, 1885-10-18

son all for a little trip-anywhere You
w siied 10 go-but | suppose Jessica's
carriage will Illustrate my plans"
cssiea 5 marriage You ridiculous
man. Vino has said anything about
.i"ssica's marriage almost screamed
catherine
idn youF'
wig. no { only said | hoped she
would consider Tom 1angtree's Offer
iayorIhly. i i is not her first offer, by
.n} means as you must surely know.
81 don I ser what she wants to marry
Tor, Hny way. lsnt she happy with us!
H. has never said that she is not;
on'y it is natural that a girl should one
day dc ire n home of her verj own"
Why should she
oh. m, Gear, how absurd you are,
Wis, il ! had not desired some other
home than aunt's, | should never have
married you."
aymond put up his shaving ma
fcri Is thoughtfully, while Catherine
Sn,d into the fire with n placid smile
OF ser,n nc content. She adored her hus-
band anil children, and enyied no
woman.
win you drive with me this after
noon, dear asked Raymond, on his
way tAA VI III AhAlAA
"Oh, certainly, she responded, with
ready alacrity.
At the foot of the stairs, Raymond
met Jessica. rs it true this about
your MARRIAGE he demanded abruptly.
She laughingly freed her hands from
his firm clasp.
Catherine has been babbling.
That is no answer. Tell me, are you
IN marry soon1' he narSisted
She shivered.
"Oh, Brother Raymond, don't you see
| am cold, Let me go up to Cathie's
room; she always has a good fire
Tell me- he insisted, placing one
hand under her chin and raising her
face to his.
Il shall never marry Then she sped
upstairs, while Raymond went out OF
the house with a cleared brow.
"Jessica, You arc shaking like n leaf.
Have you n chilli Catherine demanded,
as Jessica sank down on the rug, spread
ing out her hands to the fire, shivering
audibly.
"Oh, don't know Catherine, | am
going away Jessioa exclaimed, with
chattering teeth.
What nonsense
at is true | think | shall visit auntie
a while"
And justnow Raymond was planning
a trip for us all-and | was thinking Of
Cuba, - grumbled Catherine.
'Oh, | should be no end of trouble, so
please leave me out of your plans
The mex day Raymond said:
well, ladies, how would you like to
leave home for a while,"
"Oh, splendidly, and / intend going
straight to auntie's this very afternoon.
telegraphed her this morning" said
~Jessica, nonchalantly, peeling an orange
deftly for little Ray. Raymond looked
at her, and asked, in a quiet voice:
Why do you wish TO pain us SO,
JessieF'
Now, Brother Raymond, she said,
deprecatingly, but giving him a defiant
glance, for you to impute evil motives
is too much!'
An hour afterwards he followed
Jessica into the library, where he knew
she had gone.
"Jessica," " he commenced abruptly, ~
I'm going away tomorrow, to be gone
an indefinite time. viii you not re-
woke your decision and remain with
Cathie and the children till my return
But l have telegraphed Aunt Ruth, -
she answered, in a low voice, uneasily
lingering a book.
You can send her a second tele-
gram"
II will!'
He went out. A spasm of pain con
torted his face. while he went on to
GATHERINGS room.
Very well, Raymond, we will put off
our trip to Cuba till you return, she
promised her husband, after he had ex-
planned that important business called
him away for several weeks.
The next day, after he had said
goodbye to them all, grouped together
in the lower hall, kissing Jessica last
of all in a brotherly way, he returned
to the sitting-room for a forgotten
paper, half an hour after he should
have been OF his way.
Jessica was alone in the room, arms
flung out on a table, head buried be-
tween them. She looked up at the
opening of the door, and slowly rose
when she saw who it was.
All her bright beauty seemed gone
her lips were tightly drawn and ashy
pale, her cheeks were colorless as mar
BILE, her brown eyes dull and dead.
Why do You return, Brother Ray
mondf'
81 remembered a paper l had left
here, after ! had gone half way to the
station. | came back for it, he hur-
riedly explained.
~ our will. Here 1t is" and she ex-
tended a shaking hand to him. lie
clasped both hand and paper, and drew
her to his breast.
80 my God Jessica, it is terrible,
DO you not know that | love youl-do
you not see that it is my mad love for
you that is driving me from my homer
She had leaned like a dead weight
against his heart. Now she lifted her.
self, put both arms about his neck, and
kissed him.
1t was a kiss of renunciation-but he
did not know that
go, now, Brother Raymond; you
may return to Catherine SOON" and
with a soft smile playing on her face,
she pushed him away.
lie went out and away.
Come, Ray, let Aunt Jessie row you
over TO that island where we went so
often last summer.
And can't mamma and Katie come,
Too cried the little boy, clasping his
hands.
Yes, dear"
1t was three days after Raymond's
departure, and Jessioa rowed the little
party safely to an island situate in the
river which ran by their Florida home.
The little ones 500 tired, and Jessica
WAS ready to take them home.
Jessie, you do not seem well to-day,
dear. ! am afraid it was not prudent
for any Of us to come out to-day. The
east wind is so raw and chilly. aud you
don't sesm strong enough to row the
boat, - Catherine objected.
J%essica, with a smile, took her pla e
but Catherine said she would wait till
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