Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-04-24

81 do not see" began Daphne, with
a slight hauteur that made her look like
a young princess, her eyes darkening
and flashing, and a deep rose flush
creeping into her cheeks. Ard then
she paused abruptly.
After moment, however, she went
on.
at was hardly necessary" she said,
"that 1 should know uncle Harold's
plans concerning his ward The knowl-
edge has no interest for me-" And
somehow she felt distinct and unrea
lsoning hatred rise up in her heart
against this Fred Dayton.
She walked to the door, with her
Princess air, as sne spoke, leaving her
mother quite confounded.
Fred Dayton reached the Mere by q
midnight train, and saw no one but his
uncle. But the next morning he was
awakened by bird-like voice beneath
his window, singing softly, but with a
finished sEeetness and passion, that
could not be hidden. fhe voice would
sink away almost, and then burst cut
into rippling roulade of thrills. swell
ing, and dying. and rising again. A
sweet, fresh, rapturous voice that made
every pulse in his veins thrill.
''Wbat 8 marvellous voice! Who can
it be?',, he cried, springing to the win,
dow.
Down in the garden sat girl, tall and
slim, and royalty beautiful as young
goddess TIE sunshine streamed upon
her uncovered head, her small white
hands, her slender lily-throat. She had
been gathering flowers. Her dress was
: a simple morning one, but white and
filmy ard over her shoulders she wore
a broad fiohu. Every now and then she
sang snatch of song, for very gladness
of heart, 1t seemed.
Fred looked at her, with his heart in
his eyes Suddenly q breakfast bell
rang, and the fair vision disappeared
Fred pulled his Ions mustache, vicious
ly, saying:
by Jove! Who can she be Not
Ms, Oliphsnt's daughter? Not that
chit? / wonder if Pygmalion's eachan-
tress was half so beautiful?n
When he descended to breakfast the
first words that greeted him were from
Mrs Oliphant:
my daughter Daphne, Mr. Dayton"
she said, gravely. He looked up and
encountered the gaze of the young
Princess he had heafd singing.
The girl, however, scarcely noticed
him land not only then, but afterward,
treated him with a cool disdain that
made him quite frantic He seldom
caught a glimpse other, except at meals.
Once or twice he saw her rowing on the
lake. with her boat filed with water
lilies, or riding down the avenue, in
dark blue habit; but he would hardly
have realized that she lived In the same
house, if he had not known that she was
Miss Oliphsnt
One evening Mrs. OHphant gave a
| ror rf nd
was jealous and miserable, for she had
smiles for every Gne but him
He was the more jealous, because she
was, beyond all controversy, the lowell
est girl in the rWm Dressed ia some
Indian fabric of pure clinging white,
with ivy leaves in her yellow hair and
in the soft folds of her dress, she was
superl&tiveIy lovely. It was the SIM
plest toilette there. Bot the exquisite
beauty of the girl was only enhanced by
this Arcadian simplicity
AS be stood, with folded arms, leaning
against pillar, watching her uncon-
sciOus face as she smiled into the admir-
ing eyes of her partner, he felt, for the
first time in his life, supremely misera-
bic His dark eyes glowed, and his lips
were est firmly under the heavy mus
tache.
HS ICsACcu J1iat bAC Cldu
delier, directly over her head, was sway
ing in peculiar manner. With cry,
he sprang forward and drew Daphne
aside, Just as il, fell.
But he was too late to save himself.
He only caught glimpse of Daphne's
horror -striken face; he only heard con-
fusion of voices. and crash of music,
as the band abruptly ceased playing
and then everything grew black, and
life faded away in sickeniDg mist BE-
fore him.
There was great confusion until the
doctor came and pronounced his YER
dict. Fred's arm was broken and his
head confused, but there was no ocoa-
sion fer alarm rest and care would
bring him around i'll a very few weeks.
But Fred had no feeling except that of
thank funess that he had been able to
save Daphne from Disagreement, per
hap5 from death.
Itwas many days, however, before the
two met. There had been danger of
fever, and the doctor had ordered Fred
to keep his room and see no one. But
one morning Daphne stole into the
chamber silently and laid great. dewy
bunch of roses On the stand beside him.
Mamma told me L might come up
for moment" she said, timidly, her
naughty air quite gone; and then, as
she looked at the splintered arm and
the bandaged head and the white, thin
face, her eyes filled with tears-her
voice faltered
Fred looked up in alarm
my dear Miss Oliphant, Fred said,
'you must not feel so badly. I am
really not so Ill as I look !; indeed, I
hardly suffer at all.
| In his generous tenderness he uncon-
sciously assayed to hold out his hand to
her. The next thing he knew Mrs.
IOliphant was bathing his head with
lee water, and Daphne was holding his
uninjured hand fast in hers, with the
tears pouring down her face.
"This has probably thrown you back
a month longer" Mrs. Oliphant was
saying, severely. "Your arm is broken
again Yet we warned you so particu-
larly not TO exert yourself"
The doctor had been sent for imme-
diately and soon came.
Mrs. Oliphant arose, saying:
"Come, Daphne. l shall not allow
you here again, 30 bid Mr.. Dayton
good bye until he has recovered suffi-
oientiy 10 come down to the parlors."
i Did Daphne look grieved and hurt?
Fred almost fancied so. Mrs Oliphant
paused q moment to receive the doctors
directions. Before Fred could think
Daphne had bent down and kissed the
haud that lay so languidly upon the
pillow, and vanished.
So Fred was thrown far back in his
recovery but the sharp, heavy pain
was bearable now.
1t was the last day of September. A
week ago the guests of Blue Mere had
all departed. Daphne is standing at the
garden gate. She has her hat on, but is
simply dressed yet how royalty beauti-
full she looks. Every day has added some
new charm, some new grace to her per-
fiction. Her dark eyes are deeper, her
smile tenderer, her voice more thrilling.
Just now, evidently, she is watching for
some. one. But who? Surely not cur
hero? ~
Yes it is. He has gone out with his
gun, for the first time since his recovery,