Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-06-22
presented himself upon the threshold,
and, said in 8 very pointed manner:

| ~ft A>S oSSh SddSlt III vie RAIN, anu
her servant wants to know if l can give
her sitting room while he drives back
to Chiselhurst tor close carriage"
And this is the only one you have?'
reJoined Seton. 'Oh, ask her in by all
means. However, am sorry the room,
smells 80 of smoke" he added, as he
knocked the ashes from his pipe.
Don't mention it, sir, and thank you
very much,' replied the landlord.
In another moment the door opened
again, and the unexpected intruder en-
tered-a lady tall and graceful, having
a pale Madonna-like face and golden
hair shining like an aureole round clas-
sic head.
Seton's face had grown white to the
very lips, and his voice quivered per-
ceptlbly AS, extending his hand, he said,
This is very unexpected meeting"
Very unexpected" echoed the lady,
removing her wet mantle and sitting
down on the leather sofa. The recogni-
| ton had been mutual, but women, as a
general thing, have more self possession
than the sterner sex.
LET me recommend this chair"
said Seton, laying his hand upon the
one from which he had just risen.
"No, thank you; prefer sitting from
the fire."
81 am sorry the room should smell
so of tobacco" observed Seton, after a
pause, "but you see did not expect
the pleasure of visitor"
She smiled rather forced smile by
way of answer, aud Seton folded elabo-
rately and put into an envelope blank
sheet of paper.
"The country is very beautiful
around here" he observed, writing his
own name with great care upon the
envelope.
"We have only been back from the
continent six weeks" she observed, af-
ter a pause. mamma has taken a
house near Chiselhurst. was driving
over to Sevenoaks this morning, and l
was caught in the rain, and induced to
ask for shelter here"
"And how is Mrs. Clarefield?"
Mamma is quite well, thank you"
Then, after pause, care you stopping
hereo"
"Hardly," said Seton, with an as
sumption of gaiety in his tone, "but III
tell you about it. My friends kindly
took it into their heads that wanted
fresh air and exercise--so they bound
me over on my word of honor to walk
from London to Hastings in week. l
acquiesced in this, and this is my first
day of hard labor and Imprisonment"
"But you used" began the lady;
then she colored little and seemed
unwilling to finish her sentence; "you
used to be so fond of walking"
"But man changes good deal in
three years." he replied YEARLY.
1t would weary you, reader, to set
down here the dreary commonplace
with which these two tried to beguile
the time for more than an hour. At
last they took refuge in silence, while
the wind roared, and the wind lashed
the windows, and Seton looked out on
the cherries prospect, and shivered as
with the cold. Then the lady rose very
quietly, stirred the fire into blaze,
and resumed her seat on the sofa.
"No, you shouldn't really" said Set
on, turning round, however, and with
a look of pain ON his face. 1t is Won
derful what suffering some common
place word or action may cause us.
What vistas of possible joys may they
not open up to us!
81 suppose the carriage will soon be
back" said Alice, presently, and speak
ing with effort; "our coachman drives
very fast"
"Yes; your term of imprisonment
will soon be up" rejoined Seton, rest
ing his arms on the mantlepiece, and
examining with critical interest pho
tograph before him.
How the time passes!" said Alice,
in low voice, rs if speaking to her
self. Then, with sudden energy, 81
cannot tell when we shall meet again.
Before we part, answer me one ques-
ton. You are looking worn and weary
ARE you happy?"
Now he stood before her, and through
the freight his eyes flashed on her, rs
he said, in low, harsh voice;
From your lips that question Is an
insult"
"Of which you need not fear the rep
etition." she rejoined with cutting for
mality.
"No, it can't end like this" he went
on. ''Do you know, ever since you
have been here, have bitten my lips
through and through to keep them
from speaking of the past? This meet
ing was not of my seeking, and it seems
to me unmanly to take advantage OF
this opportunity"
eve are sometimes SO much mis-
taken,' she said, hurriedly, but her
words were hardly audible, and he
continued
"Alice, you have treated me badly.
On that day now three years ago, when
| gave you my love, and believed in
yours, I was frank with you. ] told
YOU how wild and irregular my life had
been, and how full of faults / WAS.
You reclaimed me--you transformed
my ways--you made life pure and fair;
and then because some, thorn in my
love hurt you, you threw it all away,
and left me to perish miserably." She
would have interrupted him, but ne ST.
fenced ner with gesture, and Went on:
And now when We meet after three