The Penn's Grove record., 1885-01-17

with a light step he never complained
now of the dizziness of his work, but
would talk hopefully of his prospects of
setting up for a lawyer himself in a lew
years.
But the storm burst one April night.
| was in my bedroom, with my candle
burning-l too had lately contracted
the bad habit of long reveries. That
night | must have sat for two hours
after the others had gone to bed.
There came ii rafting against my
window panes, as # mould from the
garden was thrown against them. L
opened the window and looked out.
As soon as | could distinguish objects
in the dark, ! saw a woman's figure
standing in the path, and a whisper
came up to me
Lucy, come down; it is I-.Queenle."
Putting out my candle and wrapping
"a shawl round me, l crept downstairs
without making any noise to disturb
any one in the house.
The moon had risen from behind the
trees. and it threw a strong light down
upon the garden. QueenIe was stand
ing motionless, ~waitlng-sO absent that
she did not hear my approach.
When [ touched her and whispered
her name, she turned, and, throwing
herself into my arms, wept so violently
that 1 could scarcely hold her. Pres
emily She grew quieter, and then | whis-
pered-
"When you are able, darling, tell me
what is the matter"
When we got neal the Mill House,
she interrupted, in her quick impulsiye
way, some commonplace of mine
"Do you know why l came to you to-
night ?"
In my heart l thought that it was n
of her strange eccentric doings, and
that there was no special reason for her
strange visit. But, while | hesitated
what to answer, she went On
There is my home. l have seen
many happy hours there and in this
wood. Somehow l think 1 shall not see
many more. Lucy, put both your hands
in mine. Look at me-So; let the light
fall so that [ may see your dear old face
plainly. Now will you believe me when
| tell you that, whatever happens here
after, up to this hour / am innocent in
thought word and deed ? viii you kiss
me, and say that you believe me ?"
OF course l kissed the sweet pleading
face held up to me in the moonlight.
Zone more question, Lucy. Would
Guineyere have been so very bad if she
had refused to marry the king when she
had seen Lancelot ?"
Humoring her still, | replied seriously:
at would have been better than
what she dld but she would still have
been a faithless blind woman"
No sooner had | spoken than the
truth flashed upon me. | was 50 angry
with her that | stammered breathlessly:
"You cannot, you dare not be false
TO Richard ~
81 a never marry him +" she muir
mured--"never. l am not worthy Of
him.
How the hot blood tingled Ia my
veinsI L never felt so indignant be-
fore. l turned on her fiercely,
'"Tell the truth-you love another :!
You are perjured as he is ; you are
worthy of the coward migrate, Norwood
Templeton ~
As | uttered the last words, already
half ~repenting them, she gave a low cry,
and, breaking from me, ran swiftly into
the house..
When | was certain that she was
safely indoors, l walked home quickly,
determining to put things right III the
morning, though l felt that trouble was
near for all of us-how great 1 little
guessed.
Here ends my own knowledge Of the
events l have recorded. What | mean
to say Is that up TO now | have related
only my own experience. The rest has
been cleaned from different sources,
and | put 1t down here as plainly as l
can, considering that l have had to col
lect the facts from somewhat meagre
and disiointed evidence.
While I was fast asleep the morning
broke brightly I'VE Redthorpe Wood.
The east was still dusky red, and a
few stars yet twinkled in the paling
blue, when a man trod down the newly
awakened primroses, brushed the dew
from the dropping elm-branches, and by
his presence broke the sacred stiffness
of the morning in those quiet glades.
1t was Norwood Templeton, walking
quickly as with a purpose, until he
came to q fallen tree, on which he
seated himself, and, lighting acigarette,
waited.
Even the birds were hardly awake
yet, and, the deadly stiffness growing
irksome to him, he began to hum a tune,
that his voice might keep him company.
Once he stopped, when there was a
cracking among the underground but
when he saw the direction from which
it proceeded, he looked disappointed
and resumed his humming.
Presently with a cry of delight he
sprang to his feet. Queenie Goodwin
stood before him. Wonderfully fair she
looked that morning, the dew glistening
on her soft hair and, when she looked
up at him, a light came yer her face,
hiding the dark circles under her eyes,
which told of a sleepless night, soften
ing the ~quivering Of her sensitive
mouth, and sending a flush OF life into
her pale fair cheeks.
81 am here" was all she said but
how much was conveyed in the words !
"And being here, " he responded gaily,
placing his arm round her and drawing
her to him, ''all that | possess or care
for in the world is with me-"
This was the first time they had mel
IN secret, Those we're the first words
of love he had dared to speak to her.
do not know what they said after
wards. 1t may have been a pleasant
hour for each of them. 1t was the hrst
and the last they spent together.
Richard, going out to his work at six,
and Yielding to a desire to see the casket
that held his Jewel, came suddenly upon
the two lovers and, when he would
have retired. they saw him, and rose
trembling. Then he came forward.
SEQ home. , he said briefly to her.
When her slight form had disappeared
down the path, he turned to the other,
his eyes ablaze with wrath.
"You traitor /" he cried, selling him.
But the man who had eaten his bread
covered before him 80 that Richard
felt disguised at the vileness of the
creature and, hurting him from hun
he strobe away.
Ten minutes afterwards two shots