Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-06-16

written Mrs. Ethbert Thorne. II am
living on his estates" she had previous
ly explained. This, then, was Philip
Barringer's sister, and I was going to
his home.
With the man whom had rejoiced to
see dropping from my life forever was
destined to pass months in the intimacy
of his own hearth. So fate had ordered,
and nationally l must abide.
But fate seemed hard. l had never
been able to forgive Philip Barringer;
my bitterness had grown toward him
with the days. He might have spared
me Hart Whitney's perfdy; but for him
l might be only a woman mourning a
dead lover, not the wreck was.
He was always the bird of ill-omen,
bringing pain to me. He knew of my
coming hither; he might have spared it
me.
There was one comfort: he had not
forgotten he had chosen to walk on in
the drizzly darkness he would keep
aloof from me.
A night at Sunnybank brought wis
dom; descended to breakfast IN a calm
er frame of mind. Philip Barringer
must be naught to me, must Temporal
rily forget. My business was with Mrs.
Ethbert Thorne.
found that lady alone in the break
fast room gay little lady she proved
on acquaintance, so full of gossip, so
full, especially. of Philip Barringer's
praises, that business must wait.
| had not been many minutes in her
society before began to be exceedingly
annoyed not at her rhapsodies to these
had quietly resigned myself. But
there was something marked in her
glances, a searching scrutiny.
What did it mean, questioned. Was
younger, fairer. than she liked. Did
she fear dispossession of Philip Barrin-
ger?
But Mrs. Ethbert Thorne was not to
talk long with eyes.
"My DEAR" she said, suddenly, II
really should not speak at all, but the
resemblance is so very marked"
"You do not understand, of course"
she continued, merrily; "there's por-
trait of very beautiful young girl in
Phil's parlor-much more beautiful than
you-pardon me, my dear; but. oh, so
very like. 1t is such mysterious pic
ture, too. Who is it /! l have asked
uvHoII V."iO", V"NS' iGuy
who was engaged to friend of mine in
the Indies.' is his inyariable reply. My
dear. l really wish you could see it;
only would not dare take you in Pills
private parlor he never allows strang-
ers there"
had begun listening as to a gossip's
story; I sat. at its ending, pale and
still. There was, then, in this house,
picture of Evelyn Marston; somewhere
the face so fatal to me smiled down from
the walls. How longed to look upon
her-what riches | would have sacrificed
this moment, to see her painted self.
Much more beautiful than you. but,
oh, so very like Was this, then, the
key to Hart Whitney's per6dy; was it
but fairer copy that had won his tickle
heart ?
What did Evelyn Marston on Philip
Barringer's walls-a queen enthroned in
his private apartment, on which no
strangers eye might look ? Perhaps he
was her hopeless lover; perhaps the ac-
accepted one she soon would wed.
l was reused by a light touch on my
shoulder; Mrs Ethbert Thorne was
finally awake to the business so long de-
layed.
"You will teach the children. of
course, my dear. | will take you to
our study-room."
| followed her down the broad hall,
striving to still the emotion that had so
distracted me. Suddenly she turned
and pointed to a door,
"That is Phil's parlor," she whisper.
ed; ''if We only dared go in"
| gave but furtive glance at it. but
from that moment it haunted me. Daily,
as l passed it, my pulse quickened ever
rebelliously went by. Who more than
l had right to see Evelyn Marston, tc
know how fair she was?
Three months, and this longing had
become mania. with difficulty suppress
ed. Thrice l had stood by the wooden
Cerberus, with my hand upon the knob
Shame hitherto had deferred me bu
the time had come to see Evelyn Mars
ton even at the risk of shame.
So | decided, one day in Autumn
when opportunity seemed ripe. Chill
7 dren and Philip Barringer had just van
f ished down the roadway; Mrs. Ethber
Thorne was doing sweetly; sunnybanl
: was mute.
| The time had come. I would stea
, in, look upon the face that had won m,
f lover, and be forever satisfied. Wit
q beating heart l crept down the hallway
e with hushed breath crept within.