The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-09-23

MLstOcIatlc httle lauN Vi twenty sum-
mers. She was extremely devoted TO
me while 1 was proud to know that only
a few short months must intervene he
fore the time fixed for our marriage
In the confidential chat with Glare and
her mother before luncheon was served
in the quaint old dining room, / was
made painfully aware of the necessitv
for concealing my encounter with Hilarie
and the consequent arrangement for Al
ton Woods on the morrow. Mrs. Beres-
ford was loud in her censure of tie i'm
providence of her husbands brother in
law, Arthur Graeme, which had resulted
at his death in the advent of Hilaire
under her roof as a useless dependent
upon her uncle" Clare's laughing sug-
gestion that Hilarie replace her in com
panionship to her mother after our mar
riage, hurt me even more than Mrs.
Beresford's exclamations against the or
phan there was such an utter want Of
sympathy In smile and Vote thu e7'ii-
trasted oddley with the sweet NATIONAL
face l was longing to see again.
It was not until dinner that my wish
was gratified, when, after a cGreRss IN
PRODUCTION from Mr.. Beresford, HliarIe
flashed one warm grateful glance INTO my
face. aud throughout dinner preserved
grave silence, my few well-meant en-
deavors at convcl sation with her only
eliciting low mOnosvllabic replies, and
the cold surprise in the faces Of Clare
and her mother that should address her
warned me for Hilarie's sake to appear
to maintain the same Indifference to-
ward her as distinguished themselves.
Indolent Glare retained her town habit
of keeping her room until the morning
was far advanced, when she would de-
scend in the most bizarre of morning
toilets in time for the late breakfast with
mamma; consequently during my So
journ Mt Beech Hall 1 was free TO pass
the early morning hours in whatever way
suited my fancy, else ! had not dared To
appoint the NEE ing with Hlarle tor
Glare was a very eNactlng little bride
elect. indeed.
All, that delightful morning in Alton
Woods the first Of many such When
Hilarie and L was ordered. sketchoooA
in hand. among the tall, straight pines,
the shadows of their murmuring branches
tiecked with amber CLEANS Of sunlight,
or threaded our way through fern and
bracken to some specially dainty bit OF
woodland scenery, where seated on u
fallen tree-trunk, or moss grown bOwlder,
with waving glRsses around her ana
velvet masses at her feet, Hilarie Graeme
seemed to my excited fancy the embOdi-
ment of some fairy denizen Of the forest.
None knew but ourselves Of these
daily meetings. Though no words had
passed between as to the need Of secrecy,
we had tacitly accepted 1t IS fact, and
apparently our mutual Indifference to
each other when in the society Of the
Rarac do I
Sometimes my conscience smote me
that in her sweet innocence Hlarie sub
mitted herself so entirely to my guidance,
for knew if we were discovered hard
things might be said of her, but l was
prepared TO defend her with my life If
need be. and .ball - kein@ so :.
more than a month had elapsed since
my arrival at Beech Hall, and still Glare
urged me to ''stay little longer, and
against my better judgment stayed on.
unable to deny myself those bhssfUl
hours spent with Hilarie, my beautiful
love. Yes, it had come to that. | knew
now that Hilarie was more to me than
Clare ever had been or ever could be,
and the knowledge that I was in honor
bound to the one and dare not reveal my
secret to the other was daily, hourly
torture to me- Heaven knows | tried
hard then TO be loyal to my tr0th bat
Clare's evidences of affection grew daily
more distasteful to me, and l found my
elfconstantly comparing her unfayorably
with beautiful, high-souled Hilarle. l
fancied, too, that my betrothed had be-
come conscious of some change in the
warmth Of manner toward her, for lat
terly she became strangely pale and
anxious-eyed, while new clingng ten
derness In her demeanor towards me
seemed conscious reproach TO my faith
lessness. Yet how could 1 wound sensi-
tive Hilarie by suddenly ending those
meetings in Alton Woods Clearly 1t
was my duty to return to town at once,
and on the afternoon of the day on
which 1 arrived at this determination l
went for last stroll through the grounds,
going mechanically IN the direction OF
Alton Woods
I came suddenly upon Hilsire, who
seemed intently reading or examining
a scrap of writing in her hand. She
started and crimsoned guilty, thought,
at my approach, crushing the paper
ruthlessly in her hand. Half jealous, L
inquired:
/" Have | surprised a secret. Hilarie p
'sNo," she answered, still confused
they were merely some lines l had
written"
"Hilaire poetess - i exclaimed,
laughing.
sf .Scribilltts ifdOcti dOcttque J5oeDtotG
Dossij,l." she answered plavtulE, and
the incident faded from my mind, to be
when and how recalled L little then I'M
agined.
Hilarie received the news of my ap-
proaching departure in a strggely
silent mood, which piqued me no-s lit
tie, especially when L found she VS. ab-
sent from the dinner-table on tbs, the
last night of my stay. Glare, to, was
away. When l had communicaed to
her my resolve to leave by thel2 80
train on the morrow she had kissed me
as though she were losing me faever,
and her white, wan face and pltlfl hlue
eyes touched me So deeply thatI had
taken her III my arms aud kissed away
her tears, promising TO return mg be-
fore the day fixed for cur wedding
"Oh, Gerald I" she sobbed, Il could
not give you up. dear, now, and again
! wondered could she have guessed my
secret Still pale and trembling with
agitation she had gone to her room: and
at dinner her maid informed Is that
Miss Glare had given orders not to be
disturbed, and Hilarie, being Inquired
for, was found to have gone out some
hours previously and had not yet re-
turned. Still. conversation was lively
at the dinner table, when we were sud
denly startled by hurried trampipsy of
feet and a confusion of voices. broken
suddenly by the unceremonious entrance
of Mark Thompson. under gardner at
the Hall, who, breathless with excite
ment, informed rs that "there was sum-
nut wrong up at the Alton Woods. a
man had been murdered, sur, and Miss
Hilarie she be wi him and sent me ON
for help" l was already at tue door.
my one thought Of Hilarie, Mn. Beres.
ford and the men servants following.
when Glare, white and shiveriDp met
mn ae fhnr,cr1 oh