The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-03-26
The WARNING.

THE WARMING.
Night had settled down over the dreary
sea-coast, and over the throbbing, rest
les sea- The wind lifted itself with q
swelling sound. and roved about lonely
looking fiaharmAn's 3 cottage that stood on
The beach, shaking the doors and win
dOWs, ever and amen sinking into low
nur0E1rA Ghapeless clouds drifted
across the dim, blue armament. The
moon shcne at intervals but its ftful
light Isn't no charm to the dismal scene.
There was only one other habitation In
sight: and Il was . large, old-fashioned
mansion, standing far back in the coun-
try, yet whose massive frame stood out
boldly against the steely blue.
Those dwellings, were the only visible
token that man had invaded this dreary
waste for, aside from them, nothing
met the eye save einuo1s, curving road,
great Jagged cliffs, and stretches of bar
ran land, broken here and there with
patches of gaunt, leaAess trees.
A light glowed In the latticed window
Of the hsherman's dwelhng-it looked
cheerful
Before o fire which burned on the
hearth Of the capacious fireplace within,
D Young girl sat, listening to the roaring,
beautiful face that, at times, bent medi-
&zatively toward the fire, or gazed out Of
the window. A pale, yet sweet face,
with bright, carmine eyes, and an album
dance of soft, dark hair-the face of a
young girl scarce past her seventeenth
year.
This was Lila Wynde, the only child
of an old fisherman, who had dwelt in
this cottage on the beach as far back as
81, x,rSx,Il r.ov.ao1nI1or fTbor<a Hroa ooTY1o-
thing remarkable about the young girl.
Looking a* her, one would probably call
her lovely; but add, weak and timid.
She was weak, truly, as far as physical
strength is concerned /; but beneath her
tinidity lurked frmness of purpose
which waited only the proper moment to
bring it into life and action.
There were two doors leading from the
room In which she sat-one to q sort of
closet used as q receptacle for books and
various miscellaneous articles the other
into larger room, which was occupied
now by her father and a man In whose
hand she had intrusted her happiness.
Carl ConnOr was o sailOr-a firm, true
friend of old Casper Wynde and al
though Lila felt only an ordinary regard
for him, she had, when he asked her to
be his wife, obeyed the expressed
desire of her father, and accepted him.
CarI's early life came to her, for she had
known him but short time !; but these
ahe refused to believe - or, at least;
affected incredulity.
They had been engaged at the time we
write upward of year. If they had
been married then, the current of her
life might have flowed ON as smoothly
and evenly as ever, without even a ripple
marring its placidity. But destiny had
decreed it otherwise.
We viii not enter into details as to
the manner in which Rhoderick Oryis
became acquainted with Ella Wynde.
Suffice it to say, he resided, with his sis
ter Alice, beautiful girl about Lilas'
age, IN the capacions mansion on the hill
They lived In almost rigid seclusion;
but Lila, somehow, became a welcome
guest beneath their roof and in this
way an intimacy sprang up between her
and the young man which daily ripened
into deeper feelings into deep, pure,
enduring love.
But Rhoderick hesitated to breathe
his passion; and Lila did not know how
deep her feelings were enlisted IN his
favor, until Carl, who had kept a strict
surveillance on their actions, broke forth
IN storm of passionate jealousy. Then
Lila knew she loved Rhoderick Orvis,
although her faith was plghted to an
other.
Her position was pitiable. To appeal
10 Carl1s better nature-tc tell him that
maExiage-vows TO him were lies to kill
her sonl-tO ask him TO release her-was,
ahe. intuitiyely felt, futile Instead,
therefore, Of denying his accusation,
Ghe hurst into q wild fit of weeping,
which fully confirmed his suspicious,
while it added fuel to the flames of ieal-
Ousy smoldering in his heart. His was
. na&ure at once crafty, evil and cunning
So he pretended contrition, asked par
don for doubling her love, protesting to
believe it was wholly his, and changed
the conversation.
His plans were already laid. What they
were remains to be seen.
All this, and more, passed through
Lila Wyndeis mind as she sat there, and
had grown weary of listening to the
clazaor of the winds. The fire died
out: the old-faahiOned clock in the cor
ner struck twelve. Lila rose, walked to
the window, and pushed aside the cur
tain. The sea Ghone like molten silver
In the dim moonlight, girdled by the
weird looking beach, which stretched
away into the shadow of nightp along
which the incoming tide was breaking
with no little tnmult. Lila smiled she
was thinking of RhOderick Orvis. Then
. cloud passed over her face as some TN
pleasant thought came into her mind,
and dropping the curtain, she turned
away hastily. A bright fire burned in
the other room, where her father and
Carl ast: but now there was a lull in
their conversation, and the silence of
death 1eignad everywhere.
Kt xnugk have been instinct that
prompted Lila 30 walk TO the closet, take
. book, matches, and q small lamp from