The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-09-26
Love may desoiatc and grlcve you,

lie was pale to the very lips when at
| length lie did look, in silence Offering
/ Ii s hand. Silently she laid her OWN in
/ it. The agony in his eyes subdued her;
what was ii woman's weak petulance
/ in comparison with this?
For the last time,' said Gerald
/ Sorthwick. lie bowed low over the
white fingers, and kissed them; then
/ walked away. She heard Il horses
hoofs presently, at a furious gaop.
The ledge-keeper touched his bat as
| Gerald rode up, and he saw with sur
| prise there We're great tears Oh the Old
mans rugged checks.
| "Wh is the matter, Williams?'
"Have you not heard, sir? l thought
| you knew from the rate you came, and
! the look of your face"
! "NO-nO-What is liz"
| Williams whispered few words.
| Gerald swayed to and fro i'll the saddle,
! and would have fallen, but that the Cd
man supported him.
Strange news," said Captain Hall o
friend that night. "Old SOrlhWlck
! is ruined and has shot himself"
Nonsense, man; he is as rich as
Crpsus."
"Yes; fabuiously 50, that is, he mort
gagged every acre years ago, and bought
Turkish bonds; that accounts for his
large income. They have just stopped
payment, you know, and other specu
latiOnS have TUNED ont much Wor, {.
The young cock VIII crow less lCudl.
now, will he not? Aud an evil light
cleaned i'll the speakers blue eyes.
Silvery moonlight flooding farm
house, and an unusually large garden
appcrtaIning thereto. Up and down
the grAyelled walk PAGES Gerald Sorib-
wick, moodily smoking d fragrant
cigar On the air is borne Il SQUAD as
Of an irregular bass solo, varied by the
occasional squeak Of shriller strln geo
instruments.
1t denotes that half mile off, in the
little town of SOrthwick, an archery
ball is now being held. The commit
tee, III view OF h.s fathers recent death
not to send the customary reminder:
but Gerald, with poor mans morbid
SenSitiveneSS, miSinterprets tie kind
ness. With an impatient movement,
expressive of disgust, he tOSSeS away
the halt-smoked cigar. 1t alightS on
the soft turf of a small crOquet-grOund
and lies smoking. Then, with a curl
Gus smile, he crosses and picks it up
carefully.
81 had forgotten myself" he NUT
ters; the last of the box, and a brand
am not likely to taste yet awhile"
So, with the cigar between his teeth.
he passes through the gaze, and across
green meadowIand towards the town.
The music grows distinct us he ap-
prOaches.
Il think | am WISE" he reflects bit
terry. "To-morroW by this time | Shall
have left the old life quite behind me.
Gerald Sorthwick, tea-trader. China.
Vague, that, and it is about all | know;
but | Shall be better out there. The
old position, tabitS, instincts, reminis-
cznces, would be so many dead weights
i'll England
A wealthy traGesman passes him.
and touches his hat. Gerald acknoWl-
edges the courtesy with that marked
polteness which has ever won him
popularity with his social interiors. but
the incident re-aWakens latent cyhi-
cism.
"IIOW long would that last?' he Won
dcrs. "Formerly it meant yOu are my
patron, ten times richer than l. Now
ii should be for me to doM the hat III
gr.e,ing."
The cigar burns close 10 his lips; he
sp.ts it out ana hesitates.
Il must see her face once" he
groams. my vow Notwithstanding;
and as the church clock strikes ten he
stands in the black shadow of some
trees, looking across q boWlimg-green
at the great doors OF the Assembly
rooms, II which heated couples come
from time TO time 10 inhale the soft,
pure air, and perhaps draw inspiration
from the moonlight. Al length he
sees her, leaning on Captain Hail IS arm
and laughing gaily.
A bitter imprecati0n riS9S to his lips,
but he suppresseS it. Are you con-
tent no~. : nnid?" he asks himself.
A bird twitters Oh Dougi. .ear him,
and by force of subtle associat. on, IN
sLrange mockery, the recollection
comes how lac hsI once startled Maud
by a perfect imitation OF EeI doge5
cooling; it was when they were most
friendly, before Captain Halls advent.
at shall be y0uf signal when you
want me, and I am talking t. disagree
abe people," she had said. lie Won
dered Wietha. she would remember the
incident, and wish grew upon him TO
try the experiment.
They had ceased talking, Maud and
! her partner, and were gazing straight
towards him; but there was safety III
the shallow, he knew.
"CoO-o-O." q sou note, turice fe-
peated.
He saw Maud start violently, and
tremble. Captain Hall thought it was
with cold.
"The night air is too chill," lie said;
''let Us return"
NO, cannot leave the moonlight;
but you may fetch my wrapper. if you
will be SO good"
The watcher beneath the trees saw
him vanish; saw Maud's gloved hand
pres ;ed to her heart, as though to still
its beating. Then he marveied for .
moment whether sight were playing
him false, for white figure glided to-
wards him through the moonlight,
needless OF tile dew that soaked flowing
robes and satin slippers.