Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1883-10-13

eyes. A heavy weight was pressing upon
the young heart-a consciousness of
wrong-doing-a grim wOnderment as To
whether she was treating honest Guy
quite right after all. He had been so good
to her alPthese weeks, so kind and faith
full; and she-ah, she knew now she had
never meant to marry him from the first,
and She had only built up his tower of
happiness to crush him beneath its ruins.
81 will tell him to-day" she determin-
ed, one morning, starting out with
merry party for days ramblc among the
woods. "He will forgive me, know;
but | never, never can forgive myself"
But it was hard to find fitting words.
Guy" she began at last, when they
had wandered off from the rest, "our
month is not quite up yet, is itg"
NO" he answered. Darling, have
you not found ont your heart yet?"
Yes" she said sadly. "Will it pain
you very much, Guy, if take it all backs
Perhaps it will hurt less when you know
| am not worthy heart like yOurs-that
nv heart has been somewhere else all the
time, though would rather die than have
any one suspect my secret. You VIII
keep it for ME, will you not:"
ooh, Eva, this is too cruel! You can
not mean it; you do but try me" ~
81 wish l did," she answered, "but it Is
all too true. Guy, say you forgive me
say you will try to forgive me-"
81 will forgive you, dear-yes; but for
get you, not until life ends. Who is this
man, Eva. Can lac be flesh and blood, and
not return your loye?"
"Don't ask ME who he is? Only, oh,
Guy, lam so unhappy! But you Will grant
me one more favor, will you not? Go
back to the rest, and leave me alone, just
for a little while. You can say L was
sleepy, and desired to take nap in the
woods,
A bitter sob escaped the young girls
lips as the man obeyed her; and, hurying
her face in her hands, the hours slipped
UNDECIDED by, in her rcmorseful thoughts.
loud clan of thunder startled her.
She sprang to her feet. Through the
thick branches overhead, she could sec the
black gathering clouds. Already, the rain
drops began to fall. Where could she find
shelter?
She screamed aloud. No voice answer
ed her. For many minutes she ran in the
direction of the party, but the woods,
growing thicker, warned her that she had
lost her way, and she soon sank, exhaust
ed, to the ground.
"Itis retribution ~ she thought, looking
out from the poor shelter offered by the
trees, upon the binding storm. Poor
Guy! They will find me dead tomorrow
Then he will forgive me, but Rex VIII
never, never know | loved him! Rex
Rexv' sho called aloud in her despair,
when, borne Oh the storm, a voice came
back to her, and in another moment Guy
Ross stood by her side.
"You must not stay here another min
ute, Eva. Poor child" he exclaimed.
"Mr. Inglis and / have been searching for
you everywhere. The storm came up so
suddenly that when l reached the place
where l had left you, you were gone"
"And where is he? cannot leave him
here. Oh, Guy, it is he whom love"
But all in vain. No answering voice
came to their shouts, and, the storm in
creasng in its fury, they could but seek
safety, hoping he had done the same.
It was evening, and Eva lay, worn and
weary, in dry garments, upon the lounge
in her own little sitting-room, when Guy
entered, unannounced, n great look OF
pity upon his face.
81 have sad news for you, Eva" he
said. 81 thought you could bear it better
if 1 told you. They say Mr.. lnglis is ly-
ing in swoon from which lie cannot re-
cover; that he was found stunned by a
fallen tree, in the woods"
For few moments Guy Ross thought
new victim to ithe days excitement lay
before him, but soon the breath came nut
tering back to the white lips, and the blue
ewes opened with questioning look OF
hopeless sadness.
"You can forgive me now, Guy, can
you not?" she murmured softly.
For answer, he stopped and pressed his
lips one moment on her brow, then turned
and left her.
"IIc is dead or dying! Tmust go to him
must look once more into his face"
This was Eva's first thought, when the
long night was ended.
ole eau never question the act-can
never know what prompted II" she muir
INJURED to herself, as, In answer to the
housekeeper's look of inquiry, she asked
to be shown to Mr. Inglis' room.
What awaited her beyond that thresh-
old?
She dared not ask, as, silently turning
the handle, she entered, closing the door
softly behind her ere she lifted her eyes.
Then half-scream burst from her. Sit
ting in All easy-chair, his arm supported
by sling, was the man whose dead or
diving brow she had come 10 moisten with
her tears. They burst forth now.
She would have fallen where she stood,
but that his arm caught her as he sprang
to her side.
eva" he exclaimed, joyous light
beaming in his eyes-'YOu came here to
see me? You heard was hurt!"
81 heard you were dying, and, oh, l
wish Won were-I would never, never have