Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-01-02

"Yes," he said, with q hosrse and
mighty effort. "this is just the turn Of
the seasons, and this hush is frequent
and very suggestive then. You and
have come to turning point, too, Miss
Carfit, and / must break the stiffness by
q very important question. Can you
not guess what that is-the story have
to tell, Miss Carfit-Ada ?" sis
| mo, no. We had better return,
think. 2 We shall be lost, Mr.. Hefie-
stone"
Ada was keeping her composure
wonderfully, and she hoped by this
coldly spoken hint the confession she
feared might be averted. :.
She did not know the speaker.
wait an instant, Ada" Roger cried,
abandoning the last shelter of reserve :
II have this to tell, that you are more
to me than anyone else in the wide
world can ever be. I love you, Ada
surely you must have OWNED It I Can
you love me back again, however little /?
Willyou some day be me ,wife?v r.
His words were coming swiftly
enough now, and his beseeching eyes
emphasized their truth. -
The man was transformed, and faint
response Of admiration was raised In the
girls heart. 5-te--,, ~ fr-r..
But he was-could be-no more than
others she had rejected
This triumph she was used to, and
gloried in; though usuallys she had been
better on her guard, and had stopped
the deluded one before this stage was
reached. -f' a - f,f3
ST am sorry, Mr.. iHerlestone, you
90 hi ~ H. r
thought you were above romance. That
is partly why 1 trusted you. You SEEM
ed $3.50 sensible" o
sit must surely be sign of that to
admire and to love-" ,-4
pray don't, Mr.. Herlestone. It is all
q mistake, I assure you" -.'
me?" -
"Yes, certainly"
There was q levity abont the assur-
ance that stung the young man we'll
nigh into madness
He had heard rumors Of the girls
heartlessness, and had paid no heed,
treating them as idle scandal born Of
envy. s
Now he could believe 6- te
The very reality of his own love re.
vealed the hollowness of this maiden's
smiles.
''Is it also an error that encouraged
me to think differently ?" he asked !;
"that you accepted my advances ?"
1t was your own fault; you did as
you pleased But you are forgetting
yourself now, Mr. Herlestone.n
II admit it, and Ispologixe, Miss Car
fit," he replied, bitterly. SIT was truly
my own fault that did not understand.
do now. You will let me see you back
to the party ?"
The return walk was whiled away By
very constrained conversation, and
both were glad when it was over,
A strange silence descended upon Ada
Carfit for the rest of the afternoon.
Even the mirth of her other courtiers
failed to do more than galvanize her into
an outward semblance of interest and
good -hunor.
1t was many months later, and the
storms of perhaps the widest winter
within living memory had descended
upon these Northern Midlands.
For days after day, and week after
week. there was scarcely break In the
clouds or pause In the gale. =
Wind and rain, wind and rain was
the dreary record, until the lakes were
swollen, the streams were impossible,
and miles Of low-lying pasture-lands
submerged
Scarborough was not pleasant place
under such circumstaE ces.
Upon the very brightest heavens its
huge manufacturing chimnies hung q
yellow blot and now the funeral-like
pail of fog and smoke lowered overhead
In perpetual frown.
Ada Carfit grew sick of it, and par
took herself on visit to her uncle at
Baysditch, five miles away.
There it rained still, 1t Is true, and
seemed likely to rain.
But Baysditch was in the open coun-
try. and behind 1t were the Porley
Hills.
The girl was better content, and could
grumble there with sense of less op-
preston.
Of Roger Herleston, since her dismis.
sal of him, she bad seen very little.
He was graver and more reticent, 1t
appeared, than ever
And he had lately been taken in as a
junior partner by Marston & Marsh.
That was all she knew.
But somehow his face frequently
haunted her. ira
He had looked 80 resolute and manly
on those Porley Downs.
She even sighed thinking Of 1t.
Ada's own image, despite his utmost
efforts, was equally present with the
young manufacturer.
II think / despise and hate her as
much as / once cared for her," he told
his brother; "but forget her can't"
Fall in love with some one else," was
Martins sage recommendation.
But Roger shook his head.
"Not yet," he said 81 have not suffi-
cient confidence in female goodness
since then. That was the greatest evil
the girl did me. She destroyed faith at
q blow"
IA stormy afternoon, Roger" )" said his
uncle, two days later. "Do you mind
driving to North Fulton to see about
those missing orders? It will be the
best for one of the firm to go, as 1t is
such delicate question"
~ am perfectly willing, SIR. I am
not afraid of the weather in the least"
Better start at once"
$50 | will. shall be back, then, by
night fall"
North Fulton was over the hills, ten
miles off.
The young man was quickly under
way.
He had to pass through BaysGitch.
and he was aware of Ada Carfit's pres-
ence there.
But it was nothing to him whether
she saw him or not.
The state of the roads was a much
more serious consideration.
How high the waters were, and still
rising.
Many houses in the valley were al
ready isolated, and unless q speedy
change took place-of which, alas
there was no symptoms-the result
must inevitably be grave disaster.
The wind lulled for an hour or two
while Roger transacted his business.