The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-05-08

Il
a full. fierce, passionate love.
Lifted nas axes. iastrous With the new
born feeling, to the handsome smiling
face Of my brother, and again my heart
swelled with jealous pain at the sight of
it, unrufaed calm.
But the next moment Madame Vele
claimed my attention.
wi, dearest, my great-niece, PEN Hol-
brook" She smiled.
turned my eyes from Albert's face to
meet the eager, half-affishted gaze of the
golden-haired girl ! could not but admire.
bowed, and somewhat coldly accepted
the proffered hand, and answered the few
musical words of gentle welcome. Then
l inyoluntarily flashed a swift glance at
Albert.
All! how the blood leaped through my
veins! And how l hated the charming
creature standing before me, so regally
graceful and sweet. Yes. hated her; for
there could be no mistaking tie brooding
tenderness and passion with which my
stepbrother was regarding her.
But only for an instant did his eyes be-
tray him; and, as the pleasant hours of
the evening few BY, / grew half disposed
to laugh at nay jealous pain. Neverthe-
less, when my stepmother followed me to
my room smiled lightly.
-1Peri is very lovely, mamma, and Al
bert seems to admire her."
Madam Viele turned glance upon me
that covered my face with flood OF col
or.
"Nay. nay" she laughed softly the
next instant, winding her arm caressingly
about me. "You have no cause for
jealousy, my love. Albert Is heart whole,
and knows well 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 an
other" Then, with swift return to her
former tenderness, she continued: my
dear child, | trust you can make me hap
son?"
could not bare the gaze of her pene-
trating black eye, soft as it was, and nv
face dropped blushingly to her friendly
shoulder.
81 am eloquently answered, love-" she
whispered softly; "and 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 night, she
cried earnestly:
don rush into jealousy, vi. PERI is
a good and beautiful girl; but Albert gives
her only a cousinly affection. Though
she is in no way dependent upon me pc
cuniarily, promised her dying mother to
give her a 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 charm
ing head and rest assured that am right.
NV 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" l muir
INJURED as the door closed on her imperial
form, and l summoned Manton.
But, my maid dismissed, | sat down in
my dressing gown and stared at the glow
ing Goals. my thoughts and feelings in an
anxious whirl. After time rose, sigh
ing impatiently.
81 can sleep, will go down and get a
book"
With the words crept out into the
hall.
had traversed half its length when
| the sound OF stealthy steps IN the stairs
sent me with bated breath behind the
heavy damask curtains Of a 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 | well knew, murmured in
hushed tones, Don't grieve, my darling.
it will all come right. Only be patient,
my own"
And felt more than heard the soft kiss
that finished the sentence.
1t was Peri's voice that answered.
"Oh, Albert! Albert" she breathed, fall
terlngly. where is it all to endP We
have done very, very wrong, dearest. And
oh, Albert, che loves you! / saw it in
those great, passionate, dusky eyes Of hers
tonight, and in a vague terror of the fu-
ture stared almost wildly at her as Aunt
Ray presented me-"
Nonsense! Do vol want to make me
vain?" laughed my stepbrother softly
And then he murmured in graver accents:
lyon 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. before
he could finish the sentence l was painting
to hear.
Then cease to grieve, darling, =" he whis-
pered. And now, once more, good
night"
And l knew he folded her close to his
heart for brief moment.
As their doors closed noiselessly upon
their retiring forms crept weakly back to
my chamber, pride, anger and dispair
clutching at my heart-strings.
With stified cry flung myself PASSION
ately on the rug before the FIRE and buried
my face in the tiger-skin covering-a pile
Of soft, yielding hassocks.
Lost! lost to mel" l moaned in my
fierce agony. And then starting upright,
| painted with vengeful breath. '.But
what meant that unfinished sentence Can
they"
And then paused and stared breath
lessly at the glowing Goals.
"Ah!" | will watch! l will watch"
muttercd later.
And shivered at the sound Of my OWE
low, relentless voice.
did watch.
Madame Viele never dreamed Of the task
that engaged me: nor did the victims OF
my pride and love. took care to be
always gay and charming, so how could
they suspect?
But something marvelled that my keen
eyed stepmother failed to observe Penis
pallor and evident sadness.
''Ah. WELL" | laughed. harshly, to
myself, she will see it all in good time. |
and then let them look to themselves"
So silently shonowed the pair.
Night after night they stole an hour Of |
blissful peace in the ante-room of the dim.
old library. and night after night | was
ruthlessly on their track. But In vain !
listened to their fond speech. The I'M
finished sentence l had caught In The
hall above renamed unfinished.
But one Wild. bleak nlnht. n month /