Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-19

toward tho house. When he was about half
way some sound attracted his attention and he
looked around. Lucius, strolling back, gun in
hand and alone, had reached the arbor and
stopped another second and he passed inside
and out Of view.
$3.50, my lady! please leave me; would
rather ran i De aione!' OF course yoI would. But
botscraithie If can prevent It,"
In less than five minutes Amelia, forewarned
Dy Percy. was creeping along through the
orushwood to the back Of the arbor. in order
to learn. If possible, herself unheard. some
thing Of what was going on between her hus-
band and Birdie Veruam.
II would never have come II had known:
but, oh Lucius, Thought could have borne it.
why did you let her invite us2'
my darling, / did my utmost to prevent It:
put she was very positive, and I-well, you
babe me marry her, and well, you see did
not think you would care so very much"
70 Lucius should have made no sacrifice
1or you II had not really cared, but / thought
was Drawer: If only Lady Constantia would
De persuaded to take me home"
=, my poor, poor, sweet love, Birdie!" was all
the man could murmur
There was no consolation to offer now.
You must not kiss me, Lucius-well. only
TINS once, my love- Now go. l cannot bear it
If you stay longer-I cannot, indeed. Besides
It Is not right to yourself or her."
He LOOK her in his arms for moment, left on
her lips one more forbidden burning kiss. and
was gone-not toward the house, but down the
nlll on to the moors, where, with nature reign
ing IN wild beauty all around him, he could fight
unchldden with his raging love.
In the arbor, for long space, the soft, buzz
Eng, lazy summer sounds were disturbed by
Brides sobs; while outside, with nothing be-
tween them but the thin. bark-covered wooden
partition. sat Amelia on the ground among the
underwood, her head on her knees, which were
:: surrounded by her clasped hands. chad heard
IL an, and was thinking it over bit by bit.
what should she do? The future, which but
an hour ago had seemed 80 bright to her as she
believed in Lucius FitzgeIald's love, had sud-
denly become dimmed by mist which looked
eternal. She could not see through it, it was
thick as that which gathered about the summit
OF her own north country hills. Still she must
try and find her way through it; and as she sat
there motionless, listening to the sobs within,
ana thinking more earnestly than she had ever
Thought in her life before, depth of feeling was
awakened in Amelia's heart for which no one
who knew her only in the light comedy of life
would nave given her credit. She was the first
TO move-very carefully, lest Birdie should
near-ana to go slowly to the house She met
Percy at the door,
"Well. what was up in the arbor ?"
Nothing. believe you purposely sent me
on wd-goose chase. Lucius has gone down
toward Kaeburn's farm"
What an Invaluable article is stupidity in the
proper place
Two hours later the husband and wife met at
dinner. Birdie had one of her usual bad head
aches. No one could have guessed that Amelia
had learned the truth; only perhaps Lucius
noticed that she was even more tender and
Womanly in her manner than she had ever been
before.
For many days Birdie lay i'll up stairs in a
darkened room. Amelia never intruded herself
unbidden into the sick girls presence: but all
That love could think of and attention carry out
she gave to Birdie, and with no demonstrative
out6ursts. Nor did she ever tell Lucius that
she knew aught Of the past. but helped him
quietly, with soothing tenderness to bear the
anxiety and irritability produced by BRIDES ILL
ness Amelia had seen her way through the
mlsts, and the road along which she had elected
TO travel was that of patient sympathy
AS months passed on and time cicatriZed the
wound in Lucius' heart that destiny had made,
was not much of its healing due to the woman
who loved him well enough to bear silently and
unmurmingly her share of the burden with
which he was 80 heavily weighted.
Birdie verulam has never married. She went
abroad with Lady Constanta for while; on
her return she studiousy avoided all meetings
with Lucius, and pointedly refused to pay
another visit to AbbotscIaithie; but she is al
ways on friendly. almost loving terms with
Amelia, who scarcely ever undertakes any
scheme OF Importance without first consulting
Blrui6.-IIuSteUS M1O1zInp