The Democratic advocate., 1878-12-07


will prove me to be no false prophet"
Without waiting for an answer, he bowed
and disappeared amid the throng of dane
ers, seeking her no more that night.
"Is Miss Chassdane engaged to that
man ?" he questioned of his friend Norton.
II believe there is no positive engage
ment," was the reply. "Mrs. Chassdane,
it is said, objects to it."
"On what score does she object? Mon
ey?"
"Oh, no; Stonor has a small, compact
estate close by, and is well off. On the
score of his uncertain health. Also, they
are cousins"
"What is it that is the matter with
him ?"
"Some complication, connected with both
the lungs and the heart, which, I conclude,
renders treatment difficult"
"Do you think Miss Chassdane cares
for him?''
II don't think she loves him, Edbury,
if that's what you mean. 1t seems to me
that she likes him more as brother.
When eligible attentions are paid to girls,
they feel fattered, you know, and respond
accordingly. Nine out of ten of them un-
derstand nothing of their own feelings,
and mistake friendship for love. Robert
Stonor and Miss Chassdane have grown
up together-have been like brother and
sister,
Frequently they met after that. 1t was
an unusually gay season at Spafeld, and
entertainments abounded accordingly. In
the morning drinking the water, or max
ing believe to drink it; in the afternoon
sauntering in the gardens or on the parade;
in the evening at the rooms, or at private
parties Two or three times did Mr. Ed
bury and Miss Chassdane meet, and linger
together, and converse with each other.
Robert Edbury's time was his own, and
he stayed on. He could have stayed forever.
The two or three weeks sojourn he had
intended had more than doubled itself.
For he had learned to love her passionate
ly; and ali the world might see it for aught
he cared. She, too, might see it if she
chose; but whether she did or not he could
not tell, judging from the grave and sweet
dignity with which she met and bore back
his eager attentions.
At length there came an evening when
he was determined to put his fate to the
test; to 90 on in this uncertainty was worse
than torment. They had not been much
disturbed by Robert Stonor; a paroxysm
of his complaint had confined that gentle
man to his own home.
And so Robert Edbury went up to the
old gabled house, before which his horse
had halted the first mig int, and sought an
interview with Miss Chassdane. She was
quite alone. The long French window by
which she sat was flung wide open, and
the low red sunlight, streaming in over
her, lighted up her fair, gold hair and
roses in her dress.
elbow beautiful she is p he thought, as
he took her hand in his. "What if l
should not win her after all 3? But 1 will
make hard fight for it,
Jessie looked up inquiringly into his
face. "You are very silent" she said;
and then, catching the earnest look in his
eyes, she blushed violently and drew away
her hand.
II love you," he passionately broke
forth in low, tremulous tone, breaking
his emotional silence. ~ have come to
you this evening to risk my fat by say
ing this to win or lose all. Jessie, you
must know how love you; how l loved
you all along, from that very first night
that I spoke to you, neither of US knowing
the other. Will you not give some hope
of love in return? Do not send me from
you an utterly broken and discouraged
man."
Jessie was silent for moment-one
long, cruel moment to Robert Edbury,
then the small, sweet face was turned to
him with gentle dignity. He knew his
doom beforehand, ere she spoke the words,
"You must know how useless it was to
speak to me of this" she said. "You
knew, surely you must have known, that
l was engaged to my cousin, Robert
Stonorp
"Engagsd to him ?"
eyes we are engaged"
Neither spoke for time. The scent of
the flowers, blooming in the lonely grounds
on this side of the house away from the
dusty and busy highway, seemed to mock
them with its sweetness; the clustering
shrubs and trees waved gently i'll the sum-
mer evening breeze.
He could not speak at once; the sense
of his bitter loss was two great. The set
ting sun streamed in upon him, lighted
up his distressed face. 1t seemed to him
that the great old-fasioned clock in the
hall ticked out the jeering words
"Lost Lost Lost !"
Engaged !" he said at length, with a
long drawn breath. ~ did not know it.
But engagements where no love is have
been broken many times before now"
"Hush I" cried Jessie. "Do not speak
like that again. 1t would kill him You
do not know what your are saying"
"Kill him!'
eff he heard it, 1 meant. He says he
trusts me-"
"And you are sacrificing yourself for
him-for fancy Hear the truth, Jessie.
You care not for Mr.. Stonor, except as
cousin or brother Examine your own
heart, and it will tell you that you do not
You care for me; you love me. Many
half word, half look, has betrayed it to
me, Yes, my darling, it is Robert Ed
bury you have learned to love, not Robert
Stonor. Your bushes, my love, are be-
traying it now; you"
"What was that? ?" shrieked Jessie.
A low, smothered sound, half groan,
half cry, had come in from the open win
dow. 1t was SO full of pain that man
would not care to hear it twice in life
time. Before either could rush out, Rob-
ert Stonor stood in the opening.
1t was a figure never to be forgotten.
His handsome fair face was distorted with
either pain or anger; his pale lips trembled;
his left hand was pressed, with the old
familiar gesture, upon his heart.
False, false that you are p broke from
his bloodless lips, as he seized Jessie with
his right hand. "You told me that you
did not care for Robert Edbury. You
told me"
A pause, stagger, and with a frightful
shiver, he fell on the carpet. Robert Ed
bury broke the fall partially, but was not
quick enough to quite save him from it.