Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-05-09

not in that way" with defiant glance
at the portrait.
He made as if to go out, but, led ire
sistibly, turned around, and went close
to the picture.
Strange | did not see it before
strange | did not guess what it was that
was so sweetly familiar in her face-why
her smile was like an old melody half
forgotten. Mayl May looking into
the lovely, pathetic eyes-"I will be
good to her-I will be true. Oh, will
not that atone?''
1t was dark when he at last passed
out of the room, and into Gertrude's
presence. Mrs. Give, sitting in an adj
joining room, heard their low voices,
and guessed that Bernard was prosper
ing with his love-making.
Late in the evening Gertrude stood
there close by him, the white moonlight
falling around her, and making her love.
illness supreme. Half wild with the i'm
patience of love, yet Bernard controlled
himself. Slowly but steadily she was
drifting toward him. Patience, and she
was won! Her hand fingered in his
when he said good night, her eyes had
soft light, whose meaning he knew
well. Yet he restrained himself. He
told her he was going away tomorrow,
to be gone all day, and saw the gentle
regret cloud her bright face; but he did
not take her in his arms. and bid her a
passionate goodbye.
"She will come to me of herself
7 resently-she will come /" he said.
The next day was somewhat heavy
on the ladies hands. Gertrude, in par.
ticular, was afflicted by strange dis
quietude, and could not rest. She
missed Bernard; he was fast becoming
the one thing necessary to her.
| Late in the afternoon a dun-blue
smoke filled all the valley visible from
Willoughby House. The servants said
the woods were on fire.
Here was excitment, diversion.
awe will go to Bernard's room," said
Mrs. Give. at looks that way, and is
the highest in the house."
But when they had climbed the stairs,
the doors were locked.
What nonsense |" said Mrs. Give,
and sent for all the keys in the house,
trying them one after another with
fateful pertinacity.
At last one fitted, and they entered
the room. A flush of maiden timidity,
a sweet, doubtful curiosity startled Ger,
trude at the first instant. Then she
looked up, saw the portrait, and in.
stan,ly forgot everything else.
Who is this? going up to it.
You can see the fire from this win
dow" said Mrs. Give. "Good heavens,
l didn't think Bernard was mad enough
to keep that picture in sight," ehe
added, soto voce.
"Whose portrait is this, Mrs. Clive?
The tone struck the gay little woman
as something awful. She came nearer
and looked at Gertrude.
"Mercy, Gertrude, l didn't think
you'd be so jealous. It's only-only-'
"Tell me the whole truth, Mrs
Give"
Kitty was running over the matter il
her mind.
"What goose l was to bring her il
here! But, then, who'd thought she
was SO jealous? If l don't tell her
she'll think it worse than it is. I'd bet
ter tell her the whole story, as softly al
| can. She loves Bernard, and sh,
won't cast him off for a woman who ha.
been dead ten years
Mrs. Gives morality was not of the
supertine sort. 1t was, indeed. quite in
dulgent and accommodating.
! 1t really is nothing-nothing tina
you should be disturbed about. Yor
dio.1't think, Gertrude, that you were
Bern&rds first love-you are too sensi
! ble-he is thirty-fve years old, my
dear. And for my part, l always tolC
Give, Il don't care who was your frs
love, if I'n7 only the last But this
girl-Gertrude you look so white ano
awful you quite frighten mel tell you
she's dead-been dead ten years al
least. Bernard wasn't much more than
a boy when he met her abroad. He1
parents were professional people-ac-
tors, in fact, and don't suppose Der.
nard ever thought of marrying her;
but-of course it was wrong, but ali
young men do these things-he took
her to Italy, as his wife, and they lived
there year or two"
"Do you mean to say" asked Ger
trude, in hard, cold voice, "that he
went through false ceremony intend
ing to deceive herr"
dim afraid there was something
of the sort; but then of course, she
might have known. AS if Bernard VIII
loughby could marry ballet dancer );
go on. How did it end 2"
"Why," said Mrs. Give. warming to
her subject, " the girls father found her
out, and tried to make Bernard marry
her. He was very insolent, and OF
course Bernard would't be driven, and
then, dare say, he had gotten over b 5
infatuation-and so they parted. Sne
went back to her father, and died soon
afterward. 1t was great pity see
ing q rain of tears falling from Ger.
trude's eyes-"a great pity, and Der.
nard is so sorry, know. He has been
very UNHAPPY about it. But such things
can't be undone. One can only be
sorry. The past can't be helped"
"No, it can't be helped" said Ger
trude.
She was trembling from head to foot
A light football startled them.
Would to God it could /"
They turned, and faced Bernard. Hi.
swarthy face was pale, his black eye.
had a smouldering fire in them. Ht
looked like man who despaired, bu
would fight to the death
"Gertrude - atternptinp tn toncl