Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-09-09

flowers, but looked cold and dreary enough
now.
Inside, however, there was light and
warmth enough, and ON her knees woman,
young and beautiful, clasping child of
three or four years old to her breast, and
standing at the mantel- piece, man, the ex-
preston of whose face at the moment was
perfectly unreadable
1t might be love; it might be hate, or a
mixture of both, that filled his handsome,
dark, evil eyes. as they rested on the wo-
man.
Suddenly he went over and put his hand
on her shoulder
'This must end, Sibyl," he said. "I can
not trust you. feel you will play me false
in some way. There is something in your
manner that don't like''
The woman leaped to her feet and faced
him with passionate glowing eyes.
"You cannot trust me?" she CRIED
"Would to Heaven you could not. What
am, you have made me, and yet I loved you
once.
The mans face grew dark.
'Ioved me once! Then you do not love
me now?"
"No," she cried, "only for her sake, whom
l love better than my life, am still your
slave.'
The mans clasp frightened on her should
er, and he bent his head nearer to her face.
"This is the last game you will have to
play; but if you turn traitor you will never
look on Esta's face again, and you know
generally manage to keep my promise. Be-
come We're st. Georges wife, and give me
the sum of five thousand year, and I will
give up all claim to Esta, and never trouble
you or her again.
The woman kneeling there is Sibyl Mere
dith, the betrothed wife of We're St. George.
x
1t is bright clear day overhead, one
week later, and the ice is most tempting to
those to whom skating is enjoyment, and
the ice is bright scene of fair faces and
brilliant costumes.
One of the skaters OF the ice is Sibyl Mere
dith, looking singularly beautiful in skat-
ing dress of navy-blue velvet, her jetty curls
falling loosely down her back. from under
the little velvet cap, made to match the
dress, both being trimmed with silver fox
| At little distance from the pond another
| girl is standing, gazing idly at the gay
throng, her eyes, however, full of wistful
pam.
| Avis Leigh has changed greatly since her
parting with We're st. George. Hers was
not nature to love lightly, and her heart
could never love again.
| The dream had been perilo1sly sweet, but
the awakening was terribly cruel
The lovely face is very pale now, the
sweet lips, half dropping, seeming to know
no longer how to smile, and the roundness
has left her cheeks.
| She looks fragile enough for breath tc
blow her away.
| Her eyes tuin now to little dark k-eyed
girl who is venturesome enough to walk
quite distance on the ice, then run back
again, seeming to enjoy it with a child's
merriment.
| Suddenly cry leaves Avis lips, cry OF
warning to the fearless child who has dash.
| ed out on q thin she'll of ice marked danger
GUS.
| No wonder, then, second cry leaves
Avis lips, and one fraught with more ter
ror, for she hears crushing cracking sound,
and the child, seeming to realize her dan
ger, turns to run back; but all too late, for
with the same slow crushing sound, follow
ed by q crash, the ice parts, and the little
one disappears in the water.
More than one rush to a certain distance;
none venture farther, and at the upper end,
where the better skaters are ass sembled, and
among GucLu DlUyI NltTculIu, tuo dCClucllt
has not yet been noticed.
For moment none ventures nearer than
safety. Then slim girlish form, who was
not among the skaters, dashes past them,
and before breath could be drawn, is down
in the very spot where the little one sank.
A moment-a minute of suspense, during
which pale faces grew still paler, and during
which the people could hear their OWE heart
beats, and then Avis had come up, the little
one clasped in her arms.
From every heart there rose a cry of
thankfulness, for the most cowardly could
not help appreciating the bravery of the
girl-a cry of thankfulness echoed again,
when the little one and her preserver were
in safety, and then-then the lady in the
blue velvet and fox-fur came down from the
upper lake
Her eyes fell first on Avis, whose eyes had
closed in unconsciousness, and then on the
little girl.
With wild cry she caught the little one
in her arms.
"My darling! my daring!" she cried,
kissing her passionately. ''How did you
come bere?"
They bore Avis to the nearest cottage,
and when she woke to consciousness, a
beautiful dark face was bending over her,
and the locket she always wore round her
neck, with We're St. Georges face within it,
lay open in the strangers hand.
A flush dyed Avis face.
'sPardon me,'' Sibyl Meredith said; cit
lay open and-and-'' Then after a
pause: "You are Avis Leigh, whom We're
st. George loves. Girl, you saved a wo-
mans soul as we'll as child's life today,
for the little one was mine-mine; and if l
am lost to all other feeling, l love her better
than my life"
81 would not tell you, only that if it brings
me death, am going to atone for my past
by my confession, but before l 60, answer
me once simple question: "Do you love We're
st. George?''
Impelled by something in the dark eyes
fixed upon her face, faint ''yes'' fell from
Avis lips, and before she could frame an
other word, the stranger had left the room.
Next day We're St. George was standing in
the garden, when suddenly Sibyl stood be-
fore him, and something in her face for the
moment made his heart stand still.
''Sibyl," he cried, "what is it?'
1t is this" she answered slowly, 'that 1
am not Sibyl Meredith, but an imposter,
for Sibyl Meredith sleeps in her grave under
my name, and am here under hers. l will
ttu you all, GHoH you Call Juupo mt
Before another word could leave her lips,
a pistol-shot rang out on the air.
''He has murdered me p she cried 'smy
husband - then fell forward at We're feet,
her red blood dyeing the ground.
We're carried her into the house, but she
only lived few hours.
"He-he was my evil geniusr' she cried,
before her death, 'but l am sorry for it
all" And then, after pause, as the end
drew near: 9My child, my child! / have
her safe. He cannot find her, but you-
YOU Alb, dare ask you? She was
the little one Avis Leigh-your Avis-saved
from drowning,
He knew what was in her mind, and
sent for the little one.