The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-01-23

arabian Nights. Even though her skin
was that of half-caste. and her little
hands were not white but brown there
beautiful woman. | felt it-saw it
knew.itl
After minutes pause | went to her
side; she jumped up and kissed me, as
she was rather fond of doing. | half
shrank back--her kisses were very pain
full to me just then. | came as quickly
as possible to my errand. and gave her
the letter to read.
As she glanced through it her cheeks
flushed and her lips began to curl. She
threw the letter on my lap, and said abb
ruptly, well, and what of that?''
began a few necessary explanations.
Zillah stopped me-
''Oh. | heard something of the sort
from Mr.. French last night. ! did not
believe him, nor do now. lie is only
making a jest of me.N
answered that this was impossible.
In my own mind was surprised at iii
lah's having known the matter before,
and having kept it so quietly. Mr..
French's statement about his honorable
reticence toward the lady of his deyo-
tons must have been untrue. Still this
was not so remarkable as Zillah's own
secrecy about her having lover.
"Why did you not tell me. my dear?''
said l; you know your happiness is of
the first Importance to me as well as to
your guardian" And, rather hesitate
ing. repeated. word by word, as near
as could. Mr.. Sutherland's message.
While | spoke Zillah hid her face
among the cushions, and then drew it
out burning red.
"He thinks am going to accept the
creature then? He would have me
marry q coneelted, chattering, mean
looking, foolish boy!9 Now Mr..
French was certainly twenty-five.)
Zone, too, that only wants me for my
fortune and nothing else. 1t is very
wrong, cruel, and heartless of him, and
you may go and tell him So
''Tell who?" said /. bewildered by this
outburst of indignation, and great con-
fusion of personal pronouns.
MIR. Sutherland. of counsel Who
else would tell? Whose opinion else
do | care for2 Go and say to him
No. she added, abruptly; mo, you
needn't trouble him with anything
about me. Just say | shall not marry
Mr.. French, and he will be so kind as to
give him his answer and bid him let me
alone"
Here. quite exhausted with her
wrath, Zillah sank back. and took her
book, turning her head from me. But
| saw that she did not read one line,
that her motionless eyes We're fixed and
full of strange deep expression. | be-
gan to cease wondering what the future
would bring.
Very soon afterward | went back to
Mr.. Sutherland and told him all that
had passed; just the plain facts, with
out any comments of my own.
lie apparently required none. found
him sitting composedly with some pa
pers before him--he had for the last
few days been immersed in business
which seemed rather to trouble him; he
started little as ! entered. but imme-
diately came forward and listened with
a quiet aspect to the message / had to
bring. could not tell whether it made
him happy or the contrary; his eounte-
nance could be Mt times so totally inn
passive that no friend, dearest or near
est, could ever find out from il anything
he did not wish to betray.
1.-The matter is settled them said he
grayely; II will write to Mr.. French to-
day, and perhaps it would be as well il
we never alluded to what has passed.
|, at least, shall not do it; tell Zillah so.
But i'll the future, say that l entreat
she keeps no secret back from you. Re-
member this, my dear Cassia: watch
over her as you love her-and you do
love her?o continued he, grasping my
hand.
| answered that did, and God knows
even then | told no lie. She was a very
dear child to me always
Mr.. Sutherland seemed quite satisfied
and at rest. lie babe me a cheerful
goodbye, which knew meant that
should go away, so accordingly | went
Passing the drawing-room door, saw
Iillah lying i'll her old position on the
sofa; SO would not disturb her, but
went and walked up and down under a
clump of fir-trees in the garden. They
made a shadow dark and grave, and
still: 1t was more natural than being
on the lawn among the flowers, the sun
shine and the bees. did not come in
for hours.
At dinner there were. fortunately.
only ourselves, just family party.
Mr.. Sutherland did not join us until we
reached the dining-room door, | no-
ticed that Zillah's color changed as he
approached, and that all dinner-time
she hardly spoke to him; but he behaved
to her as usual. lie was rather thought
full, for, as he told me privately. he had
some trlfllng business anxieties burden
ing him just then; otherwise he seemed
the same. Nevertheless, whether
was his fault or Zillah's. in few DAYS
the fact grew apparent to me that they
were not quite such good friends as
heretofore. A restraint. "a discomfort,
shadow scarcely tangible, yet still
real, was felt between them. Such
cloud often riSeS-a mist that comes
just before the day-dawn; or, as hap
pens sometimes, before night.
For many days--how many do not
recollect. since about this time all in the
house and in the world without seemed
to go on so strangely-for many days
afterward nothing happened of any con-
sequence. except that ON Sunday after
noon | made faint struggle of polite
ness IN some remark about going
home and 'encroaching on their hos
pitalityn which was met with such evil
dent pain and alarm by all parties, that
i was silent; so we stayed yet longer.
One morning-it was high summer
now-we were sitting at breakfast; we
three only, as Mrs. Sutherland never
rose early. was making tea, Zillah
near me, and Mr.. Sutherland at the foot
of the table. lie looked anxious and
did not talk much, though | remember
he rose up once to throw q handful of
crumbs to a lialf-tame thrush that had
built in lanrel-bush on the lawn--he
was always so kind to every living
tliingl
There, my fine bird. take some food
home to your wife and weansn' said he,
but at the words, became
grave, even sad, once more. He had
his letters beside him. and opened
them successfully until he came to one
"A momentous one, knew. for though
he never moved, but read quietly on,
every ray of color faded out of his face.
He dropped his head upon his hand, and
sat SO long in that attitude that we
were both frightened
rs anything the matter?' ! said,
gently, for Zillah was dumb.
did you speak?" he answered. with