The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-09
IN LIFE AND DEATH.
A Page of Family History.
CHAPTER I.

CHAPIER l.
A long, old-fashioned magnificent
room, growing dim and shsdowy in the
twilight; a room fit to be haunted, lined
with shelves full of hundreds OF old
books; room that seemed really to be
haunted, as the white busts cleaned out
spectrally through the growing darkness.
4 Far-stretching and silent, and solitary;
! SO large, that the one living figure in it
Il was almost lost and swallowed up in the
q space; so dreary in its vastness, that it
q was wonderful any living creature could
II endure to stay there.
4 Four great windows, side by side,
,d looked out on terrace, where foun-
81 tain played. and cold white nymphs
L. stood as if turned to stone while they
hi dance. The terrace was solitary, like the
W room that opened on it; only at one OF
= the windows, leaning against the frame,
II and keeping a steady watch throughout
te$ the glass, was man. The light was so
oS dim even there that his figure was just
~ plainly discernible; but it could be seen
Ia that he was not old-not perhaps, quite
81 young, but under middle age-slender'
,e5 ,ei5 pale, worn. His profile against the WIN
Da& dow looked almost too delicate for
earn man; and his hand was painfully thin.
II That was all that could be seen-even
at 3 that only now and then when he held
Y up his watch to catch the light on its
sss I'd face.
Suddenly a soft, almost stealthy, foot
came along the gravel. A woman
5, 81 wrapped in large cloak, with the hood
tide drawn over her head, came on to the ter
&E9S & face; the library window swung oper
III and she stepped in.
y 'It is really you, Helen, at lengthP'
e Gam I late? / could not come
's sooner"
& "Not very late--but you come so sell
lant dom now, suppose am impatient"
Etot She let him take off her cloak, anC
stood quite passive while he looked a
Fats her for moment and then bent dow
Ess1o. and kissed her. She was in very sim
GtoF pie evening toilette; not tall woman
1 i but finely and fully proportioned; oil
kat enough and beautiful enough to hav
on suited much richer style of dress thai
hs1 the plain white she wore; and with
\ ~ kind of steady calm about her, eve
B when she met her lover.
Q "Close the window, please" she sal
4 in her composed musical voice. 'I wan
i to have long talk with you, Philip"
4 He obeyed gladly. II have scarcel
4 seen you for week." he answered, can
n Ihave good news tonight"
la "You see me three times every day
| n not that enoughT' r,.r
4 eff you call that seeing. Are there
\ be no more lessons, Helen?
Iy "I am afraid not. / did not max
z much progress last winter. My aunt NJ
ticed it," E.
IA His face glowed. "Last winter. NJ
But it was not altogether my faul
How often did you miss comingT
i "Several times, certainly. And, Phi
/ ip, you know my reason"
HI "Lord Daintry was here, and you we
K often occupied"
|N "Other people as we'll as Lord Daintl
were here, and did not wish our seer,
to be discovered. You certainly woul
have ruined yourself if I had not bee
cautious for both"
"Perhaps you are right. But, Hele
1t is hard to see so little of you as I {
now."
She was silent for moment She hs
rat down in q great carved arm-cha
that stood near the window, and b
standing opposite to her, leaned again
( the projecting side Of the recess, and ke
s. his eyes constantly on her face.
K "Listenl she said, looking up at hi
u with a faint color Pickering over h
calm features. "Don't you think tn
4 this constant assimilation has last
long enoughY Don't you think II
h Becret-keeping ought to be put an el
to-"
"Do you consent, thenF' he cried, es
erly. "Will you risk all at last and
me speakp
"Hush! hush! You misunderstand-
"For three years." he went on quick
1--WE have been living lie; better t
truth with any penalties it m
bring, than to 60 on like this!"
eyes, am glad you think so."
i. "My darling, began to fear can I
tell what. Only tonight, as l waited
thought you had tired of me; and NJ
you Will give yoursell W IIle openly!
He knelt at her teet-he took one
her hands and covered it with kisses.
"Stay," she answered. Don't decei
yourself, or let me deceive you-that,
least, l have never DONE"
Something in her voice sounded as
she were trembling, and forcing hers
to stand on the defensive against an
cusation. She laid her other hand o,
his two with kind Of reluctant cares
IT mean simply" she said, chat {
engagement ought to be broken off"
Tbe clasp of his fingers relaxed.