The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1880-09-08

nor given any recognition to those
around him.
In her trial, the young girl whom 1
had so grown to love seemed to turn to
me beyond all Others for help; and all
that l could did to comfort and sustain
her.
MIR. Dacre came to the Hurst for the
funeral. Several weeks passed. Mrs.
Wilmington and the other boarders had
fitted away from their summer moor
ings into the giddy whirl of city life
again; but stayed with Violet. was
alone, and so was she, and she had
grown like daughter to me.
Still had never spoken to her about
her engagement, although 1 think she
knew how little l liked Mr.. Dacre. He
came very often now, and he seemed
anxious that their marriage should not
be long delayed.
Violet" said, abruptly, one day,
breaking through my customary reserve
upon the subject, "do you love Mr..
DacreP"
A sudden wave of color crimsoned
her truthful face.
"Why do you ask?" she replied,
evasively, without lifting her eyes.
Because" 1 said, impulsively, al
have thought for long time that you
did not feel for him the affection a wife
should have for her husband"
She laid her hand upon mine, and
though saw her eyes were full of tears,
her voice was steady.
"My dear friend, have promised to
marry Mr.. Dacre. Please do not speak
so again-it pains me-"
After that was obliged to hold my
peace.
One sunny afternoon, as we were
seated under the shade of the trees in
the Hurst garden, we saw woman,
leading little boy by the hand, ap-
preaching the gate. Suddenly sound
Of painting breath caught our attention,
and some distance behind the uncon-
scious figures rapidly ran huge mastiff
which belonged to one of our neighbors.
The animals jaws were flecked with
foam, and as he came blindly forward
his head was lowered and his mouth
was open. A horrible thought struck
US both at the same time. The dog
must be mad!
Quick as lightning, Violet rushed to
the gate, and seizing the woman and her
child, dragged them forcibly within.
When we had safely reached the
friendly shelter of the house, the woman
turned to Violet and thanked her for her
timely interference. She was rather
young, and [ thought if she had been
more neatly dressed she would have
been pretty.
After she had rested and partaken of
some refreshment which Violet brought,
she rose to go.
"Can you tell me-" she said, " where
is We've Hurst, where Miss Christa-
bel livesP"
"This is We've Hurst, and | lam Miss
Christabel," Violet replied.
A sudden anger famed in the woman s
black eyes. Starting back an clasplng
her boy in her arms, she exclaimed:
"You Miss Christa bel? And / have
broken bread in your housed"
Then, seeing our look of wonder, she
Gained her excited torres, and after
tumbling in her pocket IL oment, took
out a folded paper.
"Doad that" she said, "and see why
l have come across the ocean to find Miss
Christabel."
Violet took the paper from her and
read it; then she handed it to me. 1t
was o copy of an English marriage GER
tificate, in which the names OF the con-
tracing parties were Roger Dacre and
Ellen Houston.
saw that Violet was incapable of ut
terance, and took upon myself to speak.
"What does thi meanP' | said,
sternly.
"It MEANS" she answered, "that l am
Roger Dacre's wife. Five years ago he
left England and came to America, and
since then | lave never seen him. But
| had friends near here, though he didn't
know it, and 1 heard from them that he
was in love with, and then that he was
going to marry an American girl. |
worked day and night till l got mon ey
enough to come here. Not that l love
him-no! but meant to show him that
he could not wrong and deceive wo-
man as easily as he thinks"
AS she spoke both Violet and myself
were convinced by her earnestness of the
truth of her words.
Thus was Roger Dacres intended
baseness made clear, and Violet saved
from union which would have blasted
her life.
He had nothing to say when con
fronted by the woman whom he hat
thought, t,when he had tired of her anC
left her, too poor and powerless ever tc
do aught to right herself. Much to oul
relief, he soon left America, and W,
never saw his face again.
Then Violet told me how he had OBJ
tanned his power over her. He hat
come to the Hurst as guest of Mr.
ChrisLabel's, being the son OF a frient
he had known in his youth; and he
poor father, in one of those moments il
which his brain yielded to the strang
mania which possessed him at times
, had entered the young mans room a
night and taken valuable jeweled pii
, which lay upon the bureau. Mr.. Dacr
, had been awake and had seen it all.
He had proposed to me BEFORE" sal
Violet, "and / had refused him; bu
} Notwithstanding 1 explained to him ho,
it was, and that in few days / coul
f. find the pin and restore it to him,