The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-11-03

and turned cold as ice. The whole CAL
Won party had returned to Florence,
and Ralph chose to disapprove Of them
all. He complained that Lilias let her.
self he monopolised by them; that Ells-
tace talked too much to her; that he
would not endure it; he would not
stand it. I.ilias, conscious that no
cause for wrath existed, and finding
El,stace simply friendly and civil, re-
Sented such injustice, and affirmed. i'm
! patiently that "nO one should make her
cast off old friends" Circumstances
and MISUNDERSTANDING helped to widen
the breach, until the climax was reach
Ell one day III high words Oh the Ponte
di CarrajO, where, without farewell,
they parted-she across the bridge to
one side, he across tho bridge to the
other side. Diviledl yes, they had
chosen division.
A great crowd blocks the brdgeway
and lines Oh either side the rlver's en-
bankments-a black, silent crowd,
which all the day long hangs over the
parapets, watching tho water below.
"A boat upseL-two men drowned--
the bodies are being searched for" So
passes the news through Florence.
LiliaS learns ii Oh her way hUneward
at midday. There-passing along the
Lung Arno-slle learns. too, the added
rmlor, Gone is All English artist"
| "Let me take you home," says Eus-
tace CalvOn, finding her with DIancleu
lips adrift in the crowd. lIc leads her
further up the river side, and guides
her falterlng steps across one of the
higher bridges, which is deserted
| Neither speak Lhe.r fears in words, but
1 hof
Florence prOclaims it for them: "Mr.
Ralph Alverton is tile name of, the mis-
sing Englishmam. Eustace hastens to
ed: "Mr. Alverton went out with IA
friend in an open boat; it was thought
they intended to sketch Oh the country
banks"
| All day the search is made; all The
day, from carly morning to late night,
the DlackneSs Of on-lookers is there.
| Night comes, and still they hang over
the bridges parapeL--a motlonlesS, sad
dened mass, sppll-bOund to the spot.
| But the pleasure and the business
continue; strangers come and 60 fl ON
palace TO church TO see the sights; car
rlageS drive out to the Casino to listen
to the band; pleasant impromptu parties
make the evening round Of the cafes,
and afterward walk back to their hotels
or apartments by the side Of the river,
| beneath whose nloonlit waters the dead
lie.
| Lilias stands OH her balcony alone in
the moonlight. Two days have passed
the second days search has been as
frultlesS as the first; the crowds have
dispersed--the people have gone away
soberly to their homes. She looks out
upon the cold, silver-radianccd water
lowing ever onward; the line of bright
lights things their reflection across the
river as OH other nights, but one wiudow
Oh the other side is darkcncd--thcrc
shines no goodnight signal there.
| Across the bridge came hurryiny with
swift nOiSeless steps, wIord procession
OF those whose Office it Is to carry the
dead--the secret contraernity Of the
acknowledgement figures, robed
III. black from head to foot, only the
eyes visible. Two and two they go,
carrying lighted torches before and af-
ter The corpse. Some among them, it
may be-nOble or citiZen-haye llst
been called from the dance or the feast
to serve as they have bound themselves
TO serve, at all times of necessity. An
other minute they have fastened away
on their midnight mission; the tlure OF
their torches is seen no more.
! Lilias, standing mute, unmovable in
the moonlight, remembers how on that
bridge two days before she had parted
with him she loves; recalls Tho proud
hard words which have been their last,
and trieS-very hard she tries-to rea-
llZe that between them now runs the
River Of Death, and that before she can
whisper the word "ForgiveI' she must
wait until she, too, shall reach ''the 9TH
| or sidc.''
so Ralph, if you were here but for
one short moment, | think could
make you understands Then, as if in
answer to her half-llttored cry, some
one who, nnnntirnd has with rapid, un-
certain steps passed twice or thrice be-
low the balcony, pallSes and looks up
and calls her by her name.
| Down in the front yestibule, still loft
open to the street, with none near but
the old half-sleepng concierge, she
learns the glad news that all Florence
has been under Il mistake, that Ralph
has come home from his prolonged stay
IN the campagna; that the rivorof death
has been but the dream of two sad
days; and that Ralph "uIdrrstands"
already, and has come to make her un-
derstand. No river need longer divide
them.
| "Will you come to me there on the
other sidel" Ralph asks once more.
And l,ilias answers, 81 will cone.n
| ssa~szz-A.-.sa,s sp.ase<-..-.:
|