Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-07-01


admiration and pleasure.
His greeting was cordial and evident
ly pleased his mother.
"But why don't you kiss her, my son,
as in the old days ?" she smiled gayly.
And, with an answering smile, Albert
bent his grand head and pressed his
bearded lips lightly to mine.
"Ah! whata charming blush !" laugh.
ed my stepmether, touching my glow
ing cheek ca1essingly with her soft,
white fingers.
smiled, but my heart throbbed pain
fully under the ruby velvet bodice that
became me SO well. Beneath the pres
sure Of those bearded lips my wayward
woman's heart had leaped from tender
ness to full, fierce, passionate love.
I lifted my eyes, lustrous with the
new born feeling, to the handsome,
smiling face of my brother, and again
my heart swelled with jealous pain at
sight of its unruff1ed calm.
But the next moment Madame Viele
claimed my attention.
"Vi, dearest, my great niece, Peri Hol-
brook" She smiled.
I turned my eyes from Albert's face
to meet the eager, half affrighted gaze
of the golden haired girl could not but
admire.
bowed, and somewhat coldly accept
ed the profered hand, and answered the
few musical words of gentle welcome
Then I involuntarily 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, I hated
her; for there could be no mistaking the
brooding tenderness and passion with
which my stepbrother was regarding
her.
But only for an instant did his eyes
betray him and, as the pleasant hours
ofthe evening flew by, [ grew half dis
posed to laugh at my jealous pain
Nevertheless, when my stepmother fol-
lowed me to my room l smiled lightly.
"Peri is very lovely, mamma, and AL
bert seems to admire her."
Madame Viele turned glance upon
me that covered my face with food of
color.
may, nay," she laughed softly the
extinstant, winding her arm caressing
ly 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 haugh-
ty 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 son ?'
I could not bear the gaze of her pene-
trating black eye, soft as it was, and my
face dropped blushingly to her friendly
shoulder.
II am eloquently answered, love-"
she whispered softly; land let me say
that, with your rare beauty and win
ming grace, you are sure to garner his
whole heart. May Heaven bless you,
my dearW
Then, as she:kissed me good night, she
cried earnestly:
| "Don't rush into jealousy, vi. Peri
is good and beautiful girl, but Albert
gives her only cousinly Affection
Though she is in3no way dependent up
on 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 foolish jealousy.
So, dear, put all that nonsense out of
your charming head and rest assured
that am right. My eyes are keen. and
Ill LIE elSuIceu LuOuluS SUI HAS UeGu dt
Gray Fell must inevitably have penetra-
ted secret of that kind"
"Of course mamma is right" I mur-
INJURED as the door closed on her imperial
form, and summoned Manton.
| But, my maid dismissed, 1 sat down
in my dressing gown and stared at the
glowing Goals, my thoughts and feelings
in an anxious whirl. After time l
| rosa siphinp imDatientlV
~ can't sleep, will go down and get
book"
With the words I crept cut into the
hall.
I 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 q window near
me.
Burglars were in my mind, but made
no outcry. The next minute the steps
passed few feet from me and I was
quickly undeceived.
A. voice I well know, murmured in
hushed tones, "Don't grieve, my dar-
ling. it will all come right. If we only be
patient, my own"
And I felt more than heard the soft
kiss that finishsd the sentence.
It was Peri's 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
saw it in those great, passionate, dusky
eyes of hers tonight, and in a vague
terror of the future I stared almost Wild
ly at her as Aunt Ray presented me-"
Nonsense Do you want to make
me vain ?" laughed my stepbrother soft
ly. 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 sround US both to pow
der rather than consent to what We"
Eyes, yes, know" sighed Peri be-
fore he could finish the sentence I was
painting to hear.
"Then cease to grieve, darling" he
whispered. "And now, once more, good
night"
And I 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 de-
|spair clutching at my heart strings.
With a stiAed cry I flung myself pas
sionately on the rug before the fire and
buried my face in the tiger akin cover.
ing-a pile of soft. yielding hassocks.
"Lost! lost to me !" I moaned in my
fierce agony. And then starting up
right, painted with vengeful breath
"But what meant that unfinished sen
tenoe? Can they -"
And then paused and stared breath
lessly at the glowing cools.
"Ah will watch I will watch ?"
: muttered later.
And I shivered at the sound of my
J own low, relentless voice.
/, I did watch.
Madame Viele never dreamed of th<
task that engaged me; nor did the vic
TINS of my pride and love. I took care
to be always gay and charming, so how
conld they suspect?
But sometimes I marvellt d that my
keen eyed stepmother failed to observe
; Peri's pallor and evident sadness.
"Ah, WE'LL" laughed harshly, to my
self, ''she will see it all in good time, ant
then let them look to themselves" So
, I silently shadowed the pair.
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