The Penn's Grove record., 1885-08-15

"Do you mind our being thirteenP"
She looks up into my face IN a charming
spirit of Christian forgiveness.
"Do you?"
''N-no. They say, don't you know,
the first one who gets up will die within
a year."
l think to myself / have had enough
bad luck to night to cancel misfortune
for many a year.
81 shall not get up first" says Mrs.
Latimer; mot that l think there is any
thing in it; but, don't you know'-she
shTugs her shoulders with an affected
little laugh-''Miss Bellairs WILDE
the first" she says this slowly and
looks ixedly into my face.
"Good heavensl'' / cry aloud, is the
-"There is a sudden silence,
l see several people glanding at me
and whispering or shaking their heads.
The monster fixes me with hls awful
eye, holding a gigantic plum half way
to his mouth. The dean, disturbed in
his dinner, regards me with plous hor-
ror. Evelyn's gentle eyes are fixed on
rue for one moment, startled and re-
proachful. Why does not the earth
open and swallow mep
Like the sound of trucking water in
the desert, the voice Of Chalmer rises,
loud and hearty addressing the man OPP
posite to him. Every one begins to talk
again, and f~uriously do l execrate my
madness.
But excitement and rage have upset
the balance of my mind. | lose my COM
mon sense. The idea takes possession
of me that this night | must give my
life for Evelyn's by being the first to
rise. At least the idea gradually assumes
this form. It will be a glorious thing
to die to save her life. Will she be sor-
ryP Will there be tears in her lovely
eyes when she hears OF it? Will she
weep for me?
But heroes must act, not dream. /
fix my gaze on her. at least / see her
trying to catch Lady Burliston's eye.
The supreme moment has come.
''Nol mol" 1 cry wildly; ''let it be me,
1 will"
1 start up and she rises at the same
moment. Every eye is fixed on me in
amaZement.
Like a flash the absurdity of my be-
haviour appears to me. Ashamed and
confused, l rush to open the door.
Mrs. Latimer passes me with a sickly,
simpering smile. Miss Fortescue looks
straight before her. Last of all comes
Evelyn. Breathlessly 1 fix my eyes on
her. The blue eyes give one grave,
reproachful look at my flushed face and
then she averts her head. Evidently
she thinks | am under the influence of
wine.
Frantic, stung by such a suspicion, L
regain my chair somehow. Savagely,
bitterly, do | attack MacPhoole on his
politics, always a grand vent for ones
temper. 1 dare not touch any more
wine; my brain is on fire already.
At last the monster gives us the signal
to go into the drawing ROOM. Ladiesl
What are ladies to mep There is but
one in all the world for me, and another
man will sit by her. But 1 go slowly to
the drawing room door, and from there
behold Lord MacPhoole on one side of
Evelyn while Chalmers stands on the
other.
I go to the conservatory to cool my
maddened brain. There Is no light
except when the lightning flashes, and
no sound but the rumbling thunder.
Did the contemptuous fates ever toy
so with any man beforer Eness, much
tossed to and fro by land and sea on
account of the undying anger of the
cruel Juno, never suffered as L do.
The pangs of jealousy are sharper than
any darts,
Suddenly the drawing room is opened
and L hear Evelyn's sweet voice sing
ing.
thought 80 stockish, hard and full of
rage, but music for the time may
change his nature" 1t Gains me for a
moment, but jealousy is a horrible curse,
a possession. | torment myself with
wondering who is turning over the
leaves for her. Then they shut the
door again.
Once more 1 ponder on my wretched
self, my atrocious folly, my hopeless
love. This gloomy train of thought is
interrupted by a voice in the little room
I shrink into the shadow of a huge plant
behind the door.
Evelyn and Miss Fortescue come into
the conservatory.
SIS this the flower you meant, dearp"
says Evelyn, as they come to a stand
still before a splendid Erica.
Yes" Miss Fortescue says: ''do you
think l may have this bit to paint?"
OF course, Mildred; take as much as
you can possibly manage"
The flowers are gathered, and then
Evelyn says, looking straight into my
eyes without knowing it, "What is the
matter with MI. Trevor tonight.
There is a subtle something, almost
lm~perceptible, / her voice that makes
-. lo.-A IonN ruf4h n Foolish fAu /
Poor mani" says Mildred Fortescne,
with a little laugh, and she whispers
something in Evelyn's ear.
/ hold my breath TO listen. l strain
every power l possess, but In vain, |
cannot catch a word.
Evelyn stands silent, looking down
for a minute; then she says in a low,
soft voice: "How do you know?"
~ can see it,"
For some moments, during which |
hardly dared venture to breathe, except
once when it thunders, there is silence,
and then Evelyn speaks again, this time
with a sort of shy gladness. "But are
you quite surePo
"Quite. Positive. You must have
seen it ages ago yourself, dear"
SIT is only sheet lightning" says
Evelyn, suddenly, ''let us open the door
and look at it, l love lightning"
/ tremble. They are coming nearer.
l shrink as far back in the darkness as
may.
With some difficulty they get the door
open, for it drags on the floor. | can
not conceive how it is | remain undis-
covered, for several times they seem
to be looking at me. Then they stand
oD the door step tarlking softly to each
other. Evelyn's arm is around the
others waist. She looks so lovely, and
is so inaccessible that | cannot help but
sigh.
"What is that sound?" says Miss
Fortescue.
Evelyn assures her it is nothing but
distant thunder. Comparisons are
odious." Even in my ~unenviable state
80 mind I aunfla 70 baor a loyarba aiuh