Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-11-30

| ueT1uSly.
81 don It know, Miss Demar, but fancy
it must be the master Of The Cedars, there
"a lone kind of man, who lives there with
one servant"
Her mind seemed to wander, and she be-
gan singing again, and l was very glad,
for it gave me disagreeable feeling to see
how he looked at her-not fierce, or evil
like, but with his eyes dilated, and his lips
twitching, so that it was quite startling TO
see him. 1 dreamed of him that night,
and resolved that, in the morning. would
beg Miss Demar never to go about the
beach alone.
The next day was rainy, and she did not
60 out, but sat, all the morning, in her
room, with an old letter in her hand. The
sheet was quite yellow, and there was
little picture on ivory in it, SAVIOR she
laid it down at last, and, wrapping shawl
about her. went out on the long covered
porch to walk, as she did, sometimes, when
kind of restlessness seemed to possess
her. peeped-I could not help it was
so curious to see the picture.
just caught glimpse Of handsome
man, with blue eyes and a blonde beard,
and then the words of the letter caught
my eye, for it was written as clear as print
and one might have read it lunning
''Since my accident, am horribly dis
figured. I give you up-tie your blooming
life to the sickly wreck of mine, Elinor,
my beautiful one Farewell! God bless
and keep you! GERARD.
I caught sight of these words, here and
there, for Miss Demar was just across the
hall, and likely to come in any instant !;
and it was very wrong of me, anyway, to
be peeping at her secrets, and she SO good
to me! But curiosity causes many wicked
sin, sir.
Having found out so much, I broke away
from the temptation, and ran down stairs,
sorry to know what T did, since I'd no
right to it, and yet satisfied in my mind
why Mr.. Alcester got such cool bows, and
why she never would drive out with Colo
mel Grafton.
When went up to dress her for dinner,
I saw that she had been crying, and yet
she danced that evening till twelve
O'Clock.
It was less than week later that there
came cold, rainy time, and the people at
the Surf House were thrown more togeth-
er, and got more familiar and Mr.. Alces-
ter and Colonel Grafton both offered them
selves to Miss Demar, and were refused.
She was playing upon the piano one
evening when the Colonel was talking and
walking with Mr.. Ray upon the long porch
just outside the windows, and saw, as l
did, the queer figure of an old Frenchman,
in avelvet coat, come running across the
sands, and up the hotel steps, to speak to
Mr.. Ray. Mr.. Ray went to meet him.
"What is it, Varai ?" he said.
| Miss Demar started from her seat, and
went to the door.
''Some help, monsieur! Monsieur Aux
ere lies very ill-he has the fever! leave
him all alone, while I come to you. Will
you bring one doctor to us? Monsieur
Auxerre Is near to death--very, very ILL.,"
The little old Frenchman was the pic
ture of distress. To my surprise, Miss
Demar pushed through the gentlemen, and
laid her hand upoll his arm.
"Varai, where is your master ?''
'Mon Dieu, Mees Elinor ~ he shouted
ssHLsh! Where is Monsieur Auxerre ?'
cat The Ce6ars,'' he answered, SILVER
ing as though he had seen ghost.
She flew up to her room, 1 following.
She began hunting for her cloak. I found
it for her and then she babe me take a
shawl, and come with her.
1t had begun to rain in torrents, but
away we went across the sands. her move
ments like lightning, her cheeks in fever.
The rain drenched us, the surf. Kissed at
us, the darkness closed heavily around us,
but she led the way straight to the door of
The Cedars.
She pushed open the door. A .monstrous
hound rose from mat in the hall, and
gave voice.
'Mogul, Mogul." she said, gently, and
gave him her hand to smell Of. He licked
her fingers, and then led the way to clos
ed-inner door. Miss Demar softly opened
it.
The room was sort of study, full of
books and chemical apparatus! but there
was couch in it, and a man lying, with
closed eyes, upon the pillows. Trembling
very much, Miss Demar knelt down by
him.
"Gerard -
He only moaned and muttered. /
thought she was as sick as he. but she got
fresh water in ever, and bathed his hot
forehead and parched lips. At length he
drew long sigh, turned on his side, and
went to aleep.
And then to my establishment, recog-
nized the man on the cliff, with the scar
on his face.
I saw her. as he slept, softly stroke his
disfgured cheek.
The physician came, prescribed and went
away. Monsieur Auxerre slept on undis-
turEed. Miss Demar sent Varai to bed,
and would have watched alone, but that I
begged to stay with her.
Toward midnight, laid down on
couch; I was very sleepy. The clock struck
twelve saw Miss Demar kneel in prayer
at the foot of the bed.
OuuuoAly onoAo was d otlI Ill GHe room.
The great dog. who had lain nnder the ia
BILE, came out and licked his masters hand.
I saw that Monsieur Auxerre's eyes were
open.
"Mogul, old boy, you have not left me,''
he said, quietly,
Miss Demar started up. She came to
the bedside. She crept close to the pillow,
and laid her cheek close to Monsieur Aux
erre's, as her arm stole around his neck.
ssEliuOr ~ he Wh1spered