Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-10-03


"Ah, what charming blush !"
laughed my stepmother, touching my
glowing cheek caressingly with her soft,
white fingers.
I smiled, but my heart throbbed pain
fully under the ruby velvet bodice that
became me so we'll. Beneath the pres
sure of those bearded lips my hayward
woman's heart mad leaped from tender
ness to full, fierce, passionate love.
l lifted my eyes, lustrous with the
newborn feeling, to the handsome,
smiling face of my brother, and again
my heart swelled with jealous pain at
sight of its unrufled calm.
But the next moment Madame Viele
claimed my attention.
"Vi, dearest, my great neice, Peri
Holbrook." She smiled.
turned my eyes from Albert's face
to the eager, half-affrighted gaze of the
golden-haired girl could not but ad-
mire.
l bowed, and somewhat coldly &C.
copied the proffered hand, and an.
swered the few musical words of gentle
welcome. Then Involuntary flashed
swift glance at Albert.
All, how the blood leaped through
my veins And how hated the charm.
ing creature standing before me, so re.
gally graceful and sweet! Yes, l hated
her for there could be no installing
the brooding tenderness and passion
with which my stepbrother was regard.
ing her.
But only for an instant did his eyes
betray him and as the pleasant hours
OF the evening flew by, l grew half dis
posed to laugh at my jealous pain.
Nevertheless, when my mother fol
lowed me to my room, Ismiled lightly.
Peri is very lovely, mamma, and
Albert seems to admire her."
Madame Viele turned glance upon
me that covered my face with food of
color.
may, nay" she laughed softly the
next instant, winding her arm caress
ingly about me. "You have no cause
for jealousy, my love. Albert is heart
whole, and knows we'll that it is my
dearest wish to see him your husband.
Knowing this, she added, with naughty
sternness, he would not dare brave me
by loving another" Then, with swift
return to her former tenderness, she
continued My dear child, trust
you can make me happy by loving my
handsome and noble eon?"
I could not bear the gaze of her pen
etrating black eye, soft as it was, and
my face dropped blushirgly to her
friendly shoulder.
81 am eloquently answered, love"
she whispered softly land let me say
that, with your rare beauty and winning
grace, you are sure to garner his whole
heart. May heaven bless you, my
dear !"
Then, as she kissed me good might,
she cried earnestly:
Don't rush into jealousy, vi. Peri
is good and beautiful girl, but Albert
gives her only a cousinly affection.
Though she is in no way dependent
upon me pecuniarily, promised her
dying mother to give her home at
Gray Fell, as you know ; and you can
see, my love, how very unpleasant it
would make it for you to brood over a
foolish Jealousy. So, dear, put all that
nonsense out of your charming head
and rest assured that am right. Ny
eyes are keen, and in the eighteen
months she has been at Gray Fell must
inevitably have penetrated secret of
that kind"
"Of course mamma is right" MUIR
INJURED, as the door closed on her i'm
perial form, and summoned Manton.
But, my maid dismissed, I sat down
in my dressing-gown and stared at the
glowing Goals, my thoughts and feelings
in an anxious whirl. After a time I
rose, signing impatiently.
. can't sleep; will go down and
gel o book"
With the words crept out into the
hall. l had traversed half its length,
when the sound of stealthy steps on the
stairs sent me with bated breath behind
the heavy damask curtains of window
near me.
Burglars were in my mind, but
made no outcry. The next minute the
steps passed few feet from me, and
was quickly undeceived.
A voice 1 we'll knew murmured in
hushed tones, Don't grieve, my dar-
ling, it will all come right. Only be
patient, my own"
And felt more than heard the soft
kiss that finished the sentence.
1t was PERKS voice that answered.
ooh, Albert Albert "she breathed,
falteringly. "Where is it all to end?
We have done very, very wrong, dear
est. And oh, Albert, she loves you I
saw it in those great, passionate, dusky
eyes OF hers tonight, and in vague
terror of the future stared almost
me-"
Nonsense Do you want to make
me vain? laughed my stepbrother,
softly. And then he murmured in
graver accents: "You say we have
done wrong, darling. Remember that
We had to choose between two evils.
Remember that my mother possesses an
iron will. She would have ground us
both to powder rather than consent to
what We"
Eyes. yes, know" sighed Peri, be-
fore he could finish the sentence l was !
painting to hear.
:" Then cease to grieve, darling, he
whispered. "And now, once more,