Connecticut western news., 1880-10-06
BEHIND A PANEL.

eyes under curled black lashes. The lovely woman's face looking out of the oriel windows held Captain Gordon Somers captive.
 "Come, Captain" called voice from the water below. He made no response to startle the , girl, for she had not seen him. The cool, oval face rested on the slender hand, and she was looking dreamily over the water.
 CT say, Gap, what keeps you? What have you found ?"
 He could have strangled Low, with his impatient believing, for now the fair face started and flushed, and turning, Adelaide Westerly saw the intruder in the garden.
 Captain Somers stepped forth, but without his usual grace and ease, and lifted his hat.
 CT beg your pardon. Could we get some water here?"
 "Yes, certainly. Knock at the south door, and my man will give you all you want"
 She seemed startled out of an habitual serenity, yet her voice had strange softness and sweetness.
 "I-we," continued the captain, ''are in search of strange boat which got adrift from the yacht Mermaid last night. We have been about here for three hours. Itmust have got over the bar and gone out to sea. 7" Low, lifting himself to look over the bank, saw how things were and settled back resignedly.
 "Arsman boat called the Dolphin ?" asked Adelaide.
 "Yes."
 "With a book and spyglass in it?" she continued.
 "Yes," confessed Somers, ashamed of his seamanship. "I let it getaway from me. I have charge of the yacht. There she is wonder, pointing to the ofing. "You will. find your boat fastened to a post just inside the breakwater. My man Stephen picked it up last night. He is in the garden. Stay, I will call him. " She came down to the garden door-a beautiful young creature all in white and found Captain Somers awaiting her, cap in hand. They went together down the overgrown paths, he holding the rose-vines aside to let her pass.
 "I am giving you too much trouble, , said he.
 "No. There is my man. Stephen p she called The old man came up with his spade. He began telling how he had found the boat-for which the young gentleman did not care two straws, casting desper- ately about in his mind to learn how he was to meet Adelaide again.
 She had already withdrawn to the terrace and stood awaiting his final bow. She little dreamed thetruth-sweet Lady of Shaloti She was looking fxedly at the fine, strong figure, the cool, sensitive blonde face, the picturesque yachtsman's s dress; she had inhaled tie faint fragrance of cigars, felt the magnetism of this strangers gentle touch as he put her dress aside from the thorns, and a feeling of pain she could not express visited her pure heart as she realized that in minute he would be gone from her gaze.
 And he went. With one backward glance from the fine blue eyes, with 6 gay and graceful salutation and final call of thanks to the young lady, Gap. tain Somers turned bend of the rose path and disappeared, followed by old Stephen.
 s'A desperate venture p he muttered s'but my only chance"
 If, while unmooring the boat, he deftly questioned the old servitor of the Westerleys, old Stephen never told But when he saw the two boats floating off shore he chuckled over the bit O silver in his hand, and mutterd, "Goo' luck to you, sir p
 The fair Lady of Shalot went slowl, back to her bower. Perhaps the prett, chamber did not then look quite beau tiful. Perhaps she, too, murmured ''I am half sick of shadows" It woul not be at all strange.
 This girl of twenty lived strangel isolated life. She was the last of he race, living on the estate bequeathed her in her infancy by her dying father A half-sister of her mothers, an age woman called Aunt Resolve, was he only companion. She had never entere society. She knew little of the worl outside the beautiful gardens and shore of the Junipers.
 But for old Aunt Resolve, the gi seemed to be wasting her sweetness o the desert air. The devoted old woma idolized her. From her baby-hood sl had dressed, washed and tended he Perhaps it was mistaken Fondness tn. relieved the heiress of all care of h, estate, for.it required some managemel to make it yield an income for the fam ly. and Adelaide suffered from emu Perhaps little care would have bet good for her. But Aunt Resolve thoug differently, and the girl knew nothil of the oyster-beds and the crops tn were hers.
 The girl stood in the rose-path aga the following evening, her garden h in her hand, her eyes unconscious fixed upon the yacht Mermaid in t ofing. She was in an unusually thougl ful mood. There had come to her f the first time the thought whither b