The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-24

| ne OreW ner 10 nlin anu klSSeu ueT
many times.
.'Too goodP'' he echoed. eOh, my
little pure snowflake, if ever you can
love me for one little hour, it would be
worth lifetimer'
Always she shrank from meeting
strangers. Each face she scanned with
almost painful intentness; then the old
look of utter Indifference would sweep
across her own.
But here in the home where her hus-
band had brought her she would be
subjected to less of this. Its grand old
beauty could not fail to delight her
| senses. Her own rooms were fitted up
like the bower of some fairy prin-
cess; servants waited upon her every
wish; all day she might stroll alone
through the shaded avenues of superb
old oaks, save when her husband joined
her.
But day by day he watched the sweet
face grow paler and the slight figure
more frail. One day he came to her
with an open letter in his hand, hap
| py light in his face.
| '.Harold has written me, darling-the
friend whom have told you 1 love so
well-he is coming to visit me. He will
be here tomorrow"
''Harold " she gasped, and her face
| grew ghastly.
He threw his arm about her, fearing
she would faint.
"You know him?'' he asked, in sur
prise.
mo, no." she tremblingly answered.
81 was faint for a moment. That is all.
| l am glad for you. l will be ready to
| receive your friend"
Harold" she murmured to herself,
xx-l,nn o1nnn L
that the simple utterance of the old
name thus moves meP AS though there
were not a thousand Harolds in this
great world. Oh, heaven, thou wilt
grant my prayer Thou wilt never let
me SEE his face again.
The next afternoon Lillian was alone
among the trees, when suddenly she
heard the sound of voices. 1t was her
husband speaking.
..You will think her beautiful,
Harold. She shall be to you sister.
OF you l will not be Jealous"
The next moment a turn in the path
brought the two men to view. One
instant-her glance rested on them
both; then she sprang to her feet press
ing both hands to her heart, awaited
their approach in silence, her face color
less as her dress, her figure swaying as
the lily-ben on its stem.
'Harold, my wifer' said Sir Hubert,
then looked from one to the other in
amaze.
The young man made no motion to
outstretch his hand. He bowed low.
Lillian neither stirred nor spoke.
"You have met beforeP' Sir Hubert
went on.
1--WE have met BEFORE" replied Har-
old Courtney.
Lillian still spoke no word. Once she
passed her hand across her eyes, as if
blinded; then turned and walked swift
ly toward the house. The two men
left alone, looked in each others eyes.
"What does it all meanP" asked Sir
Hubert, and his question was both stern
and pleading.
''Ask your wife," answered his friend
''Only bid me goodbye, and let me
leave your roof"
''Wait until tomorrow" replied the
host. LILLIAN has never deceived me-
she will not do so now"
But Just then came the summons to
dinner. The young mistress, pleading
sudden indisposition, begged to be ex-
cused. The two men sat down in
silence. It was a wretched meal, and
an evening yet more wretched.
At an early hour Sir Hubert conduct
ed his guest to the rooms apportioned
to him, and withdrew to his own. Rest
lessly he paced their length for half an
hour, when he resolved to seek his wife
and have the mystery explained. She
might not love him, but at least she had
no cause to fear him; she would with
hold nothing.
In slippered feet he crossed the corri-
dor. His way led him past Lilian's
boudoir; the door was half open; within
he heard voices. His very blood froze
in his veins: it was his wife speaking.
He stood rooted to the spot.
Harold, you must go at once-at
oncer'
'.How dare you tell me what 1 must
dor' answered the man; ''you who have
wrecked my life? Itwas for you l toiled
to amass the wretched fortune l now
loathe. The death of an uncle gave me
success sooner than 1 had hoped.
thought but of you by day, by night.
Wild with happiness l returned to claim
you-to learn what? That you had
married and gone. Desperate. L did
not even ask the name of the man who
had bought you, until to-day l come
hither to find him my friend. Oh, Lii
ian, many a murderess has less stain on
her soul than you."
Harold, spare me! spare me! They
forced me into it. They knew l loved
you-my mother! my husband! She
told him, but still they wished that l
should marry him. What could l do?
1 prayed for Heaven to help me, but no
help came. / called your name all
through the night, but you would not
answer"
The man listening outside the door
leaned against the portal with groan;
but within, wrapped in their own mis-
cry, neither heard.
Lillian, you love me still, then? Oh,
my little love, must lose you forever?"
.sHush-hush! He has been SO good
to me-so good! Oh, if / lived to be an
old woman, l could not repay him. To-
morrow j will tell him all, after you
have gone; for You must go in the early
morning, dear, before anyone is up.
/ Then L will say, Il promised to do my
duty, Hubert. L have done it. l am
sorry that the Harold loved was your
friend; but he has gone now, and l
must try to make up to you his loss, and
by-and-by, if you will have patience
still, will learn to love you, husband
not as loved him, perhaps. but with a
better love- You will go, Harold?
You see am not strong. l have made
you suffer, but you can see that l have
suffered too. In the old days you never
said me nay. You will not say it nowP'
''Go to your sleep content, little one.
You will see me never again. But,
Lillian, 1 shall be hungry many years.