Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-06-17

I
Tnen you would still sbun me?n
would; it is the wisest, the only
co irse | can pursue"
You sent me letter some years
ag y she began, hesitating and blush.
inl like guilty child. 81 never un-
de stood it; will you explain II to me
now"
lle looked at heI and smiled. What
coe nettes all women werel And Bel,
beautiful bel, was as tickle as the rest.
BY cones are best left to slumber,''
he aid; "no explanation can possibly
alt our positions to-day, and, if You
wi al ow me, | will wish you good
mo ming"
Don't go" she said gently. "TeIl
me what YOU meant"
When Lieutenant Haywood came
back to claim hIs own, what could | do
but abdicate?n
lieutenant HeywOod?" she repea-
ted puckering her brows in perplexity
Il ave not seen him."
Perhaps not lately" he said, and
lau bed. Then, becoming suddenly
grave lie continued, ''I wish you would
try o understand me. without forcing
| NE 70 W more explicit
Speak plainly; have nothing to
feal IN any revelation you may make"
Proudly, fearlessly her eyes met his
and ior he first time there dawned ON
hin the possibility that he had been
mistaken i'll the identity Of Lieutenant
/ Hey wood; but no-that was not pos
siblel Nevertheless his manner soften
ed ss he said
"rhen listenI On the Thursday that
p0mised would return to Sutton |
did eturn. At The Griffin heard of
Mrs. LeSter's death, and | hurried to
the cottage, my heart filled with ten
derliess and love for you; but some one
preceded me thither-a young good
looking man, with The unmistakable
military stamp upon him. He went to
you and paused at the gate and saw
you meet him. Bel''-and for a mo-
ment his hand rested on her shoulder
''you never came To me with the readi
ness with which you flew to him, and, |
seeing that, learnt that the maidenly |
reserve l had admired SO much was |
purely want of affection. L didn't |
blame you, child-to be true to him |
you had to be false to me; but"-with |
flickerlng smIle-''perhaps you knew |
| was very jealous, even from the first,
of Lieutenant Haywood.
1t was long since Bel Urmson's face |
had worn SO happy and blissfull a
smile.
1T was lot Lieutenant IIeywoOd |
who came to me that evening, but my |
brother. in-law, Captain Lester"
Captain Lesterl He was drowned |
years before l met you."
$50 We thought; but We were mis-
taken. lie was picked up by an Afri-
can eoastlng-vessel and carried to Lo-
ango, and thence TO several places on
the Congo. lie was kept prisoner
for nearly three years; and''-with a
little shudder-"I cannot tell you all
the cruelties they made him suffer.
FiH.sS. he &c ec,ed his escape, ssnt, LAID
ed in England a fortnight after Clara
died" Her voice shook a little and she
paused.
But John Harvey never noticed her.
With his arms crossed and his head
slightly bent, he seemed hardly to be
listening to her.
''Poor Charlie died within six months
after his arrival" Bel continued; ''and
when we had laid him beside my dar-
ling in Sutton churchyard, was left
poor and all alone in the world; and
then j came here"
Still he remained silent, taking no
heed of her. Was it possible that he
still considered her behavior to Charlie
had been lacking in that maidenly re-
serve he SO much admiredp Timidly,
shyly she held out her hand.
'Do you blame me Bow?" she asked
and then broke down in wailing pite-
Gus cry. "John, forgive me, for have
always been true In my love for you"
He turned to her, his face white,
drawn. and quivermg.
"Hush-dOn't say such words to
mel"-and he passed his hand hurried
ly across his brow. ''What evil destiny
brought me here to -day?"-then sud
denly he TODD her nand. "You must
forget me, Bel. 1t is best to tell you at
once-you must entirely put me out of
your life; for am married."
Fear and astonishment were blended ;
in her face as she murmured- 4
81 don't understand youp'
But, even as she spoke, comprehen-
sion came TO her. She stretched out
her disengaged hand, clutching ner-
vously at him for support, and low
cry-the cry of anguish that tells of the
death of life's bright hOpe-broke
from her lips.
Oh for the right to take her in his
arms and whisper comforting words to
her-fOr the right to bid her look up g.,
and see the dawning of the day that i,
was to change her night of sorrow into
brightness and joyl Holding her hands
tightly pressed between his own John !,
Harvey gazed into the pale beautiful
face of the women he loved and grOan-
ed.
"My poor Lowell" he whispered.
The dear never-forgotten accents
brought consciousness to her. Once :
more Bel Urmson's soft brown eyes q
looked up at him; but between them ,
had come the barrier of another wO- =
mau's love; and, remembering that
Bells lips pleaded for her own release.
''ln mercy let me gol'' she cried. =
For second he heSitated, but only
for second; then he too remembered
that other woman who bore his name
and was the mother of his children.
Goodbye, Bel-good-bye, my poor
Lowell" came in a thick horse whisper. ,
There was quick sudden pressure of
her hand, and he was gone-gone from
into the path of rectitude-
gone from the woman he loved to the
woman he had vowed to love-gone
from what promised to be the beauty
of his life to the stern performance OF
life's duties. v
And Be. did not die. For a few days ?
her scholars were perplexed by the s
vagueness of her instructions and r
alarmed at the whiteness and stern |
ness of her countenance; then gradu- |
ally each duty was taken up with a a
tirmer grasp as, fighting, struggling, G
she too clung to the path of right. T
In the great hereafter, when love i
shall gain its frilness surprising even Q
the love of women, perhaps Bel Urm- e
sons love, checked and kept under on '
aa,fh hEaanca hara - aNnIl blossom, q