The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-04-08
BILE man like Percy was to supplant
LHcius in her aching heart.

ole man IKE PERCY was to supplant
LHcius in her aching heart.
Bitterly angry with himself for
evoking it, and with Birdie for offer
ing what he was pleased 70 call an
insult, he left the arbor without an
other word, walking rapidly along
the path toward the house. When he
was about halfway some sound at
tracted 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 be alone Of course
you would. But you will not carry
on your little games at Abbotscraithie
if can prevent it,"
In less than five minutes Amelia,
forewarned by Percy, was creeping
along through the brushwood to the
back of the arbor, to learn, if possible,
herself unheard, something of what
was going on between her husband
and Birdie Verulam.
II would never have come if l had
known but, oh, Lucius, thought
could have borne it. Why did you
let her invite US ?"
MY darling, I did my utmost to
prevent it; but she was very positive,
and well you babe nae marry her,
and well, you see, I did not think
you would care SO very much"
"Oh, Lucius, 1 should have made
no sacrifice for you if had not really
cared, but thought was drawer. If
only Lady Constantia would be per-
suaded 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 this once, my love. Now
go. cannot bear it if you stay longer
I cannot, indeed. Besides, it. is not
right to yours elf or her."
He took her in his arms for a mo-
ment, left on her lips one more for
hidden, burning kiss, and was gone
not toward the house, but down the
hill on to the moors, where, with
nature reigning in wild beauty all
around him, he could fight unchidden
with his raging love.
In the arbor, for long space, the
soft, buzzing, lazy summer sounds
were disturbed by BRIDES sobs; while
outside, with nothing between them
but the thin, dark covered, wooden
partition, sat Amelia, on the ground
among the underwood, her head on
her knees, which were surrounded by
her clasped hands. She had heard it
all, and was thinking it over bit by
bit
What should she DO? The future,
which but an hour ago had seemed so
bright to her as she believed in Lucius
Fitzgerald's love, had suddenly be-
come 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, and thinking more earn
estly than she ever thought in her
life before, q depth of feeling was
awakened in Amelia's heart for which
no one who knew her only in the light
comedy of life would have given her
credit. She was the first to move
very carefully, lest Birdie should hear
and 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 wild-goose chase. Lu-
cius has gone down toward Raeburn's
farm.
What an invaluable article is stu.
pidity in the proper place.
Two hours later the husband an d
wife met at dinner. Birdie had one of
her usual bad headaches. No one could
have guessed that Amelia had learned
the truth only perhaps Lucius no
ticed 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 al that
love could think of, and attention
carry out, she gave to Birdie, and
with no demonstrative outbursts. 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 pro-
duced by BRIDES illness. Amelia had
seen her way through the mists, and
the road along which she had elected
to travel was that of patient sympa-