The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-10-01

were streaming. She had Just finished
some furious sentence about her uncle,
and her eyes were flashing with indigna-
ton. Mr.. Milbank was seated in his
old chair in the corner, listening with II
smile to the earncstness of his beautiful
child, and was walking swiftly up and
down.
Sir, will you help me to marry her?"
"Clare sprang with u bound to the
middle Of the room and looked ut me.
The rector rose from his seat and took
my hand in his.
"'Are You serious, my boy?'
" Most certainly am
"'Then, if God will help you, I will,
and we will be happy again. Is il not u
grand thought, Glare ?
"But Glare Ind vanished.
"Then we arranged il all. We had
learned that they were going to Baliston
III few days, and we arranged To 60 on
To the Sans Souci and meet them. The
meeting was to he accidental, and We nc.
complished it precisely as We had in
tended.
"Clare led her the first evening from
the crowd i'll the saloon and on the piaz-
zas to the darkest corner of the COLOMBO,
and here, for the first time, approached
her.
"Philip, | cannot tell You of that in
teryiew. II was IN hour that you may
see written here i'll my forehead, here on
my gray hair. l was IN old man then,
for she told me my hopes were vain-I
must forbid them thenceforth, forever.
The memory OF that beautiful woman
as she stood there before me with her
blue, deep eyes fixed on mine-fxed in
mine, for their light was III my brain and
soul; that memory will not perish 40 long
as have eyes or soul, here or hereafter.
l bowed my head and wept, and she
never shed one tear. implorcd, and
she was calm. mo, no, NOT that terri
BILE word was reiterated again and again
and again.
"And what shall / do-whither shall
go for hope on earth said /.
"And she came close To me, Philip, as
l stood with my head bent forward, and
she lifted her beloved face close up to my
mine, and she put her arm, her small
white arm, around my neck and whis-
pered, Love Glare, Stephenr and her
lips were on mine one instant, one thrill
ing instant-yet, Philip, one eternity of
emotion, and she was gone.
"And Glare stood ten PAGES from me,
with her head bowed over the rail; and
when it was MI over and | staggered to-
wards her, she took my hands in hers and
held them in close clasp, and said but
one word
"'Stephenr
my sister Clarer
"And then she wcpt. Inever saw her
weep before, and now it was but for II
moment, and then she drew me away,
and obeyed her.
"More than II year passed with the
swiftncss of thought, and | had never
left the seclusion of my country house.
Clare lett home in the early autumn to
pass the winter in the city. During
the year after my parting from Lilly it
would he vain to deny that ! often re-
CURED to her last words, sealed, III they
were, with that last thrilling kiss, and
when looked into the face Of beautiful
Glare, did not seem very difficult to obey.
To worship is not to love. wOrshipped
Glare. | bowed before her royal beauty,
her clear intellect. her noble soul. In
the year that passed 40 darkly over me
she was II constant light, companion,
comforter; and when she went away |
felt the blank more than could have
believed possible. In the middle of
December ] was called to the city by
peremptory business, and went with re-
luctance, intending to return within a
week.
Il" found my business more perpleX-
ing than l had anticipated, and after
few days i determined to look up Clare.
Relying on my intimacy to pardon an
evening call l went at late hour on
Christmas eve and found myself i'm
crowded rooms having, rs | now found,
stumbled on IN evening party. l did
not retreat, for the home of my sisters
friend WAS one Of my own houses in old
times, and was not disappointed in my
reception.
"Clare was the centre Of brilliant
circle, and at home rs queen among
her subjects. believe that thrill of
momentary jealousy passed over me a. l
saw her, and l looked simply over the
group for one on whom she would he
likely to waste one of her royal smiles.
But she gave me such welcome that my
foolish jealousy, if it existed, was gone
on the instant.
"The hours sped swiftly with dance
and song. 1t was near midnight when !
stood with Glare in the library, while all
the party were in the supper rooms. A
servant entered with note saying that
it had been brough by man, now at the
street door, with urgent haste. Stop-I
will get the note.
Wilson crossed the room, opened a
desk and private drawer, and returned,
bringing i'll his hand small yellow note
stained with that inetfaceable stain, IN
etiaceable from paper, cheek or heart of
man-the traces of tears.
"They are not my tears, Philip. They
arc Clare's.
"'Clare, Glare, come TO me before die
David will bring You. DO You know, Glare,
where Stephen ISL Send him word To come, to
come quick; quick Clare, for fear-I hope
yes, hope shall not see the New Year. But
come tonight, Glare, il you would see me- for
God knows whether | shall zoe the Christmas
morning. LILY
eve were wrapped in cloaks and Mt
the front door in M instant.
"'You here, David?'
"Yes, sir. / have never left Miss
Lily since yon told me to stay with her. ;
"He led lis up one street and down
another until We came to an obscure
street running west from Broadway To
the North river, and IL house half way
down this, ut which he paused and
knocked.
"Who's therep'
"'The doctor and nurse
"The door opened, and we entered.
81 did not know then, as have since
known, the appearance of the splendid
room into which we passed. 1t was u
hell. You know what that is. The up
| per portion of the house was devoted to
the private rooms Of Mr.. Ray and his
family. The lower part was arranged in
gambling rooms, gOrgeously furnished,
in which we heard the sound of money
on the board, and the quick, sharp com
mands Of the banker, succeeded by the
silence that waits the turn of the cards.
Passing through the hall and sort of q
reception-room, we assembled broad
flight OF stairs, and entered room that
was dark and gloomy, and Enthusiastically
the abode of sickness.
" Have you come, dear Clare?'
al have, and brought Stephen with
me.
"There was strange half-cry, half
sob from the bed, and / advanced
toward il.
"Philip, in that dim light l saw the
radiance Of heaven again, over it was the
very light of God, into the outer circles
of which she was already passed, and in