The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-04

|
and Mr.. Branscombe went with me. to
the train. l had babe her goodbye,
and the train was just about to start,
when he put his head in through the
window.
"You will let me come and see you,"
he said, and had only time to an
swer.
mo, no; you must not come!'
Only time for this, and to note the
swift look, so like pain, which swept
my last glimpse was of them both stand
ing side by side, as they should hence
forth stand through life.
Notwithstanding my injunction to
the contrary, he came. / had been in
my new home a fortnight, and some of
the color was stealing back into my
cheeks, when one afternoon, as I sat
alone, dreaming, as dreamed all my
idle hours away, saw the face which
moment before had floated in my
fancy.
For moment 1 was shappy-supreme-
ly, ecstatically happy, and, springing
up, held out both hands with rap
turous cry of welcome, then sank back
cold and stern again.
But that cry had brought him close
beside me, and my hands were so tight
ly held in his strong clasp, while his
great brown eyes looked into the very
depths of mine, that l trembled and
was. still.
Merciful Heaven! what was it that l
read there? Could it be that he loved
me, and that he had wooed and won
Alice for her gold?
| | should have said before that my sis
| ter was an heiress. I had no DOVER
not even that of beauty; but Geoffry
| Branscombe, | would have sworn, was
not man to be bought or sold, to buy
and sell; and yet, if not, his eyes had
| lied, for they had told me that it was
| me he loved.
| don't know Just what came to me
| i'll that hour, that moment. but though
l realized, or thought l realized, his
baseness, yet / could not snatch from
my lips thee whose sweetness slaked
their thirst. l held it there and drank.
We spoke no word of love, but every
day found him by my side. l was no
longer listless; | was brilliant, even
merry. l laughed and sang, rs one
might laugh and sing at the feast Of
| death.
And SO fortnight passed. and still
| he fingered; but his return was fixed
| for the morrow. On that last evening
we wandered down upon the beach, sill
vered by the moonlight. Standing in
its rays. he turned and faced ME, clasp
| ing his hand over mine as it lay upon
| his arm.
.'Mabel, he said, 81 love you, child?
You are but child and | s. man who
has outstripped you in the race of life
by twenty years. But will you give
yourself to me, dear? HaS = "en My
own blind fancy which has gl,e birth
| to the sweet hope that | alone might
make your happiness?'
He paused then, waiting for my an
swer Only q minute passed, but had
wakened from my dream. l had not
thought his baseness ever could find
words; had not thought my sister
would know his perjury.
Only q minute, but had torn out my
heart and trampled it beneath my feet.
| turned upon the man with hot, fierce
passion; forgot that | had led him on;
forgot my own baseness, my own love.
What burning, scathing words | used
know not, but when had finished he
offered me again his arm, from which |
had withdrawn my clasp, and we walk
ed back in silence to the house. Yet,
as he left me, still without a word, |
felt, strange to say, only my own guilt.
He had not borne himself like one con-
victed of a wrong.
The next week | went home. Alice
was the first to meet me, and that night
she crept into my room, and knelt
down beside me as she had done once
before.
'Darlingr she whispered, ''next
month am to be married, and you are
to be my only bridesmaid"
Il cannotr' | answered, "Don't ask
me, Alice! 1t would kill mer'
500 you really love me so well, dear?
But you will not refuse me this? 1t
would mar all my happiness, Mabel,
and am so happy. When you have
seen Harry-when you learn to know
and love him for himself-you will I'M
derstandn
''Harryr' l gasped. "Who is he:"
''Harry-Harry Stretton; the man I
am 20 marry. Why. Mabel, you told
me you knew it all. Is it possible you
did not know?''
And then she told me of the engage
ment which had been entered into dur
ing her Christmas visit-an engage
ment finally ratified and approved by
her guardian whilst l was so i'll.
1t had been this she had been about
to tell me-this l had refused to hear.
Oh, the burning shame with which l
listened at last! And then wild i'm
pulse seized me to tell her all the truth.
She should know how mean, how pitia-
BILE had been, even though l bought
her hate and contempt, as doubtless l
had bought Geoffry's.
did not spare myself as | told the
story. In silence she heard it through,
and then she sealed my lips with the
kiss of love and pardon.
All night | battled with my misery
and remorse. Alice expected her lover
the next day. l felt l dare not meet
him.
In the afternoon she came into my
room.
Someone wishes to see you in the
library, DEAR" she said. will you go
downP'
She spoke so quietly that I suspected
nothing, and asking no questions went
| downstairs, and crossed the hall TO the
room designated.
l thought it empty for moment as
closed the door behind me, but ut the
sound someone stepped from the win
dow-rccess - someone who advanced
one step and then stood with wide-open
arms waiting to close about me.
No need for me to tell the story, as l
hid my face upon his breast, and felt
his kisses rain upon my hair. Alice,
my noble, darling sister, had told it all.
Did deserve my happiness? Perhaps
not, but it was mine-min4 al last, rs
was the great, noble heart OF listers
guardian.
Alice had her wisll--I was her only
bridesmaid; but after the ceremony
was ended which made her Harry Street
tons beloved wife, took her place be-
! side the altar, no longer bridesmaid but
bride. Henceforth my sisters guard
ian was mine.