Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-07-22
house while the arrangements for her aunt's

$50 veXatiousp' cried Aunt Pardon
THAT disobliging Miss Trimmings absolute
ly refuses to come out here and make my
dresses, but says she will undertake them il
L will come to town for few days. | sup
pose l must do it, and Mr.. Crabtree propes-
eel last night that we come to his place, q
very nice private boarding house, quite ex-
elusive, in fact"
She stopped, beaming; but Laurel, who
felt really too tired for any new exertion,
hesitated to respond.
Wouldn't some one else do?" she asked
at last. "Some less important person than
MISS Trimmings might be found to come
here"
"No, indeed! There's nobody so stylish
and high-priced. We must go-certainly
we must, Laurel! But, by the way, Mr..
Crabtree says his nephew-your old beau,
Baron Alverton- and his wife are stayiue
there neW.''
"Where?" asked Laurel, bewiidered.
cat his boarding house. People say.tfat
his marriage didn't turn out well.'' Mrs
Pardon ratified on, unheeding her niettss
silence, for his wife acted like a crazy wo-
! man when he lost some of his money last
year-rated him so it was really quite scan
dalous! Did you see her on the beach last
fall? Such white faced thing? They say
that she takes arsenic for her csmplexion.
| don't call her pretty, though she was all
the rage five or six years ago. I believe
she's lost her health-too much dissipation.
I've heard that She awfully jealous of her
husband, though be don't give her the least
cause, and bears it like lamb
x y
Laurel and her aunt were at Mr.. Crabtree' s
bna r6Inr houca oir,1x 7.
urious retreat enough.
Laurel had been 10th enough to come. but
here she was and Mrs. Pardon, at least was
satisfied, for the mornings were endless
rounds of shopping and the afternoons mo-
mentous periods of trying ON the new dress
eS.
AS for her niece, her greatest apprehen-
sion was that she should encounter Baron
Alverton; but little dissimilarity in meal
hours warded off this even until the very
last night of her stay in town.
She had been restless and could not sleep.
At about II o'clock she thought she would
90 to her aunt's room, as that lady did not
retire early, and get a certain book, which
might divert her mind and quiet her nerves.
AS she passed along the rich halls in her
velvet-shod feet door was flung open and
wild-eyed maid rushed out
"Oh!' she cried at sight of Laurel, ''won't
you come in a minute? I'm afraid she's
dying
Amazed, Laurel stepped with in the door.
A little figure in blue writhed upon the floor,
yet evidently Mrs. Alverton was partially
unconscious.
"Call her 'husband-a doetor-quick -
exclaimed Laurel.
With incredible strength she lifted the
helpless woman in her arms and laid her
upon the bed.
In the next moment of horror she saw
that Mrs. Alverton had ceased to breathe
As she turned to hasten coming feet
which she heard she encountered Baron Al
Verton.
White and shocked he gazed at the pallid
face upon the pillows.
''It has come as 1 feared" he cried,
clenching his hand upon his harassed brow
''She is dead from an overdose Of arsenic"
And in a few moments all the house was
startled by the sad truth.
The 1st of March Mrs. Pardon Ardley be-
came Mrs. Abel Crabtree.
It was q strange noclery of fowory syIls-
bols and lovers vows to Laurel Vale. In
deed, SO strange shadow seemed upon all
the world that she would clasp her hands
over her eyes, sometimes, and ponder as if
in nightmare that must break soon, or she
would lose consciousness forever.
Ever since that autumn day by the rock
ing sea peace seemed to have deserted her.
Outwardly she had long been calm, but in
ward unrest now scared her brain and burn
ed away her strength.
All summer she dropped alone at Nut
t., I. ]
ed that she must go down by the sea.
'Go down to the Dolphin House tor few
weeks with my family" DR.. Stone said
''Victor will be there and will take care of
you,' referring significantly to hisson, who
had long openly admired Miss Vale.
But she went only with her maid and Juba,
though she found the doctors family congo
NAL company.
The sea received her kindly. 1t blew its
salt breath in her face, frightened her beau
tiful eyes, quickened her strength. The
hurried pulsations began to beatmore slow
ly and evenly.
But there was secret want.
'Oh! for some one to love-some one
whom could love - she cried one day,
dropping her face in her arms upon the rag
ged rocks.
81 love you, Laurel, but it is too late for
you to love me-" syllabled voice at her
side.
She lifted her head. She and Baron Al
verton looked into each others eyes. His
sad gaze read all her struggle.
"Oh! tell me the TRUTH" he prayed.
Perhaps the sea, sounding its grand thun-
der in her ears, helped her to rise above all
pettiness.
81 love you, Baron" she said simply, and
both were happy.