Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-21
CHAPTER Y.

| NVHuuChCcS.
The Countess Silvestrell, perceiving
Cecil Chesterton's astonishmont2an Won
der, said, quickly, "You appear to think
it rather strange that should prefer the
Black Pearl, but you would not if you
knew my reason for making such
choice"
| Cecil was too upset to notice that they
were drifting into dangerous condolences.
His eyes were fascinated by the fair, girl
ish face. All the haughtincss was gone,
and in its place was the pathetic, bcseech-
ing look SO often seen on n child's.
IL do not think the choice strange"
he said, falteringly. "Atleast, not strange
for you to make"
NATURALLY you perceive the difference
| between me and others Of my sex, said
Lucia, more sorrowfully than bitterly.
"Few women have to mourn murdered
father as do, or have felt tho horror l
feel every day when"
She stopped abruptly, and pressed her
hands in convulsive clasp. The usually
quiet features were mobile now with in
in vain to repress.
81 meant to say" she resumed, when
she could command her voice, "that my
whose fame he had eclipsed He was an
English soldier who drew his sword in
the cause of Polish freedom, and he died
by the hands Of Poland's pretended
friends. But 1 ought not to have dis
turbed you now with 80 sad history. l
beg your pardon"
'Pray do not saythat, dear Countess ~
exclaimed Cecil, his expressive face show
ing how much he sympathized with her.
81 claim the privilege of fellow coun-
tryman to offer you my sympathy and my
regrets. My father also was q soldier,
but he died young, and cannot claim,
like you, to be the offspring of n hero
} and martyr. Dying as he did in free
dom's cause, your father must feel q
proud satisfaction in knowing how you,
: his daughter"
"Hush, Lushi' cried Lucia starting up
and seizing his arms with such vehem-
ence that the grip Of her fingers made
: him culver with pain "thc dead do not
know-they cannot! He would not rest
at peace in Paradise if he knew that
, oh, Heaven
A gasping sob choled her, and she
sank back on her chair powerlcss from
the violence of her emotion and her effort
to control it,
Cecil was totally unprepared for such q
J scene. and it reused all the chivalrous in
. stincts Of his nature. He had been forced
: to think of her AS cold, unapproachabl,
= ice flower, whereas under that glacial
calm she had been hiding such sorrow a:
e this.
h The too traitorous tenderness of sen
D sitive nature spoke in his voice as, bend.
ing down beside hor, he said softly, "An
= I too great n stranger to be allowed to pu
: all my powers Mt your service? Any
u thing that can be done ] will attempt i
you will let me-"
}, II cannot. Nothing can be done !!
y said Lucia, lifting her head from he
II hands, and drawing a long. sobbin.
!. breath. lit is not my custom to speal
of the past, she continued, pushing III
= the soft mass of fair hair on her brow, n
s if it oppressed her, and fixing her eyes
!, heavy with the weight of unshed tears OF
It vacancy, IL prefer to stle memory
But the feeling that you would not under
y stand me-therc are SO few who do
: forced me to speak. | ought not to hav
done it, it wos wrong and useless,
1t useless y The incifnble despair ex
|. pressed III that one word wrung Cecil
soul. $50 few people understood her
~ illti Ho bHt tOultt IltlII utI ! W llte tiitli
. of him who, Of all the world, stood near
|, est to her, part of herself and her sworl
J. champion
" These wero terrible questions to h
e forcing themselves on young man i
Cccils position. The inability to answe
l. them Alright has wrecked many nobl
life.
l, A strange feeling of Indignation min
l. gled with the tender pity OF his tones a
D. he said to her, "The knowledge of suffer
d ins implies tho power Of sympathy
Dear Lady Silvestrelli, | purchased at
1, bitter cost Of sorrow the ability to sym
10 pathize. If it is not an iApertinence t
l. say so to you, l do understand.
She raised her cleai, heart p.el cn
s. eyes to his face, and said, almost with til
y, simplicity OF child, "Thank you,
u One Of the four doors turned noiselcs'
ly on its hinges, and the Count came il
IN rubbing his large soft hands and smilin
er his seraphic smile.
u. Cecil drew himself sharply upright
H. and was conscious of looking more awl
is ward than ho had ever done before in h
o. life whilst Lady Lucia seemed change
into stCne.
Tn But tho amiable atachc did not apes
to perceive anything amiss. He took Il
nc the discarded canoes, and throwing hin
IL self lazily down on the fauteuil neare'
Oh his wife, began to expaliaLe upon the
n. beauties.
an But Cecil was too unstruug to be alb
to converse more that afternoon ; and
ia soon MS he could decently d. SO he too
~, his leave.
lr
CHAPTER XII