Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-05-14

sang her old ballads with an art and
q sweetness that held him spellbound.
He was drifting, drifting with the
tide, and yet he knew it not. Only one
was conscious of it, and she only in a
vague, uneasy way-the wife who felt
that he was changed. Someway she
feared more than she knew, and her
fair countenance began to wear an
anxious, foreboding look, and some
times the soft brown eyes were full OF
tears.
Carl noticed his wife's changing
looksone day, and very gravely asked
if she was ill.
mo, Carl, feel quite we'll"
"But you are pale, and you are los
ing flesh. See how thin you are, Lii
liasr' and he slipped the diamond ring
up and down the slender finger that he
remembered at one time had quite
filled the golden circlet.
at is the hot season perhaps" she
said, turning away her head.
"You ought to 90 out doors more.
Won't you go boating with us this af-
ternoonP" asked Carl, solicitously.
mo, thank you Carl; 60 not care
to"
Then come out and play croquet
on the lawn with us, Lillias."
IL never play croquet, you know"
she replied with sigh.
"Hullo, Sir Cavaliers" cried Maud's
silvery voice, $50 you are making love
to your wife while your guests are suf-
fering from ennui! Don't sit here
like an owl, but come out into the
SUM-"
She laughed gsyly and went out, and
he arose and followed her. In her COM
pany he forgot the momentary thought
that had troubled him.
That afternoon they took row up
on the river. Carl, Maud, Ellice, and
Guy and Stella Vincent, two young
folks from a neighbours house. Never
had Maud appeared SO queenly, never
had her conversation been SO brilliant.
She fairly facinated them all by her
scintellations OF wit. her quickness of
repartee, her rare faculty for story
telling And poor Carl admiringly
listened while through his brain flash
ed the thought, "If | was free could
win this glorious creature. Why can
not Lillian be us brilliant ?"
up to the house, and the grounds were
dim in the light'shade.
"Stella, Guy, you must see Lillias'
rose tree" cried cousin Ellice. at is
a wonder" and she led them to dis
tant part of the garden.
81 am tired" said Maud. 81 think
a little music will cheer me. Mr..
Leigh, shall not sing to you?"
He bowed, murmuring some gallant
speech, he scarcely knew what, as she
flashed her sorceress eyes full upon
him.
The piano stood in a far off, shad-
owy corner of the long high parlor,
and her white hands sparkling with
rings went straying over the keys with
mastery skill. 1t was no schoolgirl
| jingle; every note breathed fire and
| passion, flames from the hot burning
| Southern heart of the proud beauty
singing. She had rich, clear voice,
full and plaintive, and was perfect
mistress of it.
1t was an Italian opera that she
sung full of love and passion, and of
music, too, and she played it from
memory. Carl went and stood by her
|
periously beautiful face. The be-
witchihg spell of her music and her
beauty, and the dreamy stiffness of
the hour fairly intoxicated him. He
felt that he could have fallen upon his
knees there and worshipped her.
She finished the opera, and the Jew
elled hands went wandering tremu-
lousy over the ivory, the long black
lashes yelling the dark lustrous eyes.
Finally she stopped, whirled round on
her stool, and said, with one of her
bewIldering smiles:
Il am going away tomorrow, Mr..
Leigh. So you must prepare to bid
me goodbye"
"Going away he gasped. 80
Maud, where ?'
Hometown South. / am tired
of this northern climate and the cold
hearts in it. Oh. my beautiful Louisi-
ana that any one should prefer this
country to you "
Carleton Leigh turned white n mo-
ment, and then a hot flush swept over
his face. He grasped one of the soft
lily hands and kneeing cried:
II cannot let you go. Stay, here,
Maud, and be the sunshine of my lite.
1 never knew till now what paradise
you have made this world to me. VIII
you go and leave me when I-ob, God,
what am saying P'
Maud Armitage placed her other
hand in his and stopped forward, gaz-
ing with her beautiful eyes upon his
strained, passion-heated face.
"You love me, CarlP" she breathed.
He raised both hands to his lips rain
ing kisses upon them till they were as
flushed as her cheeks.
"Love you! Great Heavens, L"
The merry laugh of Ellice and the
voices of their friends on the piazza at
this instant startle them both. Maud
turned suddenly to the piano and
struck up lively air. Carl arose and
lighted the lamps.
Two hours later he lighted cigar
and wandered mechanically out among
the garden paths. He came to lit
tie summer-house, and with sigh en-
tered and sat down on a rustic seat.
His brain was in whirl; he could not
think clear, and he sank into stupid
reverie.
He was aroused by the sound of a
voice-her voice; it thrilled him all
over like draught of wine. The
soft rustic of feminine garments paus-
ed near HIM and he heard Maud say:
"Ellice, / shall conquer. If you had
not interrupted us should have won
his confession tonight. But L know
that he loves me. told him that was
going away tomorrow, but / shall