The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-03-25

eyes, and her voice gathered its strength
and clearness as she spoke:
"I have asked You for pity, have i'm
plored mercy from stone, but you may
carry out your worst vengeance before
will stoop to the ignominy of your caress.
You gave me your ultimatum-now hear
mine. Spare Percie Lennox, let that dis
graceful secret lie buried in the oblivion
from which your fiendlilke malice has
snatched it, and pledge you my word OF
honor that will never marry him. But
in the same breath tell you boldly that
your presumptuous hand shall never fetter
me, nor will ever owe home or name to
so pitiful a traitor. Shame upon you that
you betrayed heart that trusted to your
generosity to destroy the proofs you have
boarded Wait r'-for he burst into
savage oath-"you have not heard me
out. If you are not satisfied with making
my life desolate, and declare, in your baf-
fled rage, that unless l wed you the story
will be proclaimed to the world, then an
swer that, so surely as you blast my lovers
name with crime, take my place by his
side and suffer with him, caring for no hu-
initiation, with my hand in his ~
Harold's fierce eyes glittered with min
gled hatred and admiration at this scornful
defiance rang out above the noise of the
breaking waves. He had played his cards
with consummate skill and daring, but he
counted too surely upon girlish cowardice
and woman's plastic will. He knew
nothing of the gallant spirit that had de-
scended from the proud old Norman
knights, and throbbed so hotiy now in
Cecil's bosom; he thought to terrify and
subdue her, and he had almost succeeded.
Perhaps he had never loved her so madly
as at the moment when he thought he had
lost her, for he knew that the last was no
empty boast; that, as she said, if his act
drove her to extremity, she would cling to
her lover through all.
| might add that he never loved her SO
intensely, for, Notwithstanding his unscru-
pulous method of using all means to carry
out his plans, there was chord Of bold
hardihoo8 in the man that compelled him
to admire Cecils dauntless resolution, and
for moment he faltered in his cruel pur-
pose; for moment he half resolved to let
her conquer, were it only to see the soft
eyes smile gratefully upon him, and feel
the little hand clasp his in friendship again.
But the brief impulse passed as he saw a
look of hope on her face.
"You are grand creature" he said
with reluctant justice. "And l have lost
ALL So be it; as long as you and Lennox
are separated, he is safe from me. But
what warrant have / that at some future
time you may"
"My word is passed." she interrupted,
hotly. sour conversation is ended"
"When will you" he half hesitated al
the additional cruelty She became white
as death. She drove back the bitter tears
determined that her enemy should not see
her weep.
"Enough! Leave that to me and {
Give Harold, may God deal with you al
you keep faith with me this dayp' And
turning away, she left him standing on thu
beach.
Cecil clenched her hands till the rosy
nails bruised the fair white palms, and
wished, for one brief second, that she coulC
|. plunge down into the blue smiling ocean
away from the cruel sunlight. In tha
! short half hour she had buried her sunny
girlhood, and now there lay before her {
woman's path of trial. How could she
: ever tell Percie ! Could she ever look VI
in his face and tell him that she knew hi
dishonor? No, the sacrifice must be al
: her own; it would be but an additiona
. pang for him to know this afternoon
history. The swift fiery blood that gav
!, him his name of "Hotspur' would holt
Harold's life poor revenge for having
stained his honor in her sight. Better tina
he should think her false, tickle and tn
first moan that had passed Cecil Dare's lip
|, shook them then, as she thought hov
another might come to fill her place i
4 Percies heart. She went up to her ow
d room, and locked the door upon Flora an,
Il her, aunt, looking at her watch as she sa
down on the floor and laid her head agains
/? the cushion OF a chair. Two hours befor
u Peroie would be back-two hours in whic
TO bury her love and hope. Was it year
!. since she had lain on this bed with a happ
It joyous hearth Many women have see
% fond dreams sink down into darkness, br
IL few made SO little moan as Cecil. TIL
10 torture was as keen, but the wound bic