Daily Republican., 1883-10-23
RETRlBU1ION.
BY GATHARINE Il. LESuER.

A soft western wind was blowing
stirring the laInherquins as it came
G0ldly In AZ the open window whs rt
Vera Vaughan SAL, and gratefully
famed her hot cheeks and her aching
head.
Poor little Vera. How strange and
cruel 1t seemed 10 her as she realizeli
that, out of all the intensity of happi-
ness she had reveled in since she had
accepted l:nx SeymOur's otter OF mar.
riage, she had stepped into this terri ole
abyss OF pain and trouble that had &c
sudd My opened before her.
IL was the old, old story of an engage
ment entered into with love only on one
side.
Years b-fore family arrangements
had made it advisable that, wh-n mex
Seymour anu Vera Vaughan we're old
enough, they should marry and now,
although they were be'r0thcd lovers. he
did not love her, but could have done 80
had 1t not been for certain pair of love
ly black eyes that had accomplished
the simple subj ugation Of his entire At
fectiOns.
The knowledge of al this had reached
our little heroine only the night before,
while at a dansante, where, resting in
the conservatory, away from the gay
throng and glittering lights, snd SCREEN
ed by the leafy foliage, she heard the
man she worsbipped tell her rival how
he loved her.
Poor Vera She hearl enough a,
she sat there that night, to col vince her
what terrible shipwreck was in store
for her. Somehow she had dragged her
self home alone, paralyzfsl INTO dumb
stinging horror, and nov, To-day, she
wastrying brayelv 10 f,n- her fl St de-
spair and sorrOw, and decide what she
had hest do.
That same afternoon she sent for him,
and when he came aud saw how deain-
ly pale her face was, aud the strange
light in her eyes, he knew at once that
som ething was wrong.
How pale you look" he said, bend
ing tcDderly over her. Are you sick,
Vera? What can / do for YOU"
DO for her? Ab, what could he or
any one ever do for such pain az hers?
His caressing kindness sent a sickening
quiver over her.
" Rex" she said, quietly, 81 will
not deny that I have suffered since
have decided that 1t is best our engage
ment should be ended, and give you
back your tro,h."
Vera" he exclaimed, his handsome
face flushing slightly, then paling per-
ceptibly. "Vera, what is the meaning
Of this mad request from you?"
She looked up at him with "a feeble
little smile.
Do not ask me why, Rex. Let il be
enough that l am willing to release
you."
His breath came In struggling gasps
a. be stood there before her with folded
arms. Was 1t possible that she tad dis
covered his passionate love for Lila Mel
ton?
And then all that was noble and hon
orable uprose in his soul as he looked
narrowly at the trusting girl before him,
whom hs realized now how cruelty he
was wronging.
"Vera Vaughn, do you think | will
allow you to cast me aside like this.
You are my promised wife, and "a such
| hold you, unless-unless you do not
love me -
The denial of his last words were so
strongly stampe' upon her deathly
white face that no words could have
added to II.
He fully realized that with him truth
and honor must serve him all his life
Instead of that blessed love which had,
In an impulsive moment, escaped his
lips, never dreaming what the future
held for him or how soon justice was
10 mete out to him his just deserts.
Under these circumstances, Vera,
III accept my dismissal, but, mark. my
words, in time your heart will condemn
on tor your proposal TO me to-day, and
yCn will send for me to forgive you.
And then he lstt her, only to go to
bask In the sunshine of Lila Melton's
beauty and vivaciousness, when the
reward of his own folly was rt aping for |!
him came with singing force upon
him.
"Don't you think my ring is pretty2"
Lila said, holding out one little hand
upon which glistsned a handsome dia-
mond ring. cold Mr.. Devereaux has
just presented 1t to me az q pledge of
our befrOthal. 1t was all mammals |
loings that brought about thu match |
between us. Oh, think have been
30 fortunate In capturing the wealthies,
bait Of the season. Dear me, how
strange it all seems "
And Rex Seymour stood there before
The woman whom he had learned to |
love 80 fatally, and realized with
igonizing regret what he had lost In
poor Vera's love.
Somehow he tore himself away from |
the presence of the woman who had
played such terrible havoc with his
heart, and the next day, when he was
a bout to go back to our little heIOine, . |
note from her WAS handed to him, which |
briefly read thus:
SiLce you have accepted my dis. /
lnissal, have no des.re to stay where
my presence will, perhaps, mar your
VERA VAUGHAN"
He crushed the note in his land. He
groaned aloud at his fooliohn'ss in cast.
Ing aside all that would have made lie
worth living for.
Almost desperately he SET to work to
And Vera, but his most eager search
failed him.
What an idiot was," he thou CHI
ruefully. "Ah, If ever l find poor
little Vera swear 81 atone for the |
wrong Ibid her."
But he soon discovered that 1t was no
easy task To find the woman whom he |
realized now he really did love, and 80
the months rolled by, and again the
glorious summer days came.
He had gone up the Hudson on this
eventful day of which l write, to visi
an old college chum Of his who had re
,rno1 tho vs,ook v>1r.~, cuo.,, N,,vn,~a