The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-29

But only lOl al instant dit his eyes
bctray him; and as the pleasant hours of
the evening flew by, grew half disposed
to laugh at my jealous pain. Never, hecss
when my stcpmothcr followed lac 10 my
room smiled lightly.
peri is very lovely, mamma, and Albert
seems to admire her.
Madame Ficlc turned glance upon me
that covered my face with food of color
Nay, nay she laughed softly the next
instant, winding her arm carcssingly about
me. You have no cause for jealousy, my
love. Albert is heart whole, and knows
well that il is my wish 10 see him Your
husband Knowing this, she added with
naughty sterncss, 'hc would not dare brave
me 10y loving another Then, with Il swift
tinucd: My dear child, | trust you can
make me happy by loving my handsome
and noble son?'
Don't rush into jealousy, vi. Peri IS u
good and beautiful girl, but Albert gives
her only ccusinly affection. Though she
is no way dependent upon me pccuniarily.
! promised her dying mother to give her
home at Gray Fell, as you know and you
can see, my love, how very unpleasant il
would make 1t for you to brood over
foolish jealousy. So dear, put all that non
sense out of your charming head and rest
assured that am right. My eyes are keen,
aud III the eighteen months she has been at
Gray Fell must inevitably have penetrated
a secret of that kind
OF course mamma is right, murmurcd
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.
4 can't sleep | will go down and get
book"
With the words | crcpt out into the hall.
| had travcrsed half its length when the
sound Of stealthy steps on the stairs sent
me with batcd 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 undeccivcd.
a voice | well knew murmurcd in h,lshcd
tones, Don't gricvc, my darling, it will all
come right. Only bc patient, my OWL
And felt more than heard the soft kiss
that finished the sentence.
oh, Albert Albert = she breathcd fall
tcringly. 'Wherc is it all to end2 We
have done very, very wrong, dearest. And
OH, Albert, she loves you / saw it in
those great, passionate, dusky eyes of hers
tonight, and in vague terror Of the
future l stared almost wildly at her as
Aunt Ray presented nc.
Nonsense! DO you want TO make me
vainY laughed my stcphrothcr softly. And
then he murlnured in graver accents: you
say we have done wrong, darling. Rcmcm-
bcr that we had to choose between two
evils. Remember that my mother pos
scsscs an iron will. She would have
ground lis both TO powder rather than con-
sent to what We
Yes, yes, know sighed Peri, before
lie could finish the sentence I was painting
to hear
Then cease TO grievc, darling, he Wills
pcred. .And now, once more, good night
And know he folded her close to his
heart for brief moment.
AS their doors closed noisclcssy upon
their retiring forms I crcpt weakly back to
my chamber, pride, anger and despair
clutching at my hcart-strings.
With stiflcd cry l flung myself pas
sionately on the rug before the fire and
buried my face in the tiger skin covering
"a pile of soft, yielding hassoclSs
Lost lost to mel moancd in my
ficrco agony. And then, starting upright,
painted with vengcful breath. But what
meant that unfinished sentence? Can
they
And then paused and stared breath
lcssly at tho glowing Goals.
"Ah 1 will watch I will watch y
muttcrcd later.
And shivcred at the sound of my own
low, relentless voice.
did watch.
Night after night they stole an hour of
blissful peace in the ante e-room of the dim,
old library, and night after night I was
ruthlcssly Oh their track. But in vain
listened to their fond speech. The untin-
ished sentence had caught in the hall
above remained unfinished.
But one wild, bleak night, a month
later, my task was ended. With stitled
breath | noisclcssly crcpt from the library
to my stcpmothcr's chamber.
She sat in her dressing gown before the
fire, lost in an enchanting book. At my
stealthy and mccrcmonious entrance she
glanced up. H.
Great Heaven = she cried, dropping her
book and staring at mo in alarm. 'Arc
you i'll, viz
laughed harsh, short laugh
Only transferred into Nemesis,
mamma
"A Nemesis echoed my stepmother in
slow tones of profound amazement, tho
next instant adding impctuously, 'You
look like beautiful spirit from Hades i
l shrugged my shoulders with another
harsh laugh
Come! I said imperiously. Come and
] will show you my Hades y
She stared at me wonderingly, and half
shrunk as my 10y little hand clasped hers.
Softly, madamo' / whispered, as we
left her room.
Directly she was standing at the slightly
or en- door, at which had 80 often stood.
l felt hes nails sink deep in the palm of
my hand as her blazing eyes rested on tho
scene beyond. heard her breath come in
swift, angry gusts.
For full minute she stood thus. Then,
dropping my hand, she flung back the door
and swept into the dimly lighted room.