Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-12-17
and most tenderly. and in a voice


She replied almost coldly-th0ugn
her heart was strangely beating and
q warm, UNUSUAL color was in her
face: ssMy best friends will tell you
doctor, that am ugly and common
place. Believe them, l beg you.
and do not let your inauguration
invest me with any charms"
He seemed at once to be carried
away by his passion. He leaned
over herand replied warmly: 'sy0u
are beautiful, Constance Owen. l
feel your beauty in my very soul. :"
But he said no more.
The face of Constance was study
the flush that before had erimsoned
her cheeks died out, and she became
ghostly pale. Her fingers, which
had clasped the flowers, slowly OPP
ened and they dropped to the
ground at her feet. All at once the
vision of the dead woman seemed
to present itsekto her mind and the
trust she was Violating struck cold
to her heart. Was this the forever,
she had spoken? She staggered.
and would have fallen the arms OF
DIR. Paulding were about her. but
she waved him away in moment
with such a piteous, despairlng ges-
ture that he obeyed her without q
word. She only had strength 70
falter: sa.
WGo-and remember Edith"-and
she staggered back towards the
house. leaving him standing tnere,
bent and trembling. "a
She did not knOw how she reach
ed her own room the strong Wo-
man had learned at the same mo-
ment she loved that she must sacrl-
fee and renounce. -
She stood for hours white and mo-
tionIess, looking out at the sunset
and the gathering gloom of evening
with wild thoughts chasing them
selves through her brain and
dumb, aching pain in her heart
even hope trailing in the dust, ike
| those sweet flowers he had given
her. She laid her head after awhile
unon her hands on the window case
| ment of her room, and wept softly
through the long, long hours until
She heard the village bell strike the
hour of midnight. She mad played
and wrestled with her grief and ag--
ony. and rose up at length quiet and
calm. She had yielded to duty and
her promise to the dead.
Somehow Constance Owen SEEM
ed To grow prettier as the months
passed by-there was some refining
change which was softening her
rugged features and rounding every
line in her stately form. The sum-
mer into autumn had flown, ana
still Edith Ormond had not re-
turned to Bonnybrook. Her aunt
had died, and letters came at times
saying that ere long she would pc
home, yet she came not. Could sne
suspect the disloyalty of her lover?
tt was late in the fall, when the
woods had put on their pomp OF glo-
nv. and the chill winds sent the fall
len leaves through the valley near
Ronnybrook, when DIR. Paulding
rode I'm to the house and asked for
Constance. She had only received
him twice since that summer even
inc. and had then contrived by wo-
manly tact not to be alone with
himEalthough she no longer doubt
ed her strength. Constance on this
occasion received her guest alone;
there seemed a strange emDarras-
ment in his manner. After tne
first greetings were over, he said:
"COnstance have much to say to
YOU to-day. Do you think you can
listen to me calmly
Eyes" she replied, "if it is upon
a subject upon which you should
sneak and'-she added trembling
ITO which / should listen."
"Both." he said. "When first L
saw Edith Ormond / was captiva-
ted by her beauty and eirlish gra-
Constance would have stopped
him by gesture, but he gently peg
ed her to listen-"for you can DO SO
now" he said, Sin all honor and
reason"
He continued:
"I have never had my heart stir
red by the full knowledge of love,
however, until / knew you and dis
covered the breadth of your sympa-
thies and the Womanliness of your
character. l never respected you
more than when you rejected me,
knowing that I was the engaged
husband of Edith. But fate has
been kind to us BOTH" His voice
was trembling with emotion. "Read
|. the last part of this letter."
He handed folded paper to Con-
stance, who took it az one in a
dream.
"From Edith?" she asked.
"Yes."
The position she read ran thus:
: $50 you see, dear DR.. Paulding, II
is better should tell you now that
/ have met one here, my cousin
Raw, whom feel that love better
than anybody in the world. l have
promised to be his wife and am
sure that you will forgive me, fol-
, you are so noble and grand and all
that, and / should feel, l know,
that 1 never could fill worthily the
; exalted sphere OF DIR. Pauiding'a
wife"
Constance could read no more; 9
mist gathered over her eyes, but
, this time strong arm was about
/, her, and voice deep and melOdlous
WHISPERED to her: dearest Con,
stance, will you be mine at last E
Their lips met for the first time
in one long kiss of love, and his an.
swer was eyes, thine-forever."