The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-05-29
Her companion glanced around rs It all
right, Miss Elliot" he asked, smiling, and an.

afraid, Mr.. Artist, your hand is rather stiff
!, Don't you think something lighter droopns
down the side-sOmelhlng with very little
more"
"A little more of Grace That ivy at your
toot-will not that do:"
!. 'Ivy :" she repeated slowly, Il did not see il
before did not know you had brought any
Mr.. Livingstone How luxuriant this is.'
He had turned again to the adjustment OF
the scarlet berries, He replied; There is
not much, you see Jus, that bough which
+, YOU hold and another. ! was riding by the
grange last eycning-you know what bower
there is over the north windows. | confess to
being guilty of petty larceny, for thought IA
garland from your old HON" would brighten
Christmastlde That branch, now, please
have place for it just here
He extended his hand for 1t but, IN an IN.
slant, finding that nothing was offered to his
grasp and that no reply was made, he looked
around Grace was standing there, her blue
ewes flashing, fixed on vacancy, and the hot
blood rushing to her brow. The Ivy was no
Longer IN her careless hold. She had dropped
lii suddenly upon the hearth, and her foot
spurned ii aside impatienuy Livingstone
sprang from his place, and was at her side in
an instant
Miss Ellot-GraCe," he cried have
done anything to wound you? ID. you not
know that for worlds would not hurt you ?
1t tortuies me 10 see you thus. Grace, are YOU
angry with me =" tor she had turned from HIM,
had suddenly thrown herself into the arm
char by the table and laid her brow down on
il, shivering from head 10 foot
Not sound escaped her however, and
when he drew near, pouring forth eager, lnco-
hcrcnt words the burden OF which was still his
love untold before she did not STIR Tor a long
moment Then she lifted her head slowly.
There were no tears, or traces OF them on the
crimson cheeks But even the watcher at the
window could see how her hand shook, as IN
stead Of answering, she reached forward and
drew q small desk toward her She took a
KEY from her work box deliberately and un-
locked 1t; and then, more deliberately still,
she lifted letter after letter, till She came to
worn envelope. She hesta,ed then; her color
changed, and she half moved to lay the aged
envelope IN It's place again. But she did not.
As If summoning her utmost resolution, slow
Nv, painfully, she held ii out toward Living.
stone
1t was without address, and sealed. He tore
it open hastily. No letter, not scrap Of pa
per IN it; hut as he held it up a dry, dead ivy
leaf tell out He looked at her inQuirlngy
\ culver passed across her mouth, and once
and again she tried to speak, but utterance
| failed But her eyes did not shrink from his
! and presently she spoke, So clearly that every
word might he heard at the near window
| only an iyy-leat, you see-an ivy leaf from
! that north window OF the grange. But, before
you spoke those words to me, you should have
known the story | See written on that wthcrcd
I thing. THIS night ten years ago 1t was worn
in girls hair placed there lightly by hand +
to which she thought her own rs well rs pledg'
| ed Not that there had been word spoken
on either side. Both understood without a
word You know the saying she added, bit.
terly-"One does not need To prove the sun
shines. But neither was fetered by promise,
and he showed his sense of freedom on that
very night by pledging himself to another wo-
man. Since that time this one leaf from his
wreath has lain sealed in tins desk As me
mento."
! He had not moved. nor dropped his eyes
from hers. lie had only grown very pale, |
and his lips had become white, as he said, dis
tinctly:
AS mcmento Of his love? Grace" and
he came "a step nearer, and laid the envelope
down between them on the table do you still !
| love this man.
| Her color rose again, but still her lashes did
not fall and still her face was raised to his.
The watcher listened breathcss,y. Had not :
the whole world of those two that moment
closed around them, they might have heard
thorny boughs IN Eliots trenzicd grasp.
| And ii | do still love tins man, she quer
! led, then what would you say?'
! lie had drawn nearer still, had graspcd both |
| little trembling hands in his
II would say, Grace, his love was less than |
mine. Come, let me teach you to forget the
| past
| She rose up then; and, As she stood facing
her lover and the window, the man who had
betrayed her love bcheld her face light up az
with II sudden glory.
That Christmas eve" she SAID, upon my |
knees, | watched through tears-such CALLING, |
bitter tears--the gray dawn merge into the
day When the first sunbeams entered that !
dark room, rose and laid that leaf, that bright |
! leaf from my life, which had thought could
never wther, IN my desk, sealed, for | said
such n leaf should nCvcrmorc be turned by |
me. But--you have broken the seal"
And you can love mey'
Since that night, long ago, have not low.
cd-ull now
He did not draw her closer 10 him, nor bend
toward her blushing, dropping face Instead,
he looscd her left hand rs she stood opposite
to lin; he lifted the leaf, and led her toward
the fire. He dropped it in the glowing flames,
and both stood looking on, uttering no word
until it shrvelcd up and shrank into puff
of ashes. He turned and looked at her then.
so fades out the dead leaf from my dar-
ling's life" he said land, Grace, even the
grange ivy shall keep no more bitter memo
RES for you"
As he spoke he stopped and broke of spray
from the branch on which but now she had set
her foot She did not shrink while he twined
it in her hair, braided of gold IN the fashion
she had hardly changed IN all these years;
and then she raised her face, Il long, full look
in the deep eyes.
But Elliot could watch no more He stag
gered bindly from the window, down the gar
den walk and through the gate. Had those
two III the bright parlor not been deaf to any
thing outside in the dark, they might have
heard the crunching of the gravel under care
less, stumbling steps, and the sharp swinging
10 and click of the garden gate.