New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-09-14
and as he looked at her he could not help
A woman of the gods, di Iinely tall
rnnsf AivinQ1v

moment, and she aDSonClV neIu ner ndnt
for the fan while speaking with her fac'
averted and toward the newcomer, Mr.
RentOn had nothing to do but to gaze a
her in her magnificence, with the pale pinl
simmer in her silk, the vapory lace, thu
Jewels, the features like a Greek goddess
the shining fairness Of face, and the smile a.
dreamy as if she were being of another
sphere that all the time claimed hel
thoughts. 1t was too much for RentOn, o
course; you might as well expect him t.
stand in the East and not feel the sun. Yes
am going away" he said, as she turned
again in his direction. "And when l com,
back, Honora!"
What, when he came back She mean
to answer him coldly, but it was impossible
She had loved him from childhood; suspense
and fear had only fed the flame Love
loses all sense of pride; anger goes dowI
before it. Doubtless he had been trifins
with her, but-she loved him. When yor
come back :" she said, under her breath
marble white, not lifting her eyes.
He was bending low before her in cere
mOuiOus adieu, to all the world, if all the
world were looking, but he had taken hel
handkerchief holder, and was sliding Its
ring over the third finger of her out
stretched hand. "When l come back, )" he
said, "shall put a different ring on that
tnger-One never to come Oft "
She could not speak; she could only re-
ply with grasp of the hand; and then
glancing up. ne saw the blush mounting her
white face, bathing cheek and forehead IN
it's deep and rosy tints, and suddenly SUI g.
ing away and leaving them ashen, as she
fell forward fainting.
There was an outcry at once about the
heat of the rooms; and these crowded up
with fans, and those with vinaigrettes, and
the rest with ice water and with wine; and
Renton carried her to the sofa Of an adjoin-
ing parlOr, and left Ler with hey <eathered
and jewele1 firing women And when she
came out again, half an hour afcerwand.
pale and smilings with an inetfs bic peace
Oh heS face, he kissed her hand and went.
Mr.. Renton thought that he would write
little Amabel farewell, and he went to
drive in the park, and he dine9 with =
friend. and when evening came he did not
feel like writing. He telt like hearing some
music, and he knew he could not see Hone
ra, tor she was to be at grand dinneS
party. And so, on the whole, it seemed as
we'll to be civil, and bid little Amabel good
by in person. He could suffer the state.
ment TO escape in the course OF usual con-
versation, he tancied that he felt himself
bound in honor to Honora, and that would
put an end 80 any expectations Amabel
might have cherished. Yes, he repeated,
as he went along, he certainly was bound
in honor-and Mr.. Renton had not all idea
but that he was one of the most honorable
men alive.
Amahel was sitting at her piano when he
went in, but she was not playing; her
head was leaning forward on the music.
rack, and her attitude was one of listless
AT his step she sprang to her
feet, and he saw that the tears were still
sparkling upon her face, and making her.
with her burning cheeks and her dark eyes
under the moisture, more daz
cling than ever. she sat down again di-
rectly, after greeting him, and began TO
play to him, and then to sing. RentOn was
a connOisseur in his way; the voice, if not
strong, was sweet, and the method was fine,
tie feeling was perfect; he lounged in
chair, gazing at the pretty pic
ture the girl made, his soul and senses
soothed in an epicureap luxury. By-and-by
Amatel left the piano and came to sit be-
side him. oh she cried, u thought you
we're gone.'
And was that why you were crying9" he
asked. She stopped moment in her ad-
vance. 81 haven't any friends, you know,
n all the world!' she said IL am all alone.
And you seemed-you seemed.
IL seemed"
She paid no attention to his tone, but i'm.
shook back the tumbling black
,urls. ''And when thought you had gone
without bidding me good-by," she began,
md then her voice choked and she flung
herself half about and burst into tears
again. And in another moment Renton,
v no could not endure the sight of pain at
III, never the sight of tears, and least of
Ill the tears of a pretty child for whom he
lad a tenderness, had his arms about her.
md was kissing Off the tears and declaring
hat he loved her passlonately. And when
le drove away to the station that night b..
lad left his ring upon her finger and he had
'idde1 her be ready tor her bridal upon his
'eturn two months hence.
AS he established himself that :light in
lis section OF the sleeping car. he 'elt.
han tor a long time BEFORE He decided
hat he had acted rightly, and not only.
lightly. but magnanimouslyo Honora had
Their interests, other pleasures. distrace
ions. friends and lovers, but Amabel had
My himselfs He would write to Honora.
nd close the affair between them, or he
'ould let IL slide, and make things right
hen they met He thought the matter
yer. and was sure he would be happier
18th the gentle little Amabel-there was
far more fattering TO his self.
I'VE in Amabets reverence tor him as a
mi-god than in Honora's love for him as
man. And he pictured the girl in the
Dlendor in which he would array her as
is bride, and he heard her some night sur.
rising his friends with that rich, sweet voice
hers, and he fell asleep. That either of
Re young women would have despised
IN tor his conduct to the other did not
eur to him; and he was right, for con.
mpt would not have abated Honora's pas !
on, and Amabel would have felt her love
be but so much the more necessary to |
No
That week. as usual, Amabel went 90 |
We HonOrd her lesson. She was near The
I'd OF the term with all her pupils. and she |
ought it better to finish naturally, and |
en- the money would be of value to her in
aking herself tit for bride. She must
i've one white silk and one black one, at !
~ cate, she said; and she had already !
i'll out all she had in the purchase U. the
bite one, which the person with whom
e boarded was fitting for her. She was !
happy and SO glad that she could hardly
ep herself from dancing as she passei:
onS The street, She had no thought OF
aklng a secret of her bliss; and il was !
lrlng HonOra's lesson that, emphasizing !
me point OF her instruction. she stretched
r finger across the page, and Honora saw
lining there the sapphire. with ITS deep
lie facets breaking into blood-red RAYS at
g angles of its cutting-saw that Amabel
IRE Renton's ring
1t was only by supreme effort then shat
mora kept her self-control But she ID.
g felt herself sinking and falling. but she
ltched the edge of the piano and sat
right; and presently the blood that the
ock had sent curdling about her heart
q yeCained its euIilihrirlm The -i,-ht ,F
at ring had not been wholly unexpecte ID
her: she had been making her quiet IN
stigations, and had OWNED that Renton
d been paltering with the girl in all that
ne when she had been waiting for him to
eak decisively to herself. Sac had felt.
be sure, that that was over and done
tn since the morning when he babe her
'ewell before his journey, and made her
art beat SO with joy as he slipped the