Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-02
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A NOVEL.
BY MRS. oPHELIA INSECT REID
CHAPTER XI.-CoNrrNuED.

CHAPTER XI.-CONTINUED.
Always a creature Of impulse the one
wish of Charities heart now was to say or
do something 20 please this dear old
friend; so, without the slightest touch Of
embarrassment, she said, laying one lit
tie hand lightly on her tall Cousins
shoulder as he sat by her side:
This gentleman and / are friends, UNI
Gle Henry, friends for life. We have
promised az. We are to stand BY each
other IN peace or in war, in JOY or in s0r-
row; we have established a thee and
thou compact which death alone can
cancel. Don't give yourself any sort OF
uneaslness about us. We have had our
last tilt; we Viii quarrel no more"
As she spoke EscOtte's brow lowered
and his face grew dark and cold. He
could not help it. He had offered his
friendship only because he dared not 20
further, but her gracious manner had led
him to hope that she felt the warmer tone
under his quiet words, and felt the love
he bad SO hardly withheld; but her cool
and careless words, Tehearsing a scene
sacred with him, TO her friends, evil
IDENTIFY caring more to comfort them with
its results than to enjoy its significance
herself. All this sent cruel ain to his
heart.
Love, which comes with coy advances
10 some natures, advancing and retreat
ing, ebbing and flowing, rising and fail
lng-a thing which fluctuates and varies
with every shade Of influence from with
QUITO others, IS born Of one thrill; is
engratted with one touch. Ii Escotte had
deemed his new fOndness an eyanescent
thing before he had found Charlie weep
ing, he had discovered that now it held
him captive for life, bound. as soul to
soul, 10 be cherished by tenderness OF tor
tured 10y GOODNESS. She had seemed lit
tie touched by his words in the study; had
seemed 10 return the pressure of his
strong grasp; but here, in the presence OF
others. she had held up, as it were, the
pearl he had given her, the priceless
jewel OF his warm, first love, and asked
the admiration OF her friends for her pretty
toy.
"Ahl that is right; right and well, nay
Charlie, and I'm rejOiced to know it.
shall sleep well tonight, knowing that
for the future, my darling viii be hedged
about with good mans care. Now am
gay and well enough for chess. Go into
the study, EseOtte. and bring the board,
and viii show this child that my hand
has not forgot its GINNING"
His son went out Immediately, glad to
escape one moment from the eyes of
others; but as, in the unlighted room his
hands CROPPED about for the chess beard, a
soft voice, clear and sweet as the voice
of early birds, said close by his side:
Il have hurt you, sir; how was it?''
If Charlie was impulslVe EscOtte was
not; or rather this was the character on
which he had often yaunted himself He
thought he was wise, too, and knew many
things, but ne did not know Charlie quite
vet and he did not know that her expose
Of their little compact had been sort OF
braYadO, on her part, as much to test her
d d
brow had grown dark and the hurt he
suffered had shown from his dark eyes TO
the nervous Tightening of his hands to-
gether-Signs which she had seen and
understood so well, because-strange
revelation! she felt them so acutely-she
thought she would give worlds to recall
the last ten minutes, worlds to take back
the pain she had given; and, when he had
gone out without word, she bad said:
"Auntie, he cannot get the box in the
dark; shall 90 and help him.
Now, mex er thinking CO any set form oi
words, only intent on being forgiven, she
said, very low but very clearly, in a voice
full of cOntritiOn and tenderness:
Il have hurt you, sir; how was it?" and
lQr all reply this reserved and grave gen
tleman, ObeYing a strong and natural i'm
pulse, clasped her in his arms and said:
How could you make light Of my
love, my darlingY' and Charlie, with her
head on his shoulder. albeit she had not
a doubt on the subject, whispered;
You called it friendship, sir"
"And YOU knew it was love; say, now
and here. Charlie, that you love me-
''Find the chess board, quick"
Say, now and here, that you love me,
Charlie"
why don't you get your father his
chess bOardf"
"He will never get it until l am an
swered. Say, now and here, that YOU love
me-
''Wen, then, now and here, II want the
chess bOard.'
Charlie, you do love me, don't youY'
One hand was unclaimed: he was hold
ing the other. She placed this on his
shoulder and said:
IL didn't mean to- am mighty sorry
but | believe | do love you a little bit.
Please get the chess box"
He held her close in his arms, how long
he hardly knew, but he only said;
My darling. my darling"
After minute a long ray Of light fell
warnngly across the hall without, and
Mrs. Fearne's voice said:
"Why you two viii never find anything
in this dark room. Take this light, and
don't lose your time; the doctor has grown
impatient"
What she saw was Charles back
turned to the door, and Charities small
hands feeling on the book shelves for the
box, and about three feet OF her son lean
ing on the low mantelpiece, looking so
bright and handsome that even her care
less glance caught the CLEAN of his lus-
trOus eyes.
Have you found anything yet, Es-
cOtte?"
'Ohl yes, mean, oh! no, mother-not
even the box"
But he went quickly to the book case
and found the missing article on a high
shelf, and. without a word to anyone,
walked quietly out into the starlight
porch alone. He heard his mother and
Charlie return to the sitting-roOm, heard
his fathers impatient order TO begin the
game, and saw the young girl seated I'M
der the lamplight. 1t was most fair
sight! and. as he walked to and fro, his
ewes sought the window eagerly as he
passed aud repassed it. But he did not
go in. He was trying to get a little IA
miliar with his happiness-a little at home
with his content.
she has been in my arms; her pretty
head has lain on my shoulder; she Is
mine, mine, and no otheT'sl"
lie had vague idea that she would try
him often, this proud little girl; but he
thought his great love would be sufficient
for all things. II was strange and sweet,
this love he had for her-this love
which came so unasked, so ups0ught, the
first time he saw her, which had grown
and perfected until he wondered how he
Entered according to act Of Congress IN the
year 1884 by j. II. Estill, in the office Of the
Librarian Of Congress at Washington.