Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-09-17
Was 1t Sin ?
BY MARY REED CROWELL.

uu1lCl OdlZSll ldu UcCu StauUluS Ill
side the sweeping pOrtieres of the large
circular oriel window for nearly an hour
looking out into the gathering dusk Of
the rainy June afternoon with eyes that
betOkened some warfare of soul she had
come hither to fight out alone.
Her guests had gone to their rooms to
dress the halfpast seven o'clock dinner;
the house was unusually quiet, and in
the one room where she was lights had
not yet been brought, SO that for the time
being Muriel had her woe all to herself.
She was lovely creature, stately and
graceful as white lily, with her creamy
skin like rose-leaves, and her great,
magnificent dark eyes full of passionate
blue fire, and her shining hair of rich
blue-black beauty.
She had made her toilet before she
came down from her room, and with her
rare, elegant taste that could afford to be
gratified to the EXTREMIST extent, she
had this afternoon put on dress of some
fieecy material, and white as foam, wear
ing ribbons of deep bright cherry-a
toilet that lit up the gloom of the dreary
day, and made her look ravishingly
beautiful.
She ought to have been happy-this
fair woman who owned such magni-
ficent estate that an hours brisk driving
in any direction would not have taken
her to its boundary-this woman, just
barely twenty years old, with such
wealth and beauty at her command that
she was the envied par excellence, who
had friends, admirers, worshipers by the
score, whose faintest wish was law.
And here, standing in the gloomy twi-
light, with the drip of the rain and the
wall of the east wind in her ears, this
fair faced woman, who was scarce now
more than girl, was waging her first
bitter fight with Fate, because that Fate
had taught her in the past few months
that above all things in this world she
desired what she could not have-the
love of Willis SaXton. which he had long
before given to little Grace Morris-little
Grace with the big blue eyes and flowing
lover among the dozen guests at "The
Elms," Muriels place.
And while this passion hearted, pas
siOnate- eyed woman was standing there
in the gloomy shadows wondering why
it was her Fate was so tantalizing-
ly cruel, Grace Morris was up in one of
the guests chambers, was braiding her
yellow hair, and looking at the sweet
smiling reflection of her dimpled face in
the glass, wondering if Willis would be
pleased with her in the toilet she had
selected, and thinking what happy,
happy girl she was because Willis Sax
ton loved her.
While, in the quiet ofthe dimly-ligh
ed smoking-room, Willis Saxton was
walking slowly up and down, thinking
of the complication into which his De-
stiny had brought him.
A year ago he had asked Grace Morris
to marry him. Tonight he would have
almost exchanged his soul for the pri-
vilege of telling Muriel Dalzell how
madly he loved her, how empty his life
would be without her when he should
go away from her.
That fortnight he had been at The
Elms had been one long conflict between
honor and passion that had maddened
him with the powerfulness on the one
hand, the temptation on the other, until,
tonight he had come to think that life
or death hu ng CD his !ayaity or disleyal-
ty.
A half hour later q merry party of
guests were eagerly coaxing Miss Dalzell
for favor.
"Do, do, Muriel, there's DEAR" Win
ME Warren said, caressing Muriel's fair,
jeweled fingers. ''It's just the thing for
stormy night like this, and ofall things
in the world amapromaotu charades and
tableaux are the most delightful. Say
yes, Muriel."
And that was how the first link in the
chain of fate was forged.
Just awhile after that. while nearly
all the party were looking over some
plates Of instruction, or dressing for
parts already assigned them, Willis sax
ton came up to Muriel, as she stood a
little apart from the lights and the gay
group, conspicuous among which was
Grace Morris with her lovely yellow
hair.
MuriePs heart gave sudden little
leap-it always did when he came near
her; but her face never lost its sweet
gravity as she looked at him, graciously
pleasantly.
II believe they have decided on 6
wedding scene, Miss Dalzell, and yoc
are selected to personate the bride"
| To haVe saved her she could not have