Litchfield enquirer., 1877-01-25
so long to stand above them, he would not perhaps have hushed his grief to a


 prick him afresh. The study that had in- kehested him so long was almost scomple- ted now. He knew it; the human sOnl he had so often laughed at her for lacking was coming to her at last-coming slow ly and surely, and bringing with it grief immeasurable, such as only those quiet self-contained natures can feel.
 Sometimes ag he looked at her, and saw her watching Sebastian and Heather as they walked together in the garden, he would see come into her wide blne eyes an expression of -such intense and bitter pain, that, startled and mortified, he would turn away At such moanents be would seem to heaf his dead wife's voice; his dead wife's figure would rise before him, pleading by her motherhood for the motherless girl-reproaching him for the gears of eelfshness that were BOW bearing suCh@ bitter fruit. Then Mir. Clermont would answer the accusing voice by say ing that. after all he could not tsattach any blame to himself. He had acted most generously by her, and so the world must acknowledge.
 z He had saved her from certain death as chiid-he had brought her up in his vrown home-he had denied her nothing: and now. was he to blame himself be. cause the girl, when she was grown tlp, had chosen to fall in love with a man who had no thought for her?
 7& < It was nonsense-so he argued; but, Call the same. the voice would make itself heard at times I He had not biased her mind for evil: he had left her alone: but. unfortunately, the mind has to be strongly biased fer good, not left to find its own way out of the evil that surrounds it.
 So poor Nenuphar-fo for surely she needs pity now, if-she never needed it before--had grown up quietly and calm ly, with never a quicker pulse-beat than wac strictly ehealthy; never R flush of pleaenre et any ones appearances; never Q feeifng Of pain at any ones departure: ly from day to day, hearing from John Clermont, or rather seeing from his manner to her, that there was something about her, different to all other women; until at last firmly did did she vbecone z linabued with the idea that she was diff ferent to those around her, that she be- gan in manner to feel that she ought to act the character assigned to her. All this till that June evening when she saw Sebastian's Longs faceo andv Se- bastian's shadow fell across. her. Then, into her tranquil mind was borne a feeling that there was something Qr6at9 or to be got out of life than the mere pleasure of living from day to day, and also the knowledge that there was some- thing essential to @ perfect woman want ing in her; and whatever it was, she felt that it was making her. despite her beau. ty, less pleasant in Sebastian's eyes than Heather. .rl '.ti-.h l,iE
 oshe asked him that question in the moonlit garden. and from bis own lips she had the answer; and then she saw him go'away into the light of sHeathers smiles, leaving her-having learnt her lessOn, although as yet she was scarcely swafe of the fact-to struggle with the knowledge, and to conquer the grief that 1t brought with it, as best she might, all alone. pei ra Ha
 Even now she did not give the sorrow that possessed her q name; or rather, she did not know that, like the tendrils of the vine when first they begin to grow. love must have something near at hand round which to twine; and failing right support, it will seek about, and cling to whatever is nearest-and always suppo- sing that there is absolutely nothing near that 1t will fail and die for want of sup port. -F~ t,ft / IHtf .1-t
 "The fine weather is going, Nenuphar. Do you see those black clouds on the llo. rizon? They mean rain, I am sure, said Heather, laying . caressing hand on her friends shoulder-'sbut we ought not to Rrumble, we have had lovely summer"
 ''It makes it all the sadder to think that it is coming to an end. The winter always seem 50 terribly long"
 enjoy it, said Heather. ..Of course like these long cloudless days we> have lat hsak au kIn s..l A would be very dull and monotonous if there were no such things as storms-If 1t were always sunshiny." 1-a
 ''That is just what Sebastian told me-" said Nenuphar, dreamily.
 "Did he ?' and Heather blushed soft rosy red. ''I entirely agree with him. Just in the same way that life would be dull, Hear, if, it were not for its storms which come at intervals. I am afraid ae are not capable of enjoying uninterrupted sunshine at present sst,,f l'
 "Ah, but you are so strong 1" sighed Nenuphar. ''I cannot bear storms :" And she raised her eyes, in which that shadow of pain had now become habitual. to- Heather's face.
 'Oannot you 2 said Heather, simply. I should have thought you were SO calm, and so lar above all the rest of rs, thai atorms would scarcely have had the pow CT to move you. Now Ham different feel things dreadfully."
 Nenuphar half smiled at the energy in her friends voice.
 'sDo youp I think envy. you then: for perhaps it is that which makes you SO lOvable." asl ' ..s @t sFs
 ''LOvable? Scarcely that; for until Se bastian came do not think anyone ever cared for me. but his love seems to have changed me altogether. seem now to carry my summer about with me; perhaps that IS what makes me so careless of the real summers departure"
 Into Nenuphars eyes again came look almost of envy. k
 And you are really quite, quite happy.
 Yes. indeed am, Heather replied. and then turned away at the sound of Se- bastian's voice calling her name.
 What is il" cried. Nenuphar, that holding her hands together. and look. ing towards the place where the sun, was setting. amidst red angry clouds lOv6-love given he thinks: but whatever it is. will discover it before | die"
 She had spoken impetuously: but the momentary energy died away immediate ", and the quiet apathetic look habitual to her stole over her features, and she vas outwardly calm at least as she made her way back into the house.
 rs esd "a tgAT. naka fgfs5ln
 Night-not q soft. balmy, moonlit June night. like that first one on which Ssbas- ian came, and cast his shadow across Ne nuphars white dress -but dark and and stormy. with black clouds scudding across the sky beforea westerly wind. \ which caused now and then little rifts a and chasms m thnir blackness, through which watery moon appeared.
 A night when anyone who had q roof I under whose safe shelter he could rest. would seek it. and leave the outside world tO those to whom home had been denied.
 But there la some one apparently who thinks differently. some one who prefers out of doors. notwithstanding the dark. ness of tue night, to the ,comfortsof