The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-04-21
ES.AA-E-
Count Won Lindenheim.

had been child, trying to calm the UNI
accustomed storm.
At length she lifted her miserable
eyes to his.
"Do not despise me-" she sighed.
Dear Esmc,n having her cheek against
his hand. IL am only Jealous. that is il :"
with faint smile; Jealous. And there
is always something despicable about
jealousy. And made such good rcsolu-
tons tO-day-and In church too-that
would not spoil your last evening with
my eXctability and folly. meant to he
SO calm and wise. And now"
Dear child" he said gently, dear
child" smoothing her RULED brown hair
caressingly. do not he afraid. If live,
| | will come back-Or writer" he added
interrogatively.
NO, no" she replied softly, do not
write. Come back 10 me il YOU are
| free. and IL mother voice diving away
into sad ndeiuitencss-"Oh, ! shall I'M
derstandl II will not he necessary even
to write. But get WE'LL" she vent ON,
that is the first and most important
thing. When next see YOU let me find
| you quite we'll"
Her voice was steady now. She had
brushed the tears away. Perhaps his
words had inspired her with u faint
shadow Of hope. perhaps some remcm-
! brance had come to her of the rcsOlu-
tions she had formed whilst listening to
the bells ringing through the cam sum
| mer evening resulutiunS which In her
| passionate pain and suffering she had
! broken-that she would spare him as
| much as might he any share Of the
! trouble which had fallen on her; he had
| quite enough to bear himself, and lac
was i'll. And over and over again had
not the doctor said that all worry and
| anxiety, and above everything all excite
| inent, was, If possible to he avoided2
| And She knew il. As she looked at him
! now, and noted the little red flush on
| his cheeks and the icvcrish brightness
| of his eyes. she knew that twas through
| her fault, her foolish emotion, that he
was suffering afresh. What was the
| good IN crying QUIT She was hurt, per-
laps, but, rs they were circumstanccd,
there was nothing hccould do, only feel
as stab all her passionate words.
81 wish" She brganat length-but she
! did not move her cheek away from the
! hand against which It rested-"I wish
sometimes one could choose the mo-
ment of ones death; think | should
say now. Tomorrow shall he so UNI
happy, but now at this mOment-l have
forgotten that"
Forget it still" he answered; "and
believe me, If can make the future
easy for you, | viii"
Putting it into words has broken the
! charm" She said. "But you see for
| yourself that my wisdom has come back.
| Do not fear. | am not going to make
! you miserable any longer. am going,'
| tigllcuiu9a Little her clasp upon the
| hand she held. "to say 'GOod-night'-for
| you promised You would not stay up
late"
at Is 'Good-hyc." lie replied quickly.
81 am going early tomorrow. No" us
she would have spoken, ut is better. far
better You know, | wished to go days
ago. think" his voice faltcring "A lit
tie, 81 would rather not say Goodbye
again"
81 will not again break my resoG-
! ton" she said. IL will do whatever you
think best. | am not very brave, but
can be obedcnt."
She stood up rs she spoke, and, "Scc,n
she went on, Il am trying to act as
speak. am going at once. This is
| Goodbye"
lie was standing beside her on the
hcarthrug. looking down into her troub-
led eyes, noting the slender hands clasp
ed above her beating heart. perhaps
recognizing the efforts she was making
to he calm. for his own eyes grew sad
der as he watched her.
But his voice was quiet and steady,
as, placing his hands upon her shout
ders, Sydney" he said, try and trust
me. III live, will come back; if do
no come back, will write. Doyou UNI
derstandr'
"Yes" 1t was sigh. not word.
Her eyes did not drOOp-they looked
steadily up into his. The tcar-drops
were all gone. There was Il faint relCc-
| ton of his CalmnpsS and determination
about her grave mouth.
Dear child" with one hand smooth
ing back the hair from her aching fore
head, IL can say so little. You know,
you understand. If you never see me
again, you must be free, with no shad-
ow between you and IA happy future
"Ah, but you cannot do that" she in
terpOsed. you may destroy my future,
but you cannot take away my past.
And would not have it otherwise, do
not think it. ! shall always believe that
you loved me-"
you cdlno doubt. But" breaking
off, you believe me; that is enough.
You believe" speaking quickly, that if
] could say all | wish to say, II could
kiss away your tears, and bring back
smiles to your eyes and lips, there is
nothing would not sacriiice-nothing
if it were only myself had to think
Of"
As he spoke, the color swept up in a
scarlet flame to her cheeks, and the gray
eyes wavcred away from those looking
into hers.
"Good.bye," she said, softly; "your
love makes it easier"
Goodbye" he repeated.
She lifted her eyes once more to his,
and then turned slowly away. But. hay
ing reached the doorway, she paused
aud looked back.
lie had thrown himself down in the
big armchair where she had sat the
earlier part of the evening, his face hid
den in his arms OutstretChed ON the
table beside 1.-THE whole attitude one
of such suffering and despair, that al
most involuntarily she paused. And,
after a seconds hesitation, she came
back the few steps to his side.
"Esme," she said, low and timidly,
and, rs he did not move or make any
reply, Goodbye is bitter. heartbreak-
ing word" she went on gently. Does
IL comfort YOU to know that ii you suf-
fer, so do /; that if you are hcartbroken
so am II Does il comfort you-it must
to know that day and night | am pray.
ing God TO keep you until we meet
again."
There was moments silence; ther
Esme Won IindcnhCim felt her arm
about his neck, her soft kisses ON hail
and forehead.
Goodbye" she fatcred, and Good
bye" he repeated, lifting his eyes, full
of tears, to hers; and then he knew thai
If he did not regain his freedom he hat
looked his last into the gray eyes he ha,
learnt to love, heard hersay Goodbye
e.. 1Al net