The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-14

an hour, whilst Sibyl, with fast-falling tears,
walked slowly toward the farmhouse, think
ing bitterly:
"Already he has changed, and despises,
perhaps hates me. Will he think more
kindly of me when he has heard all Sure
ly he must for it has been no fault of mine;
but how hard it will be to tell him while he
looks at me so coldly! Oh, why has all this
misery come to me? What have l done to
deserve such wretched lot as mine is p
Godfrey was gone when she came back
with the fruit, and Cecil was looking bright
er than she had expected to see him for
many days.
"Mamina, Mr.. Geoffrey does read so nice
ly!" he exclaimcd-'nicer than you even;
and he read such jolly stories about dogs
with eyes as big as saucers and even mill
wheels, and a poor little lark that was
caught and put into a cage, and had daisy
to talk to, and lots of things. Isn't he the
kindest man you ever knew, mammal
D MT | Just love him He says he can't
come again this afternoon, but he ii come II
he possibly can this evening, and certainly
tomorrow. | wish he lived with us-dont
ION, mammaE'
By way of answer, Sibyl stopped and
kissed the child. She did not dare to an
swer his question, even to herself. Geoffrey
was waiting for her when she reached the
nook i'll the cliffs, looking as pale and grave
as he had looked in the morning
81 began to think l should not get h"re,
she said nervously, as he stood up at her
approach AID then sat down farther off.
''Cecil was SO restless and in such pain that
he could not get to sleep but Doctor Bell
came and gave him composing droCght,
o,,l nom, l,a will olaarN for two hOurs "
81 hope did not over-excite him. Geof-
frey returned, and she replied hurrledly:
"Oh, no it was the pain.
And then both were silent.
Geofirey, leaning his head upon his hand,
his elbow supported by ledge of rock,
gazed thoughtlully out over the glitter1 =,
dancing sea, and Sibyl, folding and plating
her holland dress, felt that she could not
speak while he sat and looked like that. 1t
seemed as if h, had forgotten her, so long
did lie sit silent and abstracted, and, unable
to bear it longer, she suddenly exclaimed
"Shall go? Do you not care to hear
what came to tell you? Do you not
think everything that is hard and unkind of
me? If SO, will retain my secret. will
offer no excuse for the reserve-deceit, if
you will that has caused you pain. will
| ~ tIhI' lihlu IT'D ~ WA ~, - ~ "~-- -
.'asier for you"
| 'No; | want to hear everything" he said,
ill looking away 81 am sure shall hear
no ill-nothing to make me blame you !;
and, as to your keeping the fact of your be-
ing wife and not widow secret, do
not say that you are wrong in that. There
nav be reasons to render it advisable; but
cannot think how it was you did not see
what was happening g-what must happen II
| was so constantly with you. 1t would
have been kinder to warn me sooner.
His voice sank a little lower as he ended,
but did not shake.
81 was bllnd;I never noticed, never
thought such thing, she answered, almost
in whisper, while the hot tears fell slowly
on to her hands ''but l have not had
much experience in love, and you did 10,
show yours plainly"
He did not answer but, looking out still
into the golden mist, he tried to recollect
what proofs of his love he had ever given
her. There were none, except the haunting
of her footsteps every day, except the loving
smile that he could not always repress and
that she had not understood, except the lit
tie gifts of flowers and fruit, music and
books, all of which he knew had been of.
fered in q careless manner, lest she might
take alarm and read his secret. No; she
was right he had not shown his love PLAIN
". He had no right to blame her for not
having seen it, Still, if he had but known
all lie might have gone away and left her be-
fore he had learned tolove her rsoirretrievably so
II annot talk to you while you look and
speak like that !" she cried, and who, hear
ing the passionate, quivering voice, wonld
have believed that il was the woman who
scarcely three weeks before, had sat in tha
very spot, very Hermione of stone, all fer
yor and excitement so far from her? "DC
you hate me already?"
Hate you?" he repeated slowly, casting
one long, reproach'ul look at her. "Sibyl
now can you ask me such cruel question
You would not have me, knowing you TO bl
: he wife of another man, repeat what tolr
, YOU last night, and l can take no middl
course"
No; you are right" she said sadly. %
will Try to forget how you look and speak
and tell you my story as | would tell 1t t.
Doctor Bell and you shall judge for your
If how far | am to be blamed OF pitied
Ny father was the chaplain OF the Protestan
hurch at -----, in the South Of France,
! ltlla retired village, where few English eve
l came, and half dozen residents compriset
+ hls whole parish. My mother died when
u was a mere baby and he and lived SO haI
!, ply together that we did not seem to cay
lor any one else in the world One summe
young Englishman named John Law
re,l-- Do you know the neme?"
She broke Of as Geodrey looked q
quickly
II don't know. I was at school with
Jack Lawrell, and nearly killed him, for "
l. had fight, and lie fe.l lgninst q doorste
n ana laid his head open half the length of il
v lie had brother Bob, a horrid youn
o scamp who WAS expelled for stealing none
s from boys pocket one nig4t."
/. Sibyls eyes opened wide.
b ITO BE CONTINUED.