Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-07
CHAPTER x.

CHAPTER X.
sob! there is a dream Of our early youth,
And it never comes again;
IT'S vision of light and life and truth,
As it fits across the brain.
And love is the theme of that early dream,
Sowild, so warm, so new,
That all our after years deem,
That early dream we rue"
On the morning of the following day Mr..
lie Verrier came again to Mrs. HOnfeur's,
when he found Clare alone in the parlor,
Mrs. Honfleur having gone down to the
plantation hospital to give some personal
attention to very sick negro. He could
not resist seating himself by the side Of
her. though he had resolved before he
came to be very distant and cold towards
her.
She met him with Smiles and bushes,
and he Thought her sweet face had never
looked half so lovely before. He was soon
in pleasant and earnest conversation with
her, and forgetful of everything else but
her. In the cool quiet of that darkened
room, redOlent of the scent of flowers
which came in through the Enclosed win
dows, those two young hearts opened to
each other so freely and so fully that they
tasted of joy as pure as earth could offer.
For hours they were uninterrupted, and
the social converse they INDUCED in not
only gave them pleasure then, but fur
nished food for happy memories for many
long day afterwards.
AS each drew forth the views and feel
ings and opinions of the other, they in
sensibly felt themselves drawn nearer to-
gether, for the affinity between them be-
came more apparent.
Occasionally the story told Mr.. lie YER
rier by Miss Thompson of Clare's engage
ri Il
evil spirit had interpOsed between them,
but he banished it as something too dread
full to think of, and lent himself to the in
toxication Of the hour.
Clare little dreamed what a tale her
treacherOus friend had been telling him of
her, and how she had sought to forestall
any declaration of love he might be think
ing of making by leading him to believe
her engaged to another, when she knew
that what she was telling him was utterly
false.
Clare asked him of his ride the day be-
fore, and he said it was without incident
and without interest, as far as he was con-
cerned. He had felt some degree of ankle
ty during all the ride, lest Lucien should
take fright again at something and throw
Miss Thompson, but the horse was con-
siderably cooled down by his mornings
hunt, and they returned without acct
dent.
''By the way" he said, as if to turn the
subject of the conversation, Il have
formed the acquaintance of Miss COch-
rane since | came here, and think her q
very pleasant young lady. She is decided
" unlike Miss Thompson, and should
imagine would prove much more con-
genial friend to YOU"
''Miss COchrane and have never seen
much Of each other until within the last
few months" replied Glare. ''She has been
away at school for years; indeed ever
since her father came into this neighbor-
hood until she graduated, which was last
spring, while jamie has been my con-
slant companion since my childhood, and,
with the exception of my mother, almost
my only one. L have come to think re-
Gently that our intimacy has grown more
out Of circumstances than out OF af-
finity."
$50 1 shoEld suppose, for you seem very
unlike each other"
Glare had taken up the book of engrav-
ings which she had admired 90 much the
lie Nerrier their beauties, when, as they
sat leaning over the one page with their
heads close together, and their hands Oc-
casiOnally coming IN contact and sending
that thrill through their veins which the
magic touch of love alone can give Miss
Thompson appeared before them.
''Surely she is my evil genius" thoHght
Mr.. lie VeTrier, as he rose to receive her.
Still he was courteous to her as he always
was to everybody.
s'Para0n my intrusion" she exclaimed,
casting a suspicious look at Glare. II
have only come to seek your aid abO8t
my flowers"
'sWell, have been persuadlng Miss
Clare not to work." he replied, trying to-
conceal HE disappointment at the inter-
ruptiOn. 'fShe is too industrious by far.
1 always ind'her busy"
''She did not seem to be doing much
when l came in," replied Miss Thompson,
with significant look.
II had taken her work away from her"
said Mr.. lie Yerrier, slightly confused.
g Ask Miss Glare and she will tell you
what a scolding she gave me for tangling
her embroidery silks"
81 do not think there is any danger of
Clare or l ever hurting ourselves with
work." remarked jamie, in a sarcastic
tone: 'tbut these fOwers l am compelled to
make, for L promised them to friend and
she has been expecting them for some
time, and they ought to have been done
long since. If / attempt to make them
alone, know l shall never succeed. Glare
must aid me, and will return the favor
some time when she wants my help"
81 give you fair warning" said Mr.. lie
VerTier, 81 do not intend to have anything
done to them while i am here, and you may
as well not undertake it,"
When the girls found he was resolved
upon doing as he said, they agreed to-
gether that it was as we'll to yield grace
fully.
Mrs. Honfeur came in as dinner was
and the evening passed pleas
antly in general conversation, but how
unlike those rich morning hours which
those young, glad hearts had reveled in.
Mr.. lie Verrier left before ten that he
might not be compelled to go home with
Miss jamie, not that he disliked the long
walks particularly, but he had taken
dislike to her since she told him such un-
pleasant news.
Mr.. lie Werner remained in the country
nearly Il month, intending every day to
leave. Tut, fascinated more and more with
Miss Clare, he could not get courage to
tear himself away. He would keep per-
suading himself that what jamie Thomp-
son had told MIN of Glare could not posi-
bly be true. and on several occasions he
had gone to her house fully intending to
offer himself to her, and learn from her.
self whether his suit would be received
with favor or not, but she would either be
in seeing her alone, or some
trivial circumstance would cast blight
over his talnt hopes, or MS intense ankle
tv lest the answer should be adverse to his
wishes would deter him, and he would
leave again with the momentous subject
He had fully deter
mined that he would not return
home until he had asked her to
he his wife,; but one evening when
Miss Thompson had adroitly succeeded in
getting his ear, she repeated to him the
story of Clare's engagement to Frank, and
she made the tale so plausible, artfully
using, as cOrrObOrating circumstances,
some things which had transpired in the
family within the few preceding days, of
which they were both cognizant, but
which had no bearing whatever on such
an event. that he again yielded implicit
confidence to her story, and told Clare be-
fore leaving the house that it would be
necessary for him 10 return Immediately
to New Orleans, and he would be around
the next morning to make his adieuX.
He had spent most of his time at Mrs.
HOnfleur's, and Miss Thompson made one
of their group part of almost every day.
She had long since ceased trying to make
Glare suppose he was her lover. 1t was
too preposterous for belief, when evidently
he was bestowing on Clare every thought
of his heart. He and she had read and
rode. and walked and fished. and hunted
wild flowers and wild fruit together. She
had taken him to every spot on the planta-
ton or in the neighbOrhoOd which was
faY0rite resort with her.
But he lett the spot so lovely, and the
a