The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-10-15
HIS BRorHER,s WIFE

softness Of q big Turkish chair. A
companion, a dark-haired, dark-faced
man, sat at her side His hand was
near hers-so neal he had but to lift IL
and lay it upon the little pink-tipped
fingers that clasped the arm of III,
crimson chair. And his eyes, his dus-
ky. unfathomable eyes. were fixed up
on her face in a glance half scrutiny.
hall admiration $780,
..Violetr 49,
The girl raised her dropped eyes with
a slow uplifting of their white. long
fringed lids. but she did not look into
his face nor change one line of hei
graceful. languid attitude.
..violet." her companion commenced
again. a slight swift CLEAN of annoy
ance crossing his face. s'are you angry
because | have mentioned my brothers.
manner Really do. you care nothing for
my brother more"
REALLY. Mr.. Daryl. you are unwar
rantably curiousr' the girl flashed out,
gathering herself up in a naughty way
that became her well. .'But, lest you
should wilfully misunderstood me-
hear me say it again-in plain words.
Hubert is only my friend"
Now the mans idle hand closed over
the light fingers in . firm clasp. and
his handsome face. flushed and plerd-
ing, bent close above the girls.
"Violet, you are angry with me-you
call me Mr.. Daryl, and l have known
you as long AZ Hubert. and you say l
am unwarrantably curious because / am
deeply interested in your welfare. and
you evade my questions. You and
Hubert may be only friends, and yet
you may love him. Stay! you shall
not leave mel! l will leave you if need
be. No doubt l have fingered too long
already; but you shall hear me first.
know why l am curious-because /
love YOU There. Violet If you love
Hubert there is no hope for me, but
l can, perhaps, accomplish your hap
piness."
The girl shook off his hand and stood
up, angrily. q naughty little nader ,
with flaming cheeks and flashing eyes,
and a cloud of short tawny hair tossed
impetuously away from her white brow.
Eyes. you have fingered too long.
already. Mr.. Daryl; there is no hope
for you here" !
Very well. I accept my dismissal
for the present." replied her compan-
ion. with admirable calm; '.but tho
day will come when you will be less
swift to send me away. Good evening,
Miss Rivers" Il
What did he meanp The girl sat long
and late by the grate fire, trying TO
think 1t all over-his words about Hub
ert his own confession of love. his of-
Ter to accomplish her happiness.
"As il l would take Hubert's love q
Gift at his handsr' she broke forth, in ;
dfDAoxfl. ssTI.ho~k H.. -- III
sn sure Of it. .'How can l help being
Furs. when we have always been such
Intimate friends and his manner has
grown to be mor and moro that Of oil
loverP Oil why has Ernest come homo
to make me m~iserablcr"
Poor child Leading her sweet. quiet
home life in the old vicaragc, what did
she know of the hundred evil passions
that rule the ways of men?
The Daryl's country mansion was
Just across the broad, shaded country
road from the vicarage, where Violet
lived her quiet life with an elderly
uncle and aunt. The girl had known
the Daryl boys from childhood, and
had admired the handsome elder one
in an awesome way, and loved her
younger friend and playmate with all
her childish, passionate affection. As
the years went by, Ernest. the heir.
travelled abroad. anil only with the re-
curing summe did she sec much OF
his younger brother. But this year
things had been different. Ernest had
come home from abroad, Hubert had
left Oxford, and despite the invalidism
of Mrs. Daryl, the hall had been crowd
ed with gay summer visitors.
Violet had never passed so gay a
summer; for the parties at the hall were
never quite complete without her, and
it seemed almost a second home.
Hubert was with her constantly, and
the strange. sweet blossoms of woman
hoods love bloomed in Violet's heart.
She was too happy, too innocent. in
her sweet, pure ~girlishness to see that
Hubert was beloved of another woman,
and too wrapped in her own dreams to
study Ernest Daryl as he studied her,
or she might have discovered that he
loved her.
And SO that evenings talk, when
Ernest had called on her, came with a
strange shock to Violet; but for all its
sad forshadowings of fate she scarcely
comprehended it Only, as the days
and weeks slipped by, and Hubert new
or came to call on her, she could not
shut out from her mind the face of
handsome Miss Bellairs, and the words
that Ernest had dropped concerning
her and Hubert.
And then - sometimes Violet re-
called Mr.. Daryrs words. Was it true
that he would have-that he could have
had the power to accomplish her
happinessP Had she been foolislly,
m%iserably unwise and overproud in
striving to conceal her hearts secret
until she should confess 1t for the
very irst-at Hubert's wooing?
Mol She could not, she would not
take her love from another mans
hands!
From November to the latter part Of
March-such a short time to most NOR
tals-seemed an eternity TO poor, proud
little Violet. And then, one night,
Ernest Daryl came to call. Much and
often as she had told herself that she
hated him, she met him eagerly now.
As the girl walked with outstretched
hand toward him, Ernest noted how
changed she was since the summer be-
fore. Her cheeks had lost their deli
cious bloom, her eyes their sweet
naughty fire. He was glad. He had
mot hurried his plans. and he felt sure
of triumph at last.
What q stranger you are!' Violet
said, with q slight, shy dropping of ha
eyes.
'.Did you expect to see me, after You
sent me awayp"
az am afraid I was very rude thai
night. But you have forgiven me, OF
you would not be herep" q trifle qucs-
tioningly.