The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-04-09
face. "Yes. I will GO. Renee" he

| in her breast and hair.
They were rather early on the cro-
quet grounds, so Kathle and Renee
played a game by themselves.
Victor Gray watched Renee with
passionate. plying eyes, knowing
the pain in store for her, which he
had heen too cowardly, he thought
bitterly to warn her of.
III could not tell her." he said land
yet wish / had"
He watched her eyes wander to the
gate.
She had thrown her hat aside and
the soft breeze lifted the sbnff. dark
curls II heF inw Br0w ami d6rbers !.
the rose tint on her cheeks.
He saw the red lips part in smiles
and the lovely dark eyes deepen, and
turning toward the gate he saw Lester
Sinclair coming to the pathway a
lady leaning on his arm.
The one look of Renee's face told
Victor that she never suspected the
truth,
Her faith like love. was unwaver-
ing. She believed in Lester Sinclair
as she did in her own loyal love.
The lady on his arm was delicate
little thing, with certain kind of
beauty of the wax doll order. with
big blue eyes, dainty features and
clustering flaxen hair.
They came forward to where Renee
stood.
"Clare," he said, "this is the young
lady I told you of. Miss Csurtland.
Renee-Miss Ceurtland my betrothed
wife, Miss Duvane."
His betrOthed wife !"
The words rang in Renee's ears,
that seemed to die away with faint
moaning sound.
Remember she was only seventeen
and childish for her age.
The bright young face grew pallid
as death and all the sweet light seem
ed to fade from her eyes.
Victor strobe TO her side.
"Take me home, Victor, II don't
feel we'll! Please take me-"
The words died away on her lips
and the next moment Victor held
her white and senseless in bis arms.
A magnificent room, large lofty,
and furnished with almost Oriental
splendor, from the velvet carpet, into
which the foot sank noiseIessly, the
silken inlaid furniture, the wondr Gus
gems of art that adorned the walls,
the rare statutes that filed every con.
ceivable nook, to the most minute
, articles in the room.
At one of the windows a tall, slen
der woman stood, holding back, with
slender jewelled hand, the foaming
draperies-a woman radiantly, rarely
bsautifu', that even the casual passer-
by half paused with a look OF invel-
unlary admiration on the face.
The low. white brow, the great
dark eyes, the curving crimson lips,
and waving masses of blue. black
hair. made picture almost perfect in
its rare lOyeIiness.
And yet. it was not satisfied face ;
there was a look of past pain and
present longing, strangely mingled,
resting upon it. Where the expires
sion lay you could hardly tell. only
it was there.
And this graceful woman, who
seemed born for the wealth that sur
rounded her, was Renee CourtIand,
who had laid SD white and still in
Victor Gray's arms six long years be-
fore.
The change in her life had come SO
suddenly, so unexpectedly. An un-
Gle of her father, who had never
spokea to him after his marriage
with the pretty French girl, had seen
Renee. and being childless, had left
her all his wealth.
"N0t for love-" he said, "she was
too much like her Frenchified mother
for that, though there was something
of the Courtland about her as well,
but simply because she was a Court
land and nearest Of kim"
But loyal Renee had never forgot
ten her old friends. for when In her
stately heme, Margaret Gray was
with her, and every summer the little
cottage welcomed her fair young face
again.
For weeks and months after the
day she tainted in Victor's arms Rec
nee had been the shadow of her for
mer self.
Pale and listless, 1t seemed as If
hope would never reassert her sway
Il