bis very name
and hated him to madness.
When Horace was present; which
was often-for business brought him to
Oakfeld-Magdalen scarcely eyer look
ed up without finding his eyes fixed on
ner. But this only disturbed her; tor
he never looked at her kindly. She
thought she read in his face only dis.
pleasure and dislike. His manners
we're abrupt and Indifferent; aud wheu-
ever she looked peculiarly beautiful, or
was more gracious and more charming
than usual, they used to be something
more than Indifferent. Msgdslen, in
her own mind-vhen sitting alone in
her room, her face flushed and her eyes
dark-ussd to call them insolent, and
declare aloud that she believed be dis
liked her, and encouraged the idea
Indeed, she almost said IS much when
she accused him of it one day, big drops
Of passion and pr,de swelling like thuu-
der-rain in her eyes. And when he
answered, turning away, II will not
flatter you, Miss Trevelyan there is
much in You that | cannot and do not
approve Of" they then s~el'ed till they
ove1aoved the lids and fell heavily on
her lap-two large heavy tears -
worlds full of passion.
She did not see him start as they fell
nor bite his under lip. She did not
see him shiver with emotion, ner notice
the tesder action Of his hand, beckon-
ing her involuotarily to his heart. She
saw and knew oothiog but that he de-
spised her, aud all her strength was
spent in striving to conceal from him
what it cost her to know this.
81 have offended you, Miss Trevel.
yam 7" he said in milder voice.
~ owe you too much to be offended
1t any thing you may choose to say"
said Msgdalsn, speaking with difficulty.
~ did not mean to be rude, he then
exclaimed, after short pause; and he
came and sat near her on the sofa.
"You often are rude to me-" said
Magdalen, speaking with difficulty.
~ am sorry for it, I mean only to be
sincere"
"And do you think mo SO very bad 2"
said Magdalan, bending towards lin.
For moment he looked at her a
look that sent all the blood coursing
through her veins, it was SO earnest,
tender, loving-all that seemed to her
the vory ideal of affection in man
oil that she longed for from him; aud
saw no disloyalty to Paul in accepting.
For Was it not only simple friendship ?
But it was mere passing glance, and
then the leaden veil dropped over Hor-
aces face again, and there was only
harshness and coldness-no more love
for Magdalen that day!
"Not bad exactly" he said, rising,
''but wayward, childish, tickle, weak :;
yes," he added, seeing Magdalen's
naughty gesture, Eyes, weak Real
strength, Miss Trevelyan, can accept
and support all conditions OF lifo.-
Yours is only a feverish excitement
that bears you up under some condi-
tions; but leaves you to flag under
Others" And then Horace, thinking
he bad been hero enough for one day,
walked ont Of the room, and she heard
him humming thre ugh the hall. But
she did not see nor hear him when he
threw of the mask, and was not afraid
to be himself.
/ fr1u~v 1,,r1 N-v~