Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-04-16
BOOK THE THIRD.
CHAPTER THE HONEYMOON.

CHAPTEh 1.-THE HONEfMOON.
More than six weeks had passed. The
welded lovers were still enjoying their
honeymoon at Vanse AbbcI
i'cNe offense had besn given, not only
to Mrs. Eyrec our., - ,;ids OF her
way of thinking, by the STRICTLY at
~ :, i vii tho IL &-.a.. leon
celebrate. 1i.v event =. ay )Eyl odl
by surprise when the CUSTOMARY nd ;er-
tisement aronornd in the -"nonnrs.
Fore, .... "a. ollble H.. plcsslons
that might be produced in som quGr-
ters, Stella had pleaded for timely re-
treat to the scclusion Of Ron.lvnc's
country house. Fne will Of the bride,
being, as usual, the bridegroom's law,
to Vange they retired accordingly.
On one lovely moonlight night, early
in July, Mrs. Romayne left her hus-
band on the Belvidere, described in
Major Hynd's narrative, to give the
housekeeper certain instructions reiat.
ing to the affairs Of the household. Half
an hour later, as she was about to as
cend again to the top of the house, one
Of the servants informed her that "the
master had just left the Belvidere, and
had gone into his study"
Crossing the inner hall, on her way to
the study, Stella noticed an unopened
letter, addressed to Romayne, lying on
table in o corner. He had probably
laid it aside and forgotten it. She en-
tered the room with his letter in her
hand.
The only light was a reading lamp,
with the shade so lowered that The cor,
ners of the study were left in obscurity
In one of these corners Romayne was
dimly visible sitting with his heal sunk
on his breast. He never moved when
Stella opened the door. AT first she
thought he might be asleep.
"Do Idisturb you, Lewis?" she asked
softly.
"No, my dear"
There was a change in the tone of his
voice which his wife's quick ear de-
tected.
~ am afraid you are not WE'LL" she
said anxiously.
~ am little tired after our long ride
to-day. Do you want to go back to tho
Belvidere2" ?"
"Not without you. Shall leave you
to rest here?"
He seemed not to hear the question.
He sat, with his head hanging down, the
shadowy counterfeit Of On old man. In
her anxiety Stella approached him, and
put her hand caressingly on his head. 1t
was burning hot.
"Oh!" she cried, "you are ill and
you are trying to hide it from me-"
For moment he was still silent, TAX
ing out his handkerchief and passing it
rapidly over his face.
Nothing is the matter with me, lie
said, with au uneasv ''r.l, lie p4.
his arm .ou,d hel .4..., anI mad her
sit IN hiz knee "Whr 'n"' 90 go.
liz your ae ask, o let yr?'
"Yes. Addressed to ,ou, and not
opened yet"
Hr - ,-i '''nr ho l%rew
it cOi - a. =. -ola near n.Ai.
"Never mind that now Let MS
talk" He paused and kissed her before
lie went on. "My darling, think you
must be getting tired Of vange?"
"Oh, no l can be happy anywhere
with you and especially at Vange. You
don't know how this noble old house in.
forests me, and how l admire the glori.
Gus country all arcmd it
He was not convinced.
"vange is very dull, he said, obsti.
nately, "and your friends will be want
ing to see you. Have you heard from
your mother, lately?"
"No. / am surprised she has not
written"
"She has not forgiven us for getting