Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-10-29

! Tor travelling, Sne was going nome. lnere
was a little choking in her throat as she
said the words. She had only row begun
to realize how dear home was 10 her.
All day she Travelled, and ii was afler
dark when she entered her own house.
She asked for Mr.. Archibald, and was
told that he had not been homo for three
days. Something must be wrong, she was
sure. She went into his study; II was dus-
! ty and desolate. Her last letter lay uu-
opened upon his desk. She ate little sup
per, anG then she went up stairs to rest,
charging the servants, il Mr.. Archibald
came to say nothing of her presence in the
| house.
She threw herself down upon her bed,
and began to think. What was this that
she felt for George Archibald2 Was not
this love at last, sweet though late? Now,
| indeed, she knew that he was more TO her
than all the world besides, that she would
rather have him poor than any one else
rich-raiher share his sorrows, whatever
! they might be, than rejoice with another.
"My husbandl" she whispered over and
over to herself; and then she added, half
afraid Of the two sweet words, "My love !
my lovew
Thinking Of him, she Tell asleep at last,
and slept for while very soundly. Mean
while the evening wore late, and the SER
wants shut up the house and went to bed.
II was almost midnight when George
| Archibald let himself in With his latch-key,
and went into his study. He took up Ber-
| tha's letter, which ,ay there still, and then
laid it down again, shaking as one who
looked on death.
"Poor girl T. he said at was this home
she loved and married, not me and now
all is lost, and l can never make it up to
her again-never."
And then he bowed his head on his fold
cd arms, and the great black wave Of ruin,
reaching him at last, sur2ed over him.
II vas just then that something awoke
Bertha from her deep sleep. She was SUI
persltious-as, at heart, most women are
and il seemed to her that something stood
beside her in the darkness, and whispered
her 10 come.
Noiselessly she descended the stairs and
entered the study. She saw the figure
there with the head bent in that awful,
passionate stiffness of grief. At first she
trembled, and thought she could not in.
trude upon that terrible stillness-she who
had been his house-mste but never his
other self. Then the something that had
led her down there seemed TO lead her on.
1t was an influence outside herself she al
ways felt. 4 courage came to her born of
her love, his need--who knew what? She
went up TO him, and put her hand on his
PROSTATE head.
"Mr. Archibald r. she said, and then, a
moment afler, "Georgel my husband -
lie started 10 his feet, and saw her there
before him in her white dressing-gown,
with her long, soft hair, falling a dusky
veil, about her shoulders. He thought he
had never known before that she was so
beautiful, and the sight gave him a keen
and sudden pain. HI took her hands, and
made her sit down.
"You here, Berlha?" he said, and his
voice was hoarse with the effort he made 10
keep it steady. II thought you we've in
Newport. How came you here just now? ?"
II had a strange, restless night, last
night" she answered, humbly-for it
seemed TO her that lie was blnmng her
land l could not stay any longer. l felt
that something was the matter at home"
"Ab, it is well you came perhaps. You
must have known the worst soon; and
there may be arrangements you will wish
to make before this house is closed"
"Closed George are you going away?
Is it all failure, our experiment." she
cried, with flush that burned like fever
on her check.
eyes, il all failure" he answered hard
ly knowing how sharply he spoke, IN his
bitter pain. II have failed. You do not
know, 1 suppose, for you are woman,
that New York has been shakon for the
last three days with panic. 1t has rocked
like ship in gale Of wind. Scores have
gone down TO ruin. Fam ruined, loo.
"Idonot care for myself; but how shall
make it up 10 you? You married me for
this home, these things around you and
now they are all swept away. have moth
ing with which to console you. What
shall 1 give you in exchange for these
things for which you gave yourself?"
Bertha sank down at his feet, and laid
her humble head upon his knee.
"You cannot give me anything" she
said, "unless you love me. II only you
loved me I should not mind, for 1 have
learned what love means now"
"Be careful, Bertha Archibald" he said,
'that you mean what you say. There are
some deceils no mau could bear. Do you
mean that you love me-loUe me2''
"Yes."
500 you remember that June night
yl,nv. all 10 a, q liz md
cold in the white moonlight you looked
when you said tl-and If you loved me it
would mean that you wonld like TO share
my life, whatever ii might be? You said
you did not feel for me like that then do
you mean that you feel so nowf"
"Yes, yes, yes" she whispered.
"Bertha," he said, 81 am ruined man."
"NO man is ruined" she answered, "who
has honor and honesty-and good reputo
and strong hands and-love."
"Ths home must he given up"
"I should hate it if we kept it. II would
forever reproach me with The thought that
for ii married you though indeed George,
DO not think quite knew myself, even
then. can go back and stay with Harry
and Maria till you establish yourself
again."
"Not if l know it, Mrs. Archibald. You
have just said that you would like 10 share
my life, whatever it may be; and that is
what propose that you shall do. We can
pay everything if we give up this house,
and have a small surplus left. Aud then,
together, we will begin again. Do you
think fear anything now, when for the
first time have truly won my wIfeH"
Early in November the Archibalds were
settled in their home-a little apartment of
three rooms, made pretty with the prettiest