Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-01-13

. MIN y.
Max Rothermel's face was grave will
| pain as he listened To this conversation
| He pited bis friend but he knew it wa,
| useless To- warn him. lie was too com
/ pietely under the spell of her charms t.
heed any warming now. She bcwilderrd
him by her swift, magnetic rlanrrs; she
held him fascinated by her low voice and
her smile.
By-and-by Rothermel saw her take Kirk &
arm, and they went of toward The con
servatory together.
An hour later he met Roy Kirk in the
hall. His face was pale, his eyes full OF
pain and disappointment.
It's all over, Max he said. wrincing
his friends hand You were right, she
hasn't any SOUL
Poor Roy = Rothcrmel's face was cold
and stern, for just then he saw Miss Came
ron smiling across the parlor as it nothing
had happened to break the monOtony ot
the scene. hut his voice was full of sincere
pity Tor the bright young dreams 80 cruelty
blasted by heartlcss wOnau's wiles.
The sweet, hewilderino strains of the
Strauss waltz floated out upon the evening
air, and made it vibrant with delicious
melody. Down the long room the Walters
swung in n slow and dreamy motion to the
music of the violins. Outside the moonlight
made a white radiance on land and Sea.
The beat beat, beat, ,ofth. sea upon the shore,
like the restless throbbing of human heart.
sounded through the sweet, wild waltz
music like an undertcne Of sorrow.
Max ROthermel stood and watched the
scene. There was look of something like
triumph in his face.
Presently there was nutter of white ur
the parlOr, and without looking that way
he knew who was coming. He could tell
by the strange thrill which went over him.
Miss Cameron is looking for Rothermel.'
some one said behind him, in n tone not
meant for his ear DO you really think he
cares for her -
Il don't know was the reply. But one
thing is certain she cares for him.
Yes, every one can see that the other
lady said. AT last she has found her
master. am glad of it. She has ruled
hearts long enough.
Rothcrmel smiled, an exultant thrill at
his heart. a fire of triumph in his eyes.
Sybil Cameron came quite near before he
looked up. When he did she stood before
him. with a soft cClor coming. and going
in her checks, eyes shy and downcast.
The old Queenly arrogance was gone, and
-
ing. held its place.
Shall we waltz p he said, smiling into
her eyes with that rare smile of his. That
waltz Is simply exquisite. l don't often
rare to dance, but tonight the impulse is
They whirled down the room to the weird
of the music's subtle influence.
Ter yellow hair tloatcd abou: his face, and
her breath famed his cheek Once she
lifted her eyes 10 his, compelled by some
strange power to do So. His glance was
Dn her face. full of concious power, and yet
touched with something like regret.
The waltz ended in long strain Of tre-
mulnus sweetness. They went out, and
down the path TO the sea. The waves
caped. aud sparkled in the moonlight, and
and broke in upon the beach with n soft
4 sh that was fa.! uf Soothing influence.
Far overhead some birds flew, showing
blnckly against The clearncss of the sky.
They walked up and down the shore for
some time in silence.
By.aud-by he spoke.
This is our last walk together, | suppose
| am going away Tomorrow
Going away?' Her voice was full of sur
prise, and her face paled little in the
Not for long, are you p
y
AN going to Europe next week. | ought
10 have gone weeks ago
'Enr years she repeated, with quiver
in her voice, her eyes far oil upon the rip
pling waters of the, bay. oh, years are So
long sOmelimes.'
shall you miss me p he asked, his eyes
upon her face, and drawing her eyes to his.
Miss you, oh Maxi How eau you ask ?
For, OH she stopped suddenly, with
swift rosy tlushes mounting to her cheek
and brow. She was very tender and wo-
manly now. this queen of hearts.
'Well-what = he said, looking straight
into her eyes with strange power in his
glance.
For her life, Sybil Cameron could not
keep back the words which came To her
lips for utteranee. BY the subtle influence
Df his will over her, he compelled heI To
speak to him.
For oh, love you, NMx, love you!'
Never in all his life had he seen face
so beautiful as Sybil Cameron's at that
when that sweet confession found
ltterance. Her eyes were full of soft light,
her cheeks dyed with carlatiOn, and her
whole face sullused with new, strange ten
ierness. Her soul had come to her.
In this supremcst hour of his triumph,
Max KOthcrmhl felt that IN some way MS
revenge was after all failure. lie had set
himself deliberately to win this w"man's
heart, if she had any, and then spurn it
aside as she had spurned SO many hearts.
lie had won the thing he coveted. but
the triumph was not what he had anticipa
ted. There was sense of humiliation
about it. and of self defeat. Could it be
that there was sparA of love in his heart
for this woman who had cast aside the love
Df his dearest friend, as a worthless thing,
and made that friend cynical, and coldly
istrustiul "fa truth in woman, because
Of his sighted hopes and dreams.
You love me-, he cried. You tell me
that. and have newer spoken one word of
love to you. Roy Kirk loved you, and you
Irampled on his heart, AS true heart as
ever beat, after you had lured him on to
he ruin of the dearest, sweetest hopes life
held for him. Now YOU tell me that you
love. You can feel what he felt, if that is
true. You can know what bitter thing
il is to love in vain. Every day of his life
he thinks of you with bitterness and regret.
Regret that he ever knew you. and bitter
ness because he believed you the soul of all
that is wnmanly in woman aud was cruelty
deceived. You gave his heart a blow that