Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-11-30

lou mean f0ulI tell me then what
you will nat tell me now 2"
She nodded. half-merrily. the lights
N her eyes haif-crazing him.
Il win come six months from to-day
-six months az agony to win you
six month to be passed At . womaa's
mercy -
He vent sHay abruptly. Not . kiss.
not touch Of her hand. or q csress Of
Of her hair: and with etss filed with
tears at the sudden revulsion OF feel
ing. she watched him 20 away, his iirsn
tread. leisurely enough now, taking him
surely, ssss(y from her--to meet how,
silsr the cruel edict thai her. ioolishnsss
g - :
A wild, sobbing February day. with
shrieking winds, that seemed bowling
requiem, skies leaden dun, through
which for days no glimpse Of sun ray
had pierced: sodden streets. with the
steadily-dripping rain making melan-
! choly little pools, that were dimpling
constantly; a sad. sad night, when one
would naturally dwell on dead -and-gone
memories with home-sick, heart-sore
longings: a night dreadful to be endured
by any one who carried heart-sorrow;
a night that was the giaddest, brightest
of all that years to at least one woman,
who stood beside the window. smiling
into the dusk, and enjoying the keen
contrast between warmth, and light,
and color within, and cold, and gloom,
and darkness without.
Just as wondrously fair to night,
when the sentence eofbani>hment to Rex
Egerton ended, as on the day it be gan,
in the sweet August days, beside the
sea-only Irene Conway's face had
gathered aud grown a new, rare sweet
ness, tender patience, a womanly
softness that was acquired through the
ministry Of suffering those weary six
months OF waiting had brought.
And toni ght the time was up. Rex
Egerton had earned his rewsrd-.he
reward Of her love-so cruelty long de-
layed.
She was rapiurously happy. Her
heart shone out of her beautiful ewes,
and was mirrored in the smile of per-
feet faith, and truth, and content that
curved her firm red lips-that were
waiting for Rex Egerton's first kiss.
There was not shadow Of a doubt
in her heart, as she stood there in the
dull gloom Of that prophetic day-a dav
never dreamed was so typical. She
was not surer Of her existence than she
was that he would come: and with rare
sweet patience, she waited for the hour,
the moment, when he would take her
in his arms forevermore.
She had dressed herself with Jealous
scrupulousness, wanting TO enchant him
anew, and il was not possible she could
fail OF enchanting any man. with her
pale ivory beauty, glowing cherry lips,
and rich du>kness of eyes and hair, SO
well set off by the violet silk she wore,
with cool, calmly-gleaming pearls clasp
ing her throat, her perfect wrists, and
threading her fossy hair.
She looked like some grand Greek
princess, IN her graceful flowing dra-
perry, as she leaned against the window.
hidden from the group in the room bv
the crimson velvet curtains that shut
of this bay-window from the world
that made trysting-place for the low
ers who were 80 soon 10 come together.
Then, into all this rap;urous antici-
pation-tbis overfiowing measure a..
content-came the fatefuI finger tha.
froze ioever all smiles from her sweet.
anxious lips. all semblance of ausht but
hopeless woe from her heart-strine>
vibrating with ecstacy-so strange. they
thrilled her with a vague terror. a voice
Rex Egerton voice. The same.
vet not same.
Il tell you | viii see her for I've
Travelled thousands Of miles on pur-
po,e WHO dares to refuse me to sec
my promised bride -
She stepped suddenly forth from be-
tween the curtains. perfectly radiant.
Just as Major Ernest interposed an arm
in her path.
'You need not be alarmed, Mis-
Irene. This fellow seems to have an
idea he knows you, and
A gray, awful pallor spread It's BAN
ner Of sickening pain over her face.
lit is-Rex-Rex, it is you my
darling:'
She would have flown to meet him
even then, but was petrifed in her step
by the absent stare Of his eyes, the va
cant smile on his lips-sh, these per
feet lips!
"She was fair and young. ike YOU
and she bade me come in six month.
am here. | demand my BRIDE
''poor fellow he's a. crazy as
locu Has he escaped from an asylum,
or what can be the matter: Titus'-
TO the footman-''assist the man out
and see that the doors are secured. Irene
Irene. child ~
Fer she had fallen prone on the car
pet senseless a. a statue. a. the awful
truth came TO her, goaded by con-
science and outraged love, that in hi,
overwhelming love for her, reason had
refused 10 endure her cruel edict, and
that the mental wreck before her. a.
well as the hopeless woe Of despair that
settled over her, that wild winter night.
we're the lust frui;s of n woman's nner