Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-09-17

"You SEQ that 1 am here" she said, with
faint smile. / bowed. 1--WE have been
here, father and ], for three days"
1 did not conceal my surprise. She hes
itated a moment, aud then said with pain
ful deliberatlon-a deliberation which en-
abed her TO compose herself before the ut
| teranCe of each word:-
"Mr. Weymouth, you know why l am
here. feel that could not deceive you
even IL would, for 1t has been your ILL
fortune to discover that am weak-or ra-
ther, perhaps, that am strong-lor have
come at last 10 count 1t strength to be
able TO love. Tell me, is what have seen
true?"
The word "true" fell from her lips with
so strange an accent that 1 could not but
comprehend much of its significance. I
therefore besitated, but at length replied:-
ayes, believe it TO be true"
as it possible that 1t can be anything
more than an attempt to solace himself for
the pain that inflicted upon hlm2"
Eyes, ii is"
"You are sure2"
81 am"
POSSIBLY he has told you that il is
Yes2-Then you can repeat what he said ?"
did so. l did not convey any of my
own feeling, but think that gave Thur
mans in full. II was a hard task, for
could see the listener shudder and droop
under the successive assurances that all
was lost TO her. After had finished there
was a long silence. 1 looked downward,
not caring to witness the perturbation OF
my companion. Afler minute 1 was
aroused by movement on her part. !
looked up. A great change had come over
her. Her cheeks were flushed with color,
her eyes had lost their mournfulness and
were now bright and piercing. She stood
erect, and faced me with an air of aggres-
sion.
"Knowing your aptitude for business, 1
have no doubt that, in spite of the demands
that friendship has made upon your time
and attention, you have observed the con-
dition of the Reinhart farm p
indicated that had.
st is clear to you, suppose, then, that
its tenant will again fail 10 meet his en-
gagements with us7"
81 have not seen enough yet to warrant
such decision"
"Ah-then you are troubled with blind
ness! 1 have examined everything; 1
think that nothing has escaped me. 1 re-
quest you TO lake take steps for the fore
closure of its mortgage"
The motive of this was only too plain.
A sudden revolution in her temper had
M ade il possible for her 10 conceive this
fierce but feeble plan to gain her object. J.,
OF course, could not be instrumental in the
transaction of business that arose from any
such sources, and l said so in as many
words.
She gave me an angry reply.
This enabled me 10 address 10 her a
speech which treated, think, of every
p hase of her condcct in the matter with
Thurman, and every sentiment that had
been evolved from. the outrage did not
spare her. The indignation that l felt
found ready words, and think, if recall
these words with any degree of accuracy,
they must have told keenly upon her.
spoke as If from the most elevated height
The height where the love was first con-
ceived-a height immeasurably above the
plane of common loves-and, as the cause
had been great, so my denunclation of its
ruin was severe and relentless. 1 uttered
he last words in the colloquy.
l left Miss Walling trembling between
rage and remorse, unable to gainsay me,
yet beholding, in far higher colors than l
had painted it, the picture OF the error she
l.rt Al, "A Al, l,,.,
and retu rned 10 the hotel, where l east my
self down to puzzle out the course that it
was best for me 10 pursue. 1t was then
O'Clock in the afternoon. The day was
| cloudess and warm. and 1 vaguely re-
membeied that had seen The grape pick
ers in the leeming fields, and that the day
was like day of heaven.
AT O'Clock I heard Thurman's steps in
the corridor. They were hurried, and
had hardly time TO raise myself TO my feet
| before he came into the room. He terrified
me second time by his wild appearance
| He looked much as he had looked upon
| the day that he came from his defeat at La
hill. He fixed his eyes upon me, and pass
ing by, went on into his own chamber He
opened his trunk, searched in it for mo-
ment, closed it, and then came back, still
walking rapidly. He gained the door be-
fore could utter a word.
Thurman Thurmanv'
weymouth" cried he suddenly, "givG
me your word that you have not interferet
against me over there" He nodded in the
direction of Seibel's house.
"I give you my word that have not"
"Goodl 1 knew that. May God bles'
and keep you, my dear, good friend "
In an instant he was gone. He descend
ed the stairs, crossed the hall, crossed thu
echong piazza, and then his footsteps wer'
lost upon the lawn. 1 cannot say what
stupidity Kept me wondering, as did, fol
fl fteen minutes, about the reason and forct
of both his act and words. Then leapet
to my feet with the question in my mouth
"What did he take from his trunk?"
ran into his room, and found the bo'
locked and the key gone. 1 had once seeI
a hall-porler spring a lock with well
placed kick. 1t succeeded thelid flew up
and 1 seized it. looked for Thurman''
p istol-case. AS now fully expected, on
of the glitlering weapons was gone.
Now, then, for Reinharts house I caugh
up my hat, and was out of doors in an in
stant. 1t was not time for roads and cor
ners, and took straight line over fences
through yards, and across vineyards, AM
never halted for an instant. 1 came up f
the old red house with its clumped WOO
by side-path, that, being grass grown
gave no echo to my footsteps. l caugh
glimpses, while l was yet thirty yard
away, of figures moving in the little court
yard. Twas about to burst in upon them
when their positions aud behavior deterre
me.