The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-05-06
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| Not TILL you have had cup Of tea,
dear" said Mrs. Truman, secretly begin,
ming TO believe that travel and excite.
ment had unsettled the pale young girls
senses.
Yes-oh, yes, let us go now," pleaded
Alice, beginning with quivering hands to
tie her bonnet strings. "Some one else
may have got the situation. II should
like very much to be lady's maid to Miss
Clevington. Do you think she will ac-
cept my services, Mrs, TrumanT
"Of course she will" said the old lady,
bridling upa little. My recommendation
is worth something, though l say it my
self. And if you are in such powerful
hurry, why can put the tea back an hour
or so. Only brush your hair dear, and
don't look so ghastly pale"
Virginia Clevington has lust come in
from drive-come in with cheeks tinted
like a ripe peach, and her brown hair
tossed about by the fresh wind, and
stood there with chantilly lace shawl
dropping over her shoulders, and the lit
tie pink gloves half pulled from her
fingers, lovely picture of girlish beauty
in its prime. Yet not more beautiful to
look at than the pale girl who was sew
ing in the shadow of the emerald silk
curtains. Only over one had swept the
equinoctial tempests of life's sharpest
griefs, while the other knew but calm
and sunshine.
"You're tired, Alice dear" said Vir-
ginia Clevington, softly. "Put by your
work; rest little while"
1t was part of her benign nature to
be sweet and tender to all created be-
ings, but to Alice the words of sympathy
were inexpressibly grateful She dropped
her head on Virginia's soothing hand
and burst into tears.
"Alcem
otis only the sharp pain at my heart"
groaned poor Alice. "Oh, Miss Ceving
ton, may l tell you the story of my life?
Then, perhaps you may not deem me
weak and fanciful when ] give way to
these foolish bursts of grief"
''Tell me-" whispered Virginia, kneel-
ing at her pale companions side; "tell
me ALL"
"But if it should bring sharp pang to
your ear, Miss Clevingtonr
81 can not imagine how it should do
So"
Alice hestated a moment with the
white and red futtering like wind-stirred
banners across her cheek.
"Miss Clevington," said she, "the sur
geon's hand should not hesitate to probe
the hidden wounds. l will not falter
longer. 1t is true that you are to be
married to Mr. Horace Calthorpe next
month";
"Yes--it is true"
Virginia spoke frankly with the sweet
roses deepening over her delicate face
as one woman speaks to another with her
whole heart trembling on her lips
Let me tell you the history of my mar
riagc, Miss Clevington."
The afternoon sunshine faded into pur-
pie tide of sunset, the sunset died into
silver bright star beams, and yet Virginia
Clevington knelt these, listening to
Alice's soft measured tones. Which of
those two women suffered most would be
difficult to tell, but it was like theIbitter-
ness of death 10 both of them.
Il am late tonight, mia cara" said
Horace Calthorpe, caressingly, as he laid
his hat and gloves on the table, and put
his arm around Virginia's sli gbt waist;
"but it was the fault of unavoidable bust
ness. What! shrinking away from me,
love? Surely so slight fault should not
be visited with penance like that. Let
me seal my forgiveness on your lips, my
darling"
Virginia Uevington drew back as she
might have rccoiled from the approach
Of a deadly serpent, or Missing adder.
"Never again, Horace Calthorpe!
You have been false to the noblest and
truest instincts of your being-you have
proved yourself villain and hypocritel |
From this moment our lives shall no
longer mingle in the same channel of
daily intercourse"
But she went on with flushed cheeks
and sparkling eyes. 'Horace Calthorpe,
how dare you approach Inc with false
smiles and hollow words of endearment?
How dared you aspire to my hand when
your wife-your wife in the sight of
heaven and man-was pining away, un-
acknowledged and forgotten"
"My wife! Dearest Virginia, some
impostor has been practicing on your
credulity. IhaVe no wife. l never had
one"
For answer, Virginia parted the azure
folds of the heavy silken curtains, and
revealed slight figure in the deep EN-
brazurc-Alice-whiter than any sculp-
tured stone.
There is your wife, Mr.. Calthorpe."
| Horace elevated his handsome eye
brows.
Il don't deny that I have firted at
times with that young woman, while |
was ruraiizing at Graydale; but as for
her being my wife, that's simply ridicu.
lous. Let her prove it if she can"
Virginia Cleyington, pale and resolute
opened the folding doors that led into 3
! little study beyond.
"Mr. Wayne, your evidence is needed
to decide this matter"
Had corpse risen from its wind
ing-sheet, Horace Calthorpe could no
have been mere astounded or bewilderet
than at the sight of the venerable Ro
, man Catholic clergyman who had per
formed the marriage service between
himself and Alice Wyman.
HWavneW he tammered-"WaVne