Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-06-14
white and silent, with the curtain
sweeping down around his motionless
head.

haLyi
Like the tremulous coo of the WOO,
pigeon, Valentin svoice murmured tn
soft syllables with the coaxing accen
of a child. And in the same instan
she kelt down beside the sofa, he
white dress sweeping over the crimson
carpet tides Of translucent pearl, ant
one arm thrown caressingly over tn.
folds of the deceitful cashmere shawl
Colonel Mordaunt's first impulse
was to spring up and declare his indi
viduality-his second to lie still, ani
let Fate manage the matter to suit hel
capricious self. So he lay still accord
! ing, experiencing a very singular and
not at all disagreeable sensation, from
the contact of the caressing arm. Nc
doubt he was a treacherous, hypocriti,
cal wretch-but, fair lady, or chival-
rous gentleman, don't judge the poor
fellow too harshly until you have been
in precisely the same circumstances
yourself. Itisjust possible-only pos
sible you know-that you might do
the same thing.
Nowyou are angry with me, Kate y
pleaded the soft voice, because |
threw those flowers awayl And won't t
speak to mel and | know | deserve it,
darlini'
There was a moments silence, as if
Miss Valentin had expected some sort
of response to her pretty penitence.
But she didn't getany; so, after a brief
pause, she went on:
$ Indeed, Kate, 1 didn't mean to
grieve you-and | won't do it again. I
am sorry for my ridiculous freak. Do
you suppose he was very angry, Kate?
Do you think | ought to ask his par
don? But then you know he didn't
see me steal around the lawn, and pick
up the roses again.
There were strong symptoms of
coming iears-a sort of quivering sob
in the voice.
You won't forgive me, Kate ?"
Not if tell that l do really love your
tall, stern brother? Only, Katy, / was
silly enough to want to tease. him
little, and test my power over his no.
BILE heart. 1 love him, Kate-I may
tell you of it, dear, without being bold,
or unwomanly, because you know we
have so often talked about his liking
me little and-and-oh Kate, answer
mel don't be so cold and cruel! Sure
ly you can't be asleep"
" Where are your lips, cher annie ?"
she coaxed playfully. Il shall soon
break the magnet spell of silence that
binds them. You know you never
keep vexed with me more than five
minutes at a time. Why, where's
your hair? Where"
She sprang suddenly to her feet
with a piercing scream-her wander
ing hand had touched the dark heavy
moustache on which Colonel Nor
daunt prided himself so especially.
He strove to catch the hand-to de-
tain the frig ghtened beauty long enough
to plead his cause in earnest, impas-
stoned words, butin vain. Fear SEEM
ed literally to lend her wings. Away
like frightened white dove, she flew,
uttering wild hysteric screams, and
fairly falling into the arms of the as
tonished Katy Mordaunt, who was just
coming in from the starlighted garden
with both hands full ofdewy branches
of honeysuckles.
Valentino she exclaimed, drop
ping the spicy blossoms. Why,
what is the matter? what can have
started you so dreadfully?"
"Oh, Katy Katy sobbed Valen-
tin, clinging to her friends shoulder,
with nervous vehemence, there is a
man in your room-a robber, hiding
under your cashmere shawl on the sofa!
Oh, | am nearl y frightened to death p
Katy's serene brown eyes dilated a
little-then frightened into a smiling
archess.
" A robber!" she repeated with pro-
voking calmness.
Nonsense, Valentin, you are mis-
taken. 1t was only Jackl [ saw him
90 in there not half an hour ago. 'The
idea of taking our Jack for a robberr'
Katy's laughter rippled merily at the
mere fancy.
Only Jack In the midst of her
terror the possibility had never occur
red to Valentin Bruce's mind. Only
jack The Forty Thieves themselves
would have faded into nothingness be-
fore the mere idea of Colonel Nor |
daunt having heard all these soft
pleadings and unconscious admissions.
One minute Valentin felt as if every
vein throughout her whole frame were
filled with molten fire-then she grew
white and cold as a marble statue.
Life and strength seemed ebbing away
from her-for the first time in her life
Valentin Bruce tainted away.
Katy Mordaunt quietly sprinkled |
scented water on the paid forehead,
and began to unlace the white muslin
dress. As she did so, faded bunch |
of flowers fell from Valentin's bosom,
and Katy smiled as she recognized the |
moss buds that had been so haughtily !
thrown out on the lawn that very even
ing.
"I'll keep them for Jack, she said.
$ All, Valentin, you'll be my sister-in-
law yet.
How shyly the blue eyed damsel
stole in the breakfast room the next
morning. She would have cheerfully
tasted all day sooner than enter the
presence of the tall colonel; but what
was the use. The dreaded first inter-
view must be got over, sooner or later,
so here she was, with down cast lashes,
and cheeks dyed as deep pink as the
rose colored wrapper she had on. No
more naughty airs and graces-no more
cool composure. She was at Colonel
mercy, and she knew it
Would he take cruel advantage of her
Or would he But
there her cogitations always stopped.
He was standing at the window,
looking down on the morning sunshine
that bathed the short, velvety grass
before the piazza. But he turned
quickly as she entered with a bright
welcome smile.
"Valentin p he said, gently, was
dreaming last night, or did hear
you say that you loved me! oh, my
darling, tell me it was no baseless
dream
She came shyly to his arms, and
nestled there like a futtering fawn,
voiceless yet happy. Still he was
not contented.
Il want to hear it from your own
lips yet again, Valentin. Nay, dearest,
don't shrink away SO pleadingly, but
answer me-"
What shall I say ?" she murmured,
timidly raising her soft eyes to his
face.
Tell me that you love me-
Sweeter than the fall of musical cas-
cades through groves of tropic bloom
softer than the thrill of nightingales
in Persian valleys, the three charmed
words Touched on his ear. and he knew