Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-05-18
small place in her thoughts, her atfec


wholly and entirely. These thoughts Il
usually brought u triumphant throb to c.
MS wicked heart; but, by this time, /;
Ciara's affections were drifting further p
away from him every day Of her life; d
yet so imperceptibly that she did no, Y
perceive 1t for long while. and when Il
ut last the truth came to her it made 5
her miserable indeed; and this very mis- t
cry was caused by the startling revel,- Y
ton OF the fact that deeper, purer, 1
love for another had diminished her {
affection for Tracy. On the morning ,
OF the third Of September Tracy called
on Clara, and when he parted with her
he told her that he would leave the city +,
that evening, and would probably be
away a week or more. Clara drew Il
deep Sigh of relief, which the lover mis-
took for sentiment of regret tor his
departure, and he, of course, made a
great many promises to return as early
as possible, and beside he breathed into
her ears again, the lifetime OF devotion,
honor and love that would attend her
when she was once his To all OF this
Clara listened without even making a
reply, but Immediately after the door |
closed upon his form she threw herself |
| into a chair and burst into tears, and |
wept until tor the time the bitterness OF
feeling passed out OF her heart then
tying on her hat she went out into the
garden. She had gone but few steps
when she met Percy. His sudden ap
pearanre brought the roses to her cheeks
and a wild, glad throb to her heart
then it was that she discovered why she
no longer loved the man whom she had
been deceived into thinking that she
honOred above all others. Percy seeing
that she was agitated about something,
asked her kindly what was the matter
This, of course, caused her tears TO flow
atresh, and her brother taking her hands
in his pressed them gently, and begged
that she would forgive him, il he had
caused her moments pain, for he only
I :
her troubles, whatever they We're. Thus
for long time Percy sat and talked
with his sister, and before he left her he
> succeeded in quoting her disturbed
mind.
, julius arrived that day, true to his
promise to the master to be on time.
The two men met, and bad a long con
versation. and their business was ar
ranged satisfactorily before they scpar-
ated for the night and now they had
nothing to do but to wait the coming OF
another evening to execute the vii.aIny,
10 consumate the crime that they had in
contemplation.
With Lima the time had passed 50
pleasantly that she truly regretted The
separation with her friends ut Albany
and sincerely wished that they Were
going al! the way with her. When she
reached the city il WAS very dark, and
the ,iistan: thunder, the flashes OF light,
ming, which now and then CAME and
went We're furclbie indications OF a
storm. The lateness OF the hour. the
strangcneSS oi everything without. SEM
Il chill 10 her very heart, and tor til.
= first time in her life she elt the need o
resolution; ielt it in the strongest ac
ceptatiou OF the term. Just then, oil
- hearing her name called she look towlrc
the door and beheId with joy 4 man o
middle age and refined appearance
whom she OF course took to be Mr.. Aims
worth. He WAS conversng with tn,
conductor, who a moment ;tterwart
came forward and gave Lima the gentle
man 3 card, saying as he did SO, if sh,
would allow him he would see her t,
the carriage, as Mr.. Ainsworth wa
seeing to her baggage. Lima was SO mucl
;, disappointed at not seeing Clara, tina
:, tears almost came to her eyes, but re
membering how threatening the even
ing was. she instantly set that down il
y. her mind as a very plausible excuse foI
her non-appearance: SO taking the con
:, euctor's arm. she allowed him to lea,
stantly after she had seated herself MI
Ainsworth sprang in and closed III
door after him with bang; then the.
were driven rapidly through the streets
At this rate she thought that they mus
soon reach home, and she was glad, 10
she was fatigued, and felt the need @
=, rest. After an informal introduction {
- himself to Lima Mr.. Ainsworth SCENE
- little inclined to talk, and she wonder
!, ed it this spirit of reticence was nat
. ural thinking at the same time il thi
was true of him. that he was not habit
:, ually pleasant.
With these reflections Lima settled hel
:. self in the soft cushions and made hel
self rs comfortable rs circumstances
would permit; and when after consij
q erable lapse of time they did not, n
-, she expected they would do. draw reil
it puzzled her. tor she knew that the
must have had ample time to have drive
to any quarter of the city; so pecrln!
out into the darkness she saw by in
fast receding lights that they were lea1
~ y, ing the city behind them. Turning t
Mir. Ainsworth she asked him what thi
meant; why were they leaving the city
,o To which he replied coo!ly, Mi:
ar Maynard. | neglected to in.orm you th:
to we are at present spending few week
q, at my country seat. You need not al
,o prehend any danger from going there ;
-, night, tor the roads are good. and
:, short drive will terminate our ,journr,
he | should have written to You concernn
Of it had entertained for i moment Il
%, idea that it mattered to you
To this Lima made no reply. for VIII
II, could she say' Nothing would Jesse
to the disagreeable feeling weighing upc
wv her mind. The impropriety of a Ion
.xt drive at night with two strange me
at was regarded by her as most impr'
rk dent step--an act, from which her refine
i'm and delicate nature shrank with 4 tru
his and womanly modesty. Yet as it W;
nv she was powerless to help herself