, 1877-11-25
. THAT NIGHT.

uLfscttc! Lisette! do not 60! Q do not go!
Such an hour! Such q night"
The GIRLS voice ceased, and to the darkness
of the muflicd earth a deeper uarkness
seemed added BY the dying Of her tones.
There was no sound abroad. No light came
from the vacant blackncss overhead. No ray
hclpcd the eye to an idea Of distance. There
Was no 1ucans Of determining any object outside
the limits Of touch. The doorstep upon which
the speaker stood, the door-jatnbs which she
erasped as she leaned forward into the formless
void, were all for which she had the evidence Of
her senses. She knew her younger sister Lisctte
| had passed through that door. She knew that
| door opened On :: short garden path terminating
| at gate on a long, bleak, straight road that
ran arross desolate moor. She knew that for
miles OH either side no habitation Of man. no
tree, no tall shrub was visible BY day. At each
side of the road 4 deep drain lay mute,
staguant The drains had been dug. to
afford materials for making the road, and the
waters Of the moor had crcpt stealthily iuto
them, and silently filled them up, and crouchcd
ten feet decn ready to seize upon him who in
the dark might scale the low dyke aud SEEK to
gain the level waste. Marion knew ail this,
and more.
| She knew that upon tho morning Of this day
message had come saying that John Maine
would cali to see Lsctte that night. John
Maine and Liscttc were lovers. John Maine
had made love to Lisctte for year; six months
ago all had been settled. But somehow Of late
Lisctte was sad and John Maine came
| rarely, and did not stay long, and
!; sent messages but seldom. Something was
wrong. Liscttc did not complain She said
: there was something strange about John, but
that he was as kind, d,-kindcr to her than ever
bc seemed, however, uneasy, aud a5scut-1nind
3 ed, and changed; changed in what, she coult
not tell: in general manner rather than toward:
her. And Marion Of this matter could learn ne
- more
= All my poor Lisctte! my own, my only siste
I.srtte! it will kill her II arythiu.
= .-ors wrong, for she is deep, wild, passionate
!, i:aturc. Few suspect that, she is SO quiet
SO still, so absent-rnindcd in her eyes
: but she loves John Maine. She loves him St
much that life is q skylarG's song, hut he the
sun. Shr loves him so 1flat the obscure water
living out there on either side Of the 1oa,
: through the sheer black would Dc tue Lcthe o
her DESPAIR. That Marion thought.
WHY had he not come! 1t was close to mid
:. night, after IL some time She and L'scttc ha'
q sat up il, tue back of the house wailns. Ihei
8 mother and old Jane the !'ousetaid, and Oh
Is | wty had he not come! Could it be- he WIS tir
ing Of Lisette! Gould that be!
:. SHE turned her head from right to left IN LII
a direction OF the clcits Of stagnant water, ait
Is shulIered.
@ The Village OF Darrowle1gh, where John AIain
d lived, WAS only four miles distant down tha
" road. They both, she and Lisette, had oftel
IS seen him mile of US lie came towards then
lc waving his hat, or his handkerchief or both
E, Oh, how Lisettc's face would brighten when sh
re saw him! How her dark eyes would light up
Is How her pale check would flush! How lie
ID hands would relax on ANYTHING she held, lie
5,r%- ftruva 4.&t FAN