The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-07-26


, And Alice Jervis sat down ani
wept bitterly. To her it had come al
a mockery. Her lot in life was cast
what did she want with money now :?
In due time she read of the marriage
itself; she cut it out of the paper and
placed it in her pocket-b0ok. 1t was
all oyer.
CHAPTER III.
Three years slipped away. Three
travellers suffered hotel in little for.
eign town. One. beautiful woman
a little past her first youth, whom one
knew in Il moment, in spite of the i'm.
provement that had taken place; but
her brother was scarcely to be rccog'
nized. a tutor and three years OF
foreign life had caused a marvellous
| Transformation. The third, an elderly
lady, was not much altered. excepting
that her dress was handsome as heart
could desire.
They took their places at the table
d,hote, and exactly opposite to them
sat lady aud gentleman. The latter
looked wearied, and his short, black
mustache twitched with the curvings
of The restless mouth beneath it. The
lady was fair, fashionable and vivaci-
Gus.
Alice Jervis started She would
have moved, but William Jervis, all
| ignorant of past events, had .exclaim-
| ed
'Mr. Scropei'
Mr.. Scrope looked across, wonder
ing at the friendly recognition from
and apparent stranger. Then his eye
fell upon Alice, and he started; but
quickly recovering himself, he bowed
| saying
Pardon me, if 1 did not at first re-
member YOU
Mrs. Sc:ope had turned in delight
toward William ,jervis.
The first English voice, excepting
my husbands s, that L have heard for
| three weeks. l do not understand
Italian, and have consequently had no
one TO talk to but Mr.. Mr.. Scrope. Can
you imagine anything more dreadful !?
Then turning to her husband, che
said:
You must introduce me to your
English friends
Mrs. Scrope-Mr. and Miss Jervia,
said Mr.. Scrope, his look riveted on
Alice
The face that had never left his
memory in spite of his marriage, had
grown to higher beauty than even
he had imagined to be possible. And
though he knew it not, it had come
about through her striving after an
ideal that she deemed worthy of him..
StiIling the pulses that throbbed so
as with an old acquaintance, and yet
the remembrance OF their parting on
that moonlight night was Yividly pres
ent to both of them.
Mrs. Scrope talked necessarily, the
more especially as VIM. Jervis was a
lively taiker, with frank, half jesting,
hall -deferential manner that had some
thing very winning in it.
Alice Jervis watched Mrs. Scrope
narrowly, and wondered why Mr..
Scrope had married her? And in
stinc.lvely the answer came: Because
he did not care very much about her,
but found that the alliance would add
lustrc 10 his career. There was some
thing paradexical in the idea, but it
passed with her. She had argued
that, if Mr.. Scrope had really cared
for herself, to care much tor Mrs.
Scrope was impossible.
So they met, and so they parted, in
the little out. of-the-way Italian town;
and Alice had seen Mr.. Scrope once
more. Was she glad or CORY 2--
The Scropes returned to England;
the Jervises remained abroad. And
they heard nothing more of one an
other.
CHAPTER ".
Exactly why she had come there
she coald not tell. 1t was more to
crafty an old longing than for any
definite reason, though she had per
suaded herself into the belief that she
mad business at Shelford. AT any
rate, upon the anniversary of that day,
eight years ago, when she had waited
under the yew tree to say good-by to
Mr.. Scrope, Alice Jarvis stood with
her hand on the wicket gate, quietly
reviewing her life, aud once again ask
ing herself whether love or pride had
had the greater part in her decision.
The branches of the yews were wav
ing gently, the roses were rustling
their silyer-ipped leaves, and the
white moonlight fell upon the graves.
Still with her hands upon the garden
gate, she looked toward the church,
tryin.. TO believe that the years stood
still, and she was there waiting forMr.
Scrope.
She was turning away, when dalk
figure approached her and wcll-re-
membered voice said:
Miss Jervis!
Mr.. Scrope!'
'Ycs; was waiting for you. I
wished 10 sec you before you went
away
Almost her own words in their last
interview.
She looked up at him half fcarfully.
1t was so strange to see him there at
that hour OF night, and almost super
stItious awe crept over her.
4 wanted to tell you that you have
ruined my life so far. l heard that
YOU were at Shelford. | knew that
l. 10 nd i