Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-10-31

81 have only a little while to speak, :"
gasped the writing man. "Jean, take
this to Lady Bertha. Tell her I plucked
it with my own hand, and and that 1
have gone on. Pierre, you two must
take me elsewhere-not back to the
hotel. Tell none of them Of my fate
swear-tell no one that I am wounded.
1 have friend in Bergen he will see
that you are well paid f; take me there"
sri ''But, monsieur, what shall I say
how explain ?" sebbed Jean.
''No explanation" sobbed the woun-
ded man. keep it from her. Give her
the fower-and-my love-" And he
tainted. .-.. ~ .-., ri. ....
III It was not until the next morning that
Jean, the guide, stood before Lady Ber-
tina, with the snow-blossom in his hand.
| He found his task very hard.
%Mademoiselle," he said, 'the gen.
tleman, Sir Herbert, has sent you this
flower with his love. He babe me de-
clare to you that he picked it himself.
He did. I saw him, mademoiselle."
'HWhy did he not bring it to me HIM
self? thought Lady Bertha. taking the
rare blossom in her hand.
Aloud she said: My thanks to Sir
Herbert. But he has also returned -
'''No, mademeiselle." @-.
He is coming"
Il think not, mademoiselle. lie
babe me say ne had gone on
''Gone on! You mistook."
p Jeans task grew harder yet.
I mo, mademoiselle. He said he has
gone on.yith my. father and brother
Pierre. l think he is not coming
back"
Then he fairly turned and ran away.
The Lady Bertha become red as a
rose; then pale as the snow-fover that
she held.
''Ah, she understood now !" she said
to himself. This was punishment for
her. She had permitted him to risk his
life to win her love, and now he told her
plainly that her love was not worth the
risk, though he was too brave to shrink
danger. 1t was a repetition Of the old
story of the lady who cast her glove in
to the lions den, and bid her lover to
bring it to her; he brought it, but only
to fling at her. So Sir Herbert had, as
she believed, punished her. In better
wrath, Lady Bertha flung the snow
blossom upon the earth, and trampled
on it. -.....
Meanwhile, father and sen, old Jean
and young Pierre, bore the sad and
nearly lifeless burden towards Bergen.
A year has passed. Lord Charles and
his bride has been travelling all this
while !; his sister with them. No news
had reached them Of Sir Herbert no
letter, no message. He was not in
England, or they should have heard.
And Ada had whispered to her husband
that she fanced Bertha somehow at the
bottom Of his sudden departure, SO that
the other young man found the matter
easily explainable. e.'.,e. ..5,s ...
"Bertha has refused him, silly girl"
he said. 'sShe should have been proud
of such a lover that is the sort Of girl
who throws herself away at last upon a
rascal. 1 have no hope for her."
And Bertha All, poor Lady Bertha
was unutterably wretched. She had
loved Sir Herbert, and she had lost HIM
by her own silly act. She was humbled
by her own vanity. And now she knew
how dear this man had been to her, and
how empty her life would be without
him. sf,... is. s-s'taa...... -.,.,-
They were in England again, and
friends had locked about them.
I WELCOME home" cried one gentle
man, shaking hands vigorously. "Wel-
come home. Tam glad to see you with
whole bones, after so much mountain
climbing. There have been accidents
without number One or two have
been killed, and, of course. you know
about poor Sir Herbert. He was with
your party, wasn't he ?"
about Sir Herbert"
Each looked at the other.
''We know nothing, except Wat he
left us without any adieux," said Lady
Ida. '
"Ah, 1t was after that, then. Well,
they brought him home last week-a
mere wreck. Spine injured, they say.
Fell down one Of the horrible preclpi-
ces and you did not know?"
Lady Bertha wanted to hear no more.
She crept out of the room, ana found
her way TO her own, where she might
indulge her emotion without restraint.
Those few words had told her the whole
story. She knew why he had not re-
turned to the inn. She knew now the
cost Of the snow-blossom on (which she
had tramped. 10 ssH. afg3
"Oh, Herbert, Herbert !" moaned
the proudest' lady in all England.
Herbert, darling, will my whole life
atone in any measure for what 1 have
done ? If it may, you shall have IT.
Then, with trembling hands, she at
tired herself for drive, and ordered her
carriage. She knew that Sir Herbert
Vane would be found at his mothers
residence, and she drove thither at
once. tAol'.h
est ID Herbert that wish to see, not
Lady Yane," she said to the servant.