The Portland daily press., 1880-07-26

escape from this dreary spot, to exchange
with any one and for anything; but now
with something like a dread of civilization
he Rugged himself in the thought of his ex-
lie, where he could be as barbarous, as neg
lectful, and as degenerate as he pleased.
OF this same savagery one trait will suffice
to indicate the extent. Prevesa was former
ly yacht station, where men frequently
came in the woodcock season or for the
quails; but terrible brigand outrage, in
which two Germans and an English naval
officer were killed, put an end to all such
visits. Lydyard declared that he never re-
GREETED an incident that freed him from all
intrusion OF strangers, and averred that he
at least owed a debt of gratitude to the
Klephts.
When l wished to say goodnight he was
far too deep in the gin-flask to make his
words impressive; but as he told me he'd
like me to come up often and sit with him,
determined to accept his invitation so long
as L fingered in the neighborhood
CHAPTER H.
| stayed on five weeks at Prevesa, for
though | gave my evenings to the consul, /
passed every morning with Marion. never
saw girl whose society had the same
charm for me. Heaven knows there could
scarcely have been so dreary spot, nor one
where life had fewer pleasures; but there
seemed capacity for enjoyment in her
mind, which, whether for sun or sky or
shore, for breezy mountain or dark, nesting
wood, could extract its own delight and be
happy.
l had seen enough even of the first day |
met her to be aware that Hope had not
made asmerely passing impression upon her
heart, and was cautious to avoid all that
might revive the memory of his name. This
reserve on my part seemed actually at
length too much for her patience, for in one
of our long walks she suddenly asked Inc if
l had never known him.
mo-" replied |; "never; and l have been
guardedly careful not to ask you about one
of whose intimacy with you feel Jealous"
Chow do you mean jealous?' asked she,
turning on me those large full ewes that re-
minded me of the Homeric smile, the COX
eyed"
'Perhaps my word was ill chosen,' said 1
in some confusion; "but what l tried to
convey was the discontinue / felt ON think
ing that there had been one who walked
with you where we are walking, and whose
words, it might be, interested you as much,
or more, than mine"
eyes, it is true,'' said she, softly.
(Which is true?" said 1, in low voice.
"That he loved me-" said she, in the
same unaltered tone. Ft.rtEEs
'And you but caught myself at
once, and, shocked at the ungenerous dar-
ing, turned it off by saying: 81 should like
to hear more of him; tell me what you know
of his history or belongings"
81 know nothing, except that he was poor
as ourselves; that whatever he should be-
come in life must be his own achievement;
that he was friondleSS and alone -
she was a gentleman" said | inquir-
ing s!iE,. :, .,o+ = ,.,,,, ,o,,,,, w.. =
cry word, every opinion he uttered, the soul
of honor and high feeling! When he spoke
of what he read, he knew how to praise all
that was noble and truthful, and worthy,
and to decry whatever was ignoble and
mean. When he helped a beggar on the
road, he gave his aims like one whose hap
pier fortune it was to aid brother, and
who might himself accept assistance to-
morrow. And SO through all he did, the
world seemed like some fowery meadow,
where if we would, we might stroll or stretch
at ease and each be happy with each"
''Was he ambitious?'
eff YOU mean of honor, fame and good re-
pute, yes, as never heard of any one; but
of that success that includes wealth and
and state, and luxurious living, and the
rest of it. he could not have been, for he
has said over and over at our homely board,
That is indeed what delights ME! 1t is here
l begin to feel how unworthy are the vulgar
slaveries rich men submit to-"
Gle had then, some experience of the
life he censured?'
II don't know that he had except from
hearsay; but he had read, and conversed al
most as much as he had read"
Had he served as solder?"
mo; he could not bear any settled career.
He called it bondage, and that all men who
followed any distinct calling lost their iden-
tity in the crafty he would laughingly say:
They become smaller than women"
"He loved yon very much, Marion,
and
"Why has he not returned?" said she as
her eyes flashed fiercely. ''Say out your
words, or if you have no courage for them,
let me say them. 1t was this you would
have asked"
II had not any right"
"Of course you had not: but will give
the right that / may shame the questioner
If he has nos come back will you be pre-
pared to say that he may not come to-mor-
row? This very night? At first, in every
football on the road, il every voice heard
have grown wiser now, and can wait"
"Such trustfulness honors you," said I,
thoughtfully.
sit is no more than 1 owe him. There,
look there!" she said; "There is a Levanser
already coming in, and but a moment back
that sea was like mirror! Is not life just
such another ocean, aud can he who plans
voyage, be more certain of his weather?
How can [ know what difficulties he is now
combating what barriers oppose him?'
II should be glad to feel that some one
would, one day, trust me in that fashion,"
$50 she will, if you inspire her with the
same love. A woman's heart can be as good
or as bad as you like to make it She has
but the keeping of it; the culture is anoth-
er's."
This was the tone of many conversation
we had together, through all of which
could gather how girl of strong will and
an untried nature had been gradually
moulded to opinions so new and strange to
her, by one whose temperament and charac-
ter were stronger than her own.
That she loved him with her whole heart
that she felt toward him that almost wor-
ship with which fervent imagination will
inspire its object of devction-was clear
enough. But own that my greater anxi-
ETY. was to learn, if l could, who was this
man, what he was, and how he came here?
1t was not difficult to believe that even
man of culture and refinement might have
been in love with this girl She was, with
certain traits of delicate health and pallor,
of great beauty; her large, lustrous eyes,
more expressive from the dark color of the
orbits round them, could change from
melting softness to a glance of wild defiance;
and her mouth, of which the teeth inclined
slightly inward, had a character of winning
sweetness there was no resisting. Her fig
ure might be called faultless; all I have ever
seen OF the staturesque in symmetry was re-
allied in that 1.-the and graceful form, which
even under the coarse drapery she wore,
betrayed in every pose and movement the
perfection of form. And just as the con-
scious grace Of the beautiful woman blended
with the bounding elasticity of the happy
girl, so in temperament she united all the
thoughtful moods of reflective mind with
the fresh, wild impulses of the child"
81 know" said she to me one day, 81 see
it; you are puzzled about William Hope"
II own it, said, half sorrowfully.
''And you cannot imogine how this man
Of refnement-this creature of gifts and
graces, this eminent gentleman, for / know
your comprehensive phrases could have
loved such as me-"
''Far from it, Marion; my wonder is how
he could tear himself away from you, even
for season.
"That was duty"
''But what kind of duty? He had no ties
no cares of any calling; you say he had no