The Red Cloud chief., 1878-04-25
THEO'S ROMANCE.

's'V wv 'f'~e an" passion " tht htsii
A long reach ~ gliitcring gray beach,
On one side 81 which rolled the calm,
golden azure Of the sea, and on the other
a green landscape touched here and
there with tints II rosy bloom.
Two persons had met On the sand
Just where through u break in the rocky
crags the red sunset light strcamed
down. warm and picturesque, across
guarded fir root and trophy timbcrs ut
triumphant and ruinous storms. ,ha,
were polished into atawny and brilliant
lustre by the ccaseles friction ~ the
,~irelcss surf.
one al these persons was "A woman.
Young and comcly. although a sort Of
dreamy despair had aged her fair and
perfect features. aud robbed her grace
full figure of It's natural elasticity
The white plume Of her sly fish bon
net was not more colorlcs, than her
lovely cheeks. and the fashionable dead
black Of her silk garments - more
gloomy than the darksomc trouble of
her sweet violet eyes. Even the negli-
gent braid,ng Of her thick yellow hair
seemed Ia hint II the utter and careless
abandon Of some powerful but secret
sorrow.
The gentleman who came Ia meet her
with n curious, contradictory micn Of
loath eGcrness was very handsome.
very diStinguc, and in the prime Of his
youthful manhood.
He touched his ha, c~ourteously. and
then extended a large and shapsly hand
cold "a. ice.
The small dainty fingers that ilutter-
cd into his palm were quit" as cold.
They lay there for a moment lifcless as
pieces of marble, and then dropped away
slowly. sadly. qui,cring.
Il congratulate You, Waldcmar said
the fair woman. family.
''for what, Tho.P' hc asked gently.
For what?' she reiterated in re-
~proachful wonder, ''for your fortunate
marriage with some beautiful woman
in America. What else,
He smiled. and the smile was quite as
full Of wonder rs her voice had been.
II am not married, my Theo," he
said; although hope Ia be soon. and
Ia the most beautiful woman in Ameri-
ca. who is yourself. know o are
true TO me. Theo. but | have been sadly
pcrplexed recently by your strange 81
iencs. Theo. ] have come for you. DO
you see those brown gables yonder be-
hind the sand hills and tall green trees'
Yes? Well, my love. | have bought
that place-old Surfmcre, for your home
and mine. heard you were here. and
followed you. my darling. to beg your
consent TO our Immediate marriage.
Why. ThcoP"
The surprised query hal a startling
cause; for the fair woman had sudden
" dropped ut his feet and buried her
snow-white face in the wet sand.
He raised her in an agony Of sus-
pensc.
why. Theo. what has happened
You act strangely" he said.
.'You are not married? You were no,
false to me?' she gasped.
False to youp' he answered; "net-
err, And | am certainly not married
and never will be unless you will be my
wife. Has any one-any n told you
differently"
Yes"
.'Whoe"
She shivered and put out her hand.
blindly.
Rufus Aldrich," she replied. weakly.
And you believed himP'
.'Yesr'
And you believed him? o, my Theo,
ms poor Thee! Thank God. have
come now"
<"You have come too late" she moan
ed.
How what do you mean?'
IL am his wife," she replied simply
and rs il the words had recalled her "a
herself and duty, she shrank away Jelly
cold and frigidly reserved.
The sun had gone down; the ghOstly
surf beat dismally on the damp sand,
all its death.white. death-drear motion
and sobbing rising and falling weari
" through the dusk Of the sudden twi
light.
And in the swiftly coming night dark,
ness Waldcmar Beresford and Theodo
STA Aldrich parted, touching hands As i
the shadow Of AzrTl had come between
, them.
Theo went slowly ~homeward. Befor,
her in the clear moonlight glittered tn,
white marble walls and columns Of tn.
stately house that seemed To her nov
but u gilded prison.
Usually at this hour her wild ant
reckless lord was away rioting with hi
boon roysterers In haunts Of splendic
infamy, but tonight he had returned
early and was waiting for her.
He was pacing with rapid and uneven
steps up and down the handsome par
Ior, and when she saw the ashy palor o
his haggard vissge and the strange gilt
ter of his cruel dark eyes, she shudder
! ed. expecting unkind reproof. and per
haps curses. ,
Unhappy Thee! A year of wedloci