The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1878-02-08

which stood near it against the sides
the great stone house, as if Wreaking
mad spite upon it and all within. 1'h
rain that fell in sheets, and that cam
driving on the plate-glass window
panes i'll great angry gusts, was plain
ly audible in the, brilliantly lightc
room where ROlande WestertOn wa
sitting; for all the double barriers @
inside, tight closed shutters, an,
heavy, sweeping curtains of rich, darl
crimson damask, that depended from
the walnut and gilt cOrhices to tin
Aubussnn carpet on the floor, o
warm, glowing crimsons, that merget
into pink and creamy yellow hues.
70 was noble apartment, long, wei
prOpOrtiOned, with "A dozen Window
alternating with mirrors set i'm tn,
Walls-with rare and magnificent fur
uiture, from which the "new" lOOI
Was so completely worn off thatevery
thing suggested Il delightfully."- used anC
costly comfortable condition.
Before the fire, in low, deep chair,
with his hands clasped at the back oi
his head, and his feet stretched out to
the genial warmth, Roland Westerton
was sitting hearing the sobbing shrek
of the storm that was powerless to
hart hin! physically, but every drop OF
which seemed falling like paralyzing
Ice drops on his heart-every wall OF
which was a personal voice that re-
minded him of II night similar to this
twenty years ago, when hope, and
faith, and joy, and love had fled from
his heart at Beryl Deants bidding.
y vision of a face came before him,
pure a. u blossom, fair as a lily petal,
sweet as a rose, modest and as unas-
suning as a violet.
He remembered it so distinctly even
after twenty years, when he was a
gray haired man of fifty-gray-haired
man as much from the troubles and
pangs of memory of all those years
as from the course of nature.
lie remembered with pain that
thrilled his heart over all the gloomy,
lonely years-years he had been so
sturdily loyal to the one love of his
life; years during which no woman
had been able to tempt him into shar-
ing his wealth or heart with them;
wears when he had learned that i'm
this world there was never more the
happiness for him that fell to other
men.
If she had only died, Mr.. Wester-
ton knew he would have had sub
HIisSiVc satisfaction, compared to
which the suffering he had undergone
would have been almost happy con-
tent. But to know she had lived and
played him so cruelty false; to know
she had not died, but was more than
dead to him-it had been an awful
trouble to him, and the traces of it
were on his grave, fine face tonight a.
ne sat immersed in the past, as a drea-
Ty rain and wind tempest always had
power toimmerse him, just as the odor
Of a flower, or the chords in song,
will recall painful memories.
b.l hpnI1 inst SIIsh ni,rnf In
when his brother Herbert had come to
him, amid the gaiety and brilliancy,
and music and dancing at Mrs. Gran
tham'sreceptiOn, and linked his arm
through Roland's and led him off to
the deserted sileTce of the library, and
then confronted him, pale with pity,
'.ROland, you may not forgive me
for bringing YOU here to almost break
COiIr heart, but il is my duty. Roland,
have not time an1 again warned you
that Miss Dean, was only cOnsenting
90 marry you because you We're
rich.''
Roland looked at him in unfeigned
impatience.
".And what if you have? am sure
Baryi loves me, and that is sutfi-
cicnt."
at would he if it We're true, and !
have brought you here to tell you the
illnc mas come WDcll i can prove, DC
Nond the shadow of a doubt, that Miss
Dean has another lover. ! saw her in
hi~ arms not five minutes ago"
Roland was on his feet in second,
Il smoldering fury and jealousy on his
white face.
You lid? Who is he? Where
were they, Oh heavens, Herbert, if
you are lying to metz
lIerl,erts lip curled.
II can s,e no advantage to lie de
rived by SuGl course If you wish, |
will take you To the conservatory, and
YOU can see FIR yourself"
They went silent, like a foe creep
sug OH his victim, and in the tender
gloom of the quiet, warmly fragrant
place Roland WCstertOn had seen
Bcryl DeaII-his beautiful, reserved
darling, whose Peticent reserve had en-
chMted him, his own betrOthed wife
with her arms about the neck of her
companion, and her lovely eager eyes
looking up in his.
He was tall, handsome fellow.
Roland saw that at the first bewil.ler-
cd glance, and H. would have sprung
st him and throtled him before her
eyes, had not Herbert gently restrain
eed bim.
"DeB't he rash! Listen, and hear
what she Says To him"
And he lad listened, STOPPING be-
IIind the luNuraDt shubbery, to
Bcryls low, lowing voice,
lit almost kills me to think it will
". 80 long before | see you again,
dear: must you gO.'
The Young man was caressing tiny
curl that lay on Belyl's fair forehead.
- dare not stay where you are
BerNl. II j. the sheereSt maliHeSs.
I.,n.I rvl f., laa SlnIIln SIIG-
She silenced him by soft hand laid
on his lips.
5,Hush, dearest. He will never
g<uow. you may be sure. love you
TOO we'll tD betray you. You believe
that, dom; you, dear"'
Then he stG9ped aud kissed heI:
..NIv darling, believe everything
YOU say! Let Us walk farther on;
Imagined | heard some one coming
one little quarter of an hour, and then
must 30 as ] came. III ] only might
take YOU with me! oh, Beryl--.'
And al his entreating voice died
away in the distance. Rolafld streight-
cucd his tail figure in a rigidify of flu
riOuS wrath.
''~hc is false! Herbert / thank
YOU"
And after that night BeryI Deans
aNaIle bSd pcVer passed his lips. When
u note canaD sam her that expressed
her wonder al biz prolonged absence
from her, he FetJIrii6d jtwithOut open
ing il. When ais Indignant rcmOn-
=trancc followed, il suffered like fate,
and 80 it ended.
Months after, Bcryl Dean left the
city. and now twenty years after nC
word or newshad come from her direct
ly,while Roland lived his lonely, care
less life in the midst Of his wealth, no
even the memory of beautiful past t'
think upon, with only thetaste of sucl
bitter Dead Sea fruit upon his lips ~
WAS there this stormy Novembe
night.
Breaking i'm upon the reverie q
Vain that was unusually acute tonight
thcrc came Il sharp, imperiOus sum
mons at the front entrance of the sll
Yer gong; that thrilled out above tn,
noise OF the storm, that penetrsIteS
with unpleasantly startling distinct
ness to The room where Mr.. Wesier
ton sat.
He listened t., Tho ,,pnK..t,f ffsel.r1,c