New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-05-30
MAYS REVENGE.


faith in me. Your eyes, your voice, your
ouick- coming bushes, your hand trembling
in mine, all tell me that you love me. But
something holds you back from me--some
strange. nervous fancy of your own--vague
but potent, indescribable but real"
She listened. Was it his voice, mellow,
captivating, wooing her strangely in its ten
derness, or just her own consciousness speak
ing out?
For she did love him, ali, how well! and
was it likely that she could so control tell
tale ewes, and bushes, and voice, and nerves,
40 that he could not guess her sweet secret?
And the barrier, too, keeping her back from
the loving arms that seemed her natural pro-
tectors! What was it ? why was it? whence
camel? From her own superfluous distrust,
her too great timidity and doubt?
ssPut it away, Gertrude, darling! Come to
mel"
He opened his arms, his :ace glowed, his
very soul seemed to beckon her from those
soft, tender eyes.
just breadth nearer she moved, and then,
as if a cold wind had swept over her, she
shrank back.
ST cannot, ah, cannot!' she shuddered.
'sBernard, you must let me go! We are not
made for each other. An invisible but awful
fate stands between u.s."
With step he reached her, and clasped
her in his arms.
ssThus 1 trample on it! thus conquer it |!
NV darling, nothing shall separate us!"
His kisses were on her lips, his voice charm
ing her. The great tidal wave of love seemed
ready to sweep her away into compliance,
confession, promise. But-and how strange
it. was to her, who can tell?-the same cold
hand held her back, the same pitiless mex
orable voice said:
SHE i not for you. Turn your back upon
the heaven of this love! Go out once more
into the rough ways Of the world. Not for
YOU sweetness, rest, peace, sympathy. TO
your lonely way. 1t is so appointed"
The conflict whitened her cheeks, carried a
great. deathly sickness to her heart, and
presently the tender, yielding, lovely form in
his arms grew rigid, and all its sweet, warm
life seemed to flee away.
"Great heaven have I killed herr" he
said, pale as death.
At first he would not call any one, for at
but the unyielding pallor frightened him soon,
and he rang the bell loudly.
Mrs. Give came running in.
"Good gracious! Bernard, told you not
to agitate her. She's been as nervous as
could be for month. And now she'll be i'll,
I dare say-and everything packed up for
Willoughby House! There, Gertrude, my
dear, aren't you better now? Do go away,
Bernard"
But Bernard did not go.
Little Mrs. Give, who ordered everybody
about in the most good-natured but absolute
manner, found her brother beyond her man
agement. .
Bernard stayed, and brought wine and
strong waters, and insisted on leaving Miss
Stanley to lie down, and would take Mrs.
Give away with him, in spite of her re-
sistauce.
al tell you it's only the heat, Louise, and
those great boys of yours. The poor girl is
oterworked, and no wonder"
Mrs. Give, opening her blue eyes in re-
monstrance and her lips to reply, found her
self nut down unceremoniously, and set to
packing china.
81 DECLARE" she said, recovering her
senses, 81 never had so much trouble with
Give in all my life. wish Gertrude joy Of
him, and hope she may be able to manage
him. Overworkcd in my house, indeed"
Careless of the little tempest in his sisters
mind-he would only have laughed at it good
naturedly, if he had known of it-Benard
Give was walking up and down the veran-
dab, meditating on his-defeat, shall we
call it? Not so. Bernard gave it no such
name.
An impulsiye, brilliant, strong-willed man
His personal magnetism was something won
derful. Allied to his rare abilities, it might
have won him almost any position. But So
cial success was all he aspired tO-his high
est ambition, to win without toll any woman
who pleased his versatile fancy.
He was, it must be confessed, a little stated
with triumph now. just home from pro-
longed residence in Europe, the pretty but
terfies of Mrs. Gives set had fluttered around
him in vain.
But Gertrude Stanley came, and Bernard
loved her as he never had, never should love
again-so he told her, and SO he really
thought. What remained then but to win
and wear?
"a mere nothing" thought Bernard, as
he softly pulled blue cloud Of smoke into
the air "a subtle, intangible thing, as eva
nescent and bodiless as this coil of vapor, a
creature of weak nerves, plrantasm of the
imagination-is this thing to come between
her and me? BY all the gods, no! She
loves me! She did not deny it-her eyes
confessed il, his dark cheek flushed at the
thought, "and soon her sweet lips shall con-
fess it, too. Willoughby House will be good
for her. She was pale this morning, the dar-
ling! At Willoughby she shall get back her
roses"
In week Mrs. Give and the family were
settled at WillOughby House.
1t was gloomy stone pile set in a vast
lawn, remote and unattractiye enough to the
gay travellers on the public road. But when
the carriage stopped at the entrance, and.
Bernard received them with aflectionate
smiles, and Mrs. Give saw the complete
renovation he had effected within, she was
more than glad she had come to Willoughby.
The elegant, carved ceilings had been
painted in fresh Pompeiian colors Sombre
drapery and antique furniture had been BAN
ished to lumber-rooms, and unique, lovely
bull tables and bamboo chairs and lace cur
tains had taken their place.
Il was as gay, as fresh, as summary and
homelike as could be imagined.
Upon my word, Bernard" said Mrs.
INV catching her breath, / shouldn't WON
~ - Csia Robert got up out of his grave
ae, . y I ToS vandalism and extravaganza!
= sn.',t &c you ever dared do it."
uCT .,,t end OF anybody who comes
back from the landSor 1os ,rhn, Ia ,augned per
nard; and then he ! '' -'0 ''au SAID III
looking at Gertrude. WHOM. tho h.,,,o 90 nc.
There are times We cannot a y, nle
seems too hi ~ iU ..om, and now and again
TOW a as So, se .Sa trs, and drifts happily
WITH the current. ). Nth co-
c..1,ov She had been so heset, so