The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-05-03


the sunlight; but still Alice paced up
and down under the pollard willows
until the evening was far advanced.
Night was setting in around her; the
Light and life were over, She had
scarcely realized uutil the present mo-
ment how present Mr.. Serope Ind been
in her every thought.
The morning after reading the news
in the papers another very startling
piece Of information came TO her:
She was an heiress.
BY one Of those'strange chances in Life
that 0reso common nowadays, her moth
er's brother, beginning life as an artisan,
had amassed princely fortune. And
he left II between Alice Jervis and her
brother. nra t't
And Alice Jervis sat down and wept
bitterly. To her II had come rs q mock
cry. Her lot in life was cast, what did
Ishe want with money now?
In due time she read OF the marriage
itself; she cut 1t out Of tho paper and
placed 1t in her pocketbook. II was all
over.
- a
Three years slipped away. Three
travellers entered an hotel in q little
foreign town. One, q beautiful woman,
little past her first youth, whom one
knew in moment, in spite Of the i'm.
proyement that had taken place; but
her brother was scarcely to be recog-
nized. A tutor and three years Of for
eign life had caused q marvellous trans
formation. The third, IN elderly lady,
was not much altered, excepting TINT
her dress was handsome rs heart could
desire. s'i7 i'iii e ~
They took their places at the table
d'hote, and exactly opposite to them sat
a Indy and gentleman. The latter look
ed wearied, and his short black mus
tache twitclied with the curving Of the
restless month beneath IL. The lady
was fair, fashionable, and yivacions. 7
Alice Jervis started. She would have
moved, but William Jeryis, all ignorant
Of past events, had exclaimed: .ld4
"Mr. Scropel" sl1lf
Mr.. Scrope looked across, wondering
at the friendly recognition from an up.
parent stranger. Then his eyeiell upon
Alice and lie started, but quickly recoy-
,ering himself he bowed, saying:
"Parlon me II / did not at first re.
member YOU"
Mrs. scrope had turned in delight
toward William Jervis.
"Tho first English voice, excepting
my husbands, TINT / have heard for three
weeks, I do not understand Italian,
and have consequently had no ono tc
talk 10 but Mr.. Scropo. Can you imagine
anything more dreadfuli" .R Is,.
Then turning to her husband she said
aYou must introduce me TO your Eng
lish friends"
Mrs. Scrope-Mrs. and Afiss Jervis,
said Mr.. scrope, his look riyeted OF
Alice.
The face that had never left hii
memory in spite OF his marriage, hai
grown 10 q higher beauty than even ht
had imagined 10 be possible. And
though he knew 1t not, it Ind come
about through her striving after an idea
that she deemed worthy Of him.
[ Shilling the pulses that throbbed &c
painfully, Alice conyersed with him a'
with IN old acquaintance, and yet the 70,
membrance Of their parting on tint
moonlight night Jwas, wildly present te
both OF them. - ~ ~
Mrs. scrope talked necessarily, the
more especially as William Jeryis was 0
lively talker, with q frank, half.iesting,
half.deferential manner that Ind some
thing very winning in 1t.
Alice Jervis watched Mrs. Scrope mar
rowly, and wondered why Mr.. Scrope
had married her. And instinetiyely the
answer came, because he did not care
very much about her, but found that the
alliance would add luster to his career
There was something paradoxical in the
idea, but II passed with her. She Ind
argued that II Mr.. Scrope had really
cared for herself, TO care much for Mrs.
Scrope was impossible.
So they met, aud so they parted, in
the little outof.the.way italian town
and Alice had seen Mr.. Scrope once
smore. Was abe glad or sorryi
The Scropes returned to England
tho Jervises remained abroad. And they
heard nothing more Of one another.
- st
Exactly why bhe had come there she
could not tell. IL was more to gntify ar
old longing than for any definite reason,
though she had persuaded herself into
the belief that she Ind business at Shel.
ford. AT any rate, upon the anniversary
OF that day, eight years ago, whLn she
had waited under the yew-tree to say
goodbye TO Mr.. Scrope, Alice Jeryii
stood with her hand on the wicket gate,
quietly reviewing her life, and once
again asking herself whether love OF
pride had had tho greater part in her
decision.
The branches Of the yews were waving
gently, the roses were rtstling their sill
yer.tipped leaves, and the white meon'
| light fell upon the graves. Still with her
hand upon the garden gate, she looked
towards the church, trying to believe
that thehyuats had stood still, and she
was there waiting for Mr.. Scrope.
She was turning away when 0 dark
figure approached her and % well-remem-
bered voice said:
"AIiss Jeryisln
"Mr. Scropel" 81
Eyes; / was waiting for you. Iwish-
ed To see YOU before you went away (
Almost her own words in their last in.
tnryiax