Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-09-22

panionship to her mother after our mar
mage, hurt me even more than Mrs
Beresfofd's ordinations against the or.
| phan there was such an utter want OF
sympathy IN smile and voice that con,
trasted oddley with the sweet motional
face l was longing to see again.
| 1t was not until dinner that my wish
was gratitied, when, after careless in
PRODUCTION from Mr.. Beresford, Hilarie
flashed one warm grateful glance into my
face, and throughout dinner preserved
! grave silence, my few weli-meant en-.
| deavors at conversation with her only
| eliciting low monosyliabic replies, and
| the cold surprise in the faces of Glare
and her mother that should address hel
warned me FIR Hilarie's sake to appear
| to maintain the same indifference to.
| ward her as distinguished themselves.
lndolent Glare retained her town habit
| Of keeping her room until The morning
was lat advanced, ~nen sne wouIq de.
seend IN the most bizarre of morning
toilets Ill tine for the late breakfast WIFI
mamma; consequently during NV 90
Journ at Beech Hall / was free to mss
the early morning hours in whatever wav
suited my fancy, else had not dare5 To
appoint the meeting with Hilarie for
elect, indeed.
All, that delightful morning in Alton
Woods the first of many such when
Hilarie and l was ordered. sketchbook
III h4liu, among the tall, straight pines,
the shadows of their murmuring branches
licked with amber CLEANS of sunlight.
or threaded our way through fern and
hracken to some specially dainty bit of
woodland scenery, where seated on a
iallen tree-trunk, or moss-grown bowlder.
with waving grasses around her and
velvet masses at her feet, Lllarie Graeme
seemed to my excited fancy the embodi-
mont 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 it as fact, and
apparently our mutual indifference to
each other when in the society of the
Berestords was as marked as ever.
Sometimes my conscience smote me
that IN her sweet innocence Hilarie sub
mltted herself SO entirely to my guidance,
for L knew If we were discovered hard
things might be said of her, but / was
prepared to defend her with my life if
need be, aud hall and wood being so
isolated discovery was scarcely to be
feared
Days had heightened into weeks, until
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 blissful
hours spent with Hilarie, my beautiful
love. Yes, it had come to that. I knew
now that Hilarie was more to me than
Clare ever had been or ever could be,
and the knowledge that / was in honor
bound to the one and dare not reveal my
secret to the other was daily, hourly
torture to me. Heaven knows I tried
hard then to be loyal to my troth but
Clare's evidences of affection grew daily
more distasteful to me, and | found my
selfconstantly comparing her unfavorably
with beautiful, high souled Hilarie. /
fancied, too, that my betrothed had be-
come conscious of some change i'll the
warmth of manner toward her, for lat
terry she became strangely pale and
auXious-eyed, while new clinging ten
derness in her demeanor towards me
seemed conscious reproach to my faith
lessless. Yet how could | wound sensi-
tive Hilarie by suddenly ending those
meetings III Alton Woods. Clearly it
was my duty to return to town at once,
and on the afternoon of the day on
which | arrived at this determination [
went for last stroll through the grounds,
going mechanically in the direction of
Ait N Woods.
L came suddenly upon Hllaire, who
seemed intently reading or examining
scrap of writing in her hand. She
started and crimsoned guilty., thought,
at my approach, crushing the paper
rathlessly IN her hand. Half jealous, l
inquired:
I" Have | surprised a secret, Rjlarie ?"
"No, she answered, still confused
"they were merely some lines / had
written"
"Hilaire a poetess !" | exclaimed.
laughing.
" iScrjJimaS ind0cti docttque p0c,latd
passim." she answered painfully, and
the incident faded from my mind, to be
when and how recalled I little then i'm
agined.
Hilarie received the news Of my APP
preaching departure in a strangely.
silent mood, which piqued me not lit
tie, especially when | found she was alb
sent from the dinner-table on this, the
last night of my stay. Glare, too, was
away. When I had communicated to
her my resolve to leave by the 10 80
train on the morrow she had kissed me
as though she were losing me forever,
and her white, wan face and pitiful blue
eyes touched ME so deeply that ] had
taken her in my arms and kissed away
her tears, promising to return long be-
fore the day fixed for our wedding.
ooh, Gerald p she sobbcd, = 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 us that
Miss Clare had given orders not to be
disturbed, and Hilarie, being inquired
for, was found TO have gone ont some
hours previously and had not yet re-
turned. Still. conversation was lively
Mt the dinner table, when we were sud
denly startled by hurried trampiug Of
teet and a confusion of voices, broken
suddenly by the unceremonious entrance
OF Mark Thompson, under gardner ut
the Hall, who, breatlless with excite
ment, informed us that "there was sum-
mut wrong up at the Alton Woods, a
man had been murdered, sur, and Miss
Hllarle she be wi him and sent me on
for help" I was already at the door,
my one thought Of Hilarie. Mr. Beles
ford and the men servants following,
when Clare, white and shivering, met
me as though she would 90 with me-
She looked so terribly i'll that / begged
her to return to her room but she shook
her head, saying, 81 must go. HilaTie
must not be there alone !" and so Clare
aud | were the first to reach the entrance
Of the wood, the first to see Hilarie with
her face buried in her hands kneel'ng
beside the murdered man, sobhiag bit
terly. Glare turned suddenly away; Tut
sprang forward, crying, "hIlaire :
Hiiaire %
Oh, the agony of the white. streaming
face lifted to my own, as she tottered t.
her feet, crying out wildly, 'Oh, why
did Won come here?" and with IS.
sobbing cry, she reeled and fell insensi-
bic into my arms. ''Hilarie, speak to
me-oh, Hilarie. my love, my dazzling z
| cried. pressing her franticaliy TO
my heart, and all my love for H.larle
was revealed In those few passionate
words to Clare
Even then / was conscious of the piii-
full, dumb despair on the poor, pale face
as she abruptly turned and left me aloDe
with my unconscious burden.
pray heaven may never know ag n