Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1880-10-28

|
was fading slowly from her eyes, and more
| peaceful expression taking its place. He
might have been blind, or, perhaps as Lois
| sometimes thought-merely careless ~
1t might have seemed strange to him, and
| in another man might have called forth some
question or remark, how, go where he would,
the slender girlish form followed him. +
But she said nothing, and he asked no ques-
| tons, showed neither surprise nor pleasure,
| perhaps felt neither; but when a well-known
| ring came at the door, and well-known voice
was heard in the drawing-room, wherever
| Sydney Dering might be, if he looked up, he
was sure to find his wife by his side. f.
Ii ne rose up to go out, or to play on the
organ, as he sometimes would in the twilight
| of these winter evenings, the sli.l black fig
ure seemed by instinct to put down the book
it held and cross the floor. "You are going
out May come with your" she would say
softly.
And he would reply eyes," simply, and
Later on the question and answer even grew
unnecessary. 4zssaAt@,55 =
When he rose, his work over, and put aside
his writing materials he had only to stretch
out his hand to feel the SMALL slim fingers in
his; and together they would pass the draw
ing-room door, whence issued the low muir
mur of voices; together they would walk
down the long gallery to where the organ
stood, and while Sydney played, and Lois sat
crouched on the rug in the freight listening,
there was no need of words. .......s
| Once or twice they came across the lovers.
Florence. superb in her beauty and her love;
Robert, bending his tall head to listen to her
words. Even then though Lois felt the color
| die out OF her cheeks in the very fear that
possessed her, lest sorrow that she felt she
might live down alone, should come to be
shared by her husband; even then, as she
| turned in nervous fear toward him. lest he
should have observed her white face, she saw,
with sigh of relief, that he was not looking
at her-that his eyes were turned toward the
| outside world and the gathering snow clouds,
although his hand still rested on hers
. "There will be snow,' he said, calmly.
$50 you think you will venture out ?" =
| eyes, please" she cried, eagerly; 81 should
| like walk?"
''It is not very good day, and you look SO
delicate. do not like you to run any
risk"
81 am quite strong. Sydney, when am
with am with you," she added, with smile,
| after IL pause. st would much rather COZ :
Then, OF course wou SHALL" he replied,
cheerfully. 1.-TWO are always better than
one. L have had a hard days work. You
shall come and talk to me-" a".@a&
| But after all they did not talk much, only
wandered about, and looked at the dogs and
horses, and speculated about the snow storm
and various other unimportant matters, until
down the harG frosty road came the sound of
| horses feet. -..r ....... ~ -5...,,-..
! And then Sydney, looking again at the in.
| clement sky, suggested that the library, with
bright fire, would be pleasant exchange
for this dim, cold atmosphere, and his wife
agreeing, they went in. .,-....
| Does he guess anything, or know anything
she wondered. But the calm, quiet face told
nothing; there was no answering reflection
| from the questioning eyes she involuntarily
turned toward him, as the thought passed
| through her mind, and she gave quick sigh
of relief .. : 49,. .
| ''Come to me when you are tired of the
drawing room and mothers society. Florence
has gone over to the Veres' for week, so you
may find it dull, but perhaps lI fiatter myself
when suggest. you may And it less dull
here ?" ..,....... ......
He had his back to her as he spoke, 81 ir-
ring the fire, so he did not see the sudden
CLEAN of relief that seemed to lift years off
her-did not hear the exclamation of thank
fulness that crossed her lips; was aware in
deed, of nothing until he felt a soft kiss on
the hand that hung down by his side. When
he did turn round she was gone, so all expla-
nation of the unusual caress was of necessity
impossible.
| A week, when it is only a reprieve from
something that must come to pass, flies more
swiftly than the usual fourth of month, but,
on the other hand, the respite in itself helps
| us renew our strength and so enables US to
bear better the pain, and anxiety, whatever it
may be, when it does come, and so Lois Der
| ing found
| Found Florence Gainsford in her defiant
happiness, her proud beauty, less trying than
| before that weeks holiday. Besides, the
time was drawing on now wedding presents
wedding dresses were discernable about the
| house soon ah very soon now-the shadow
thrown by the presence of these lovers would
disappear, leaving her, Lois Dering, as she 80
ardently prayed, unshaded by ill-or even by
| faint reminders of the past ....,...... F.
81 will forget it, " she said day by day; 81
will remember nothing; think of nothing, but
1t is the 1st of January, the evening before
| the wedding, and Lois is seated on low stool
by the fire in a.httle sitting room that is rare
| ly used but every unoccupied corner in the
house seems to have been called into requis-
| ton; and to be out of the confusion and fuss
that is reigning everywht re else. Mrs Dering
has taken refuge here. DOT,
t. Her thoughts have wandered away from the
book she is holding in her hand her head has
sunk on the low rail of the fender, and almost
unknown to herself, and certainly without any
specific cause the tears have gathered in her
eyes. .tsg ,... .....-sr..--- ,...,..r3 -
The quiet opening of the door, however. re-
minds her OF this fact, and she raises her hand
| quickly to brush them away, but not, it seems
quickly enough, for Robert Moretou's voice
breaks the silence-Robert's voice, earnest and
| low, and fun of pain; "What is it? You are
crying. What is the matter ?' And then,
with a sudden change in his tones, II beg
your pardon, Mrs. Dcring; was told Flor
ence was here, and that she wanted to see me
directly arrived.s me- e''A - 81
Iat"Iwill go and look for her, Lois said, ris-
ing from hor seat and turning away, ignoring,
as he had done, those first words
"No, no ~ he cried indeed would rather
not. Thisis far pleasanter and quieter for
you than the drawing room. | will 90 back
there; sooner or later shall be sure to find
her,.
Lois could not find it in her heart to dis
suade him, so she sat down again on the foot
stool from which she had risen, and from
there she watched the mans figure as he walk
ed irresolutely away. Something in his atti-
tude, something IN the fre!lit room and the
solitude and the quiet, reminded her 10
strange, far-of manner, as we recall bygone
dreams in dream, of that other evening
when she had chosen her path IN life putting
her duty, or what she believed to be such, be-
fore her love- and. acting on an impulse that
the dream caused, she stretched oft her hand.
Robert, she said, in her sweet voice, "Rob-
ert, yoh know wish you web tomorrow"
He turned at the sound OF her voice, but be
made no.reply to her words; only, after a
pause Ia care you happy ~, he asked Then 4
they became aware that third person was
present--that Florence Gainsford was stand
ing close beside them, with drawn brows
watching. sas< F@ { 5.ts -sHuH
Robert, " she said, slowly, s'wiIl you 60
into the conservatory and wait there few
moments for me? shall not be long. and I
want to talk to you little alone-there are so
many people in the drawing-room. Il
''All right; I'll CO." he replied, and so de-
parted, and the two women were left alone.
- Thar. Eiaxoxaoo -