The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-07-24
'eemed to die away with a faint moaning

seemed to die away with faint moaning
sound.
Remember she was only seventeen and
childish for her age.
death and all the sweet light seemed to
fade fiom her eyes.
Victor strobe to her side.
Take me home, Victor. IL don't
feel very we'll! Please take me-
the next moment Victor held her white
and senseless in his arms.
A magnificent room, large, lofty and
furnished with Oriental splendor, from
the velvet carpet, into which the foot sank
noiselessly, the silken, inlaid furniture,
the wondrous gems of-art that adorned
the walls, the rare statutes that filed
every conceivable nook, to the most mi
mute article in the room.
At one of the windows tall, slender
woman stood holding back with slender
jewelled hand the foam like draperies-a
woman so radiantly, rarely beautiful that
even the casual passer-by half paused with
/ look Of involuntary admiration on her
face.
The low white brow, the great dark
eyes, the curving crimson lips, and wav-
| ing masses of blue-black hair made pic
ture almost perfect in its rare lovliness.
And yet it was not satisfied face: there
was q look Of past pain and present long
ing. strangely minglinR, resting upon it.
Where the expression lay you could hardly
tell only it was there.
/ A-I kl,o roe,I r,ov,,an vvhn al
born for the wealth that surrounded her,
was Renee CORTLAND, who had lain so
white and still in Victor Grays arms six
long years before.
The change in her life had come 30 sud-
denly so Unexpectedly. An uncle of her
fathers, who had never spoken to him af-
/ ter his marriage with the pretty French
girl, had seen Renee and, being childless,
had left her all his wealth.
"Not for love-" he said, ''she was too
like her Frenchi6ed mother for that,
though there was something of the Court
land about her as well but simply because
she was CORTLAND and his nearest of
kim"
But loyal Renee had never forgotten her
old friends. for whom in her stately home
Margaret Gray was with her. and every
summer the little cottage welcomed her
young face again.
For weeks and months after the day she
tainted in Victor's arms, Renee had been
the shadow of her former self.
Pale and listless, It seemed as If hone
would never reassert her sway in the ten
der Young heart, and Victor watched her
suffering almost as much in his great love
for her.
1t seemed at times to Renee CORTLAND
as If her heart must break, with its pas
sionate pain. but hearts do not break east.
" at seventeen, and Renee conquered her
love, then buried it out of sight forever,
and as time passed on, if it rose to confront
her, she put it aside with all the strength
of nature.
Then came the great change in her life,
and smiles came back to the beautiful face
though sometimes the shadow of the old
pain darkeued it.
And four years later she met Lester Sim
clair again, handsomer, if possible than
ever, with a new gravity about him that
| became him we'll.
He had laid his fair young wife to rest
in her grave, and was free again.
kenee's face grew pale when she first
heard it, paler still as be bent over her
hand, and then the past seemed TO be for
gotten.
Even when he married enc wealthy
heiress, Clare Duyane, Lester Sinclair
knew that the little, dark-eyed girl held
more of his heart than he would willingly
acknowledge, and now seeing her day
after day, SO regal in her loneliness, the
old love deepened. till Renee CORTLAND
held every hope Of happiness for him.
As time passed on Vintor Gray noticed
an added restfulness in Renee's eyes, tina.
| the weary look around her mouth deep
ened, and could scarcely understand it.
He enters the room now, graver, per-
haps sterner than of old, and the girl came
forward to meet him.
"You are welcome, Victor" she said
clasping his hand, "and Margaret will be
so very glad"
"You do not look happy this evening,
Renee. he said, bis eyes on her face.
The girl turned away with a quick, inn
patient gesture.
81 am not happy" she said; my life
has been one mistake"
Which will be righted in time" he
answered, quietly, though his face paled
slightly.
When Victor left her she went back to
her place at the window again.
will happiness pass me by forever?"
she cried; us he blind, or is it that he
will not see?"
Only that morning Lester Sinclair had
stood before this girl, whom he had
wronged in her early girlhood, and plead
ed for her love as man might plead for
life itself.
Colby. almost haughtily she had an
swered him
mo. My love died for you years ago;
it could never come to life again."
Renee, Renee!" he cried in q voice
Of passionate pain, and the girl knew if