Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-03-20

L am NOT 1COfCf S1tci1 JOCe as UOU1S.
I covered her dear face with kisses. l
strained her to my heart. | lavished W ords
of love upon her She smiled family, tn n
sighed hopelessly-a sigh which almost broke
my heart
''Tell me all, my love-" she said calmly.
"Let me know the very worst"
l could not speak; for the life of me the
words would not come. With trembling
hands drew out the he wspaper and pointed
to the fatal lines. She read them with a
calm which almost alarmed me.
81 knew it must be- was all she said.
threw myself on my knees before her. |
embraced her. was half distrau mt. Save
for my wild CALCULATIONS of undyng love
there was silence for many minutes between
us.
Presently, with great force, she raised my
head and looked at me with her sweet and
sorrowful eyes,
"Basil, my dearest, you have been wrong.
The right is right, the wrong is wrong. See
what you have done! Hal you not striven
to save me, only should have had to answer
for this. Now it is you and me, and per-
haps thlrd-an innocent, stainless life, that
will be wrecked'
''Spare me! Spare mel" said GAS you
love me, spare meg"
She kissed me. dearest forgive me.
should not blame you Only am to blame"
Then, with a sudden change in her voice,
"When do we start or England, Basil!'
Although l expected this question, trem-
Died and shuddered as I heard it. Too we'll
l knew what England meant. 1t meant
fhlIppa's standing in open court, in a pris-
oner's dock, the centre of a gaping crowd,
self accused of the murder of her husban l.
And as pictured this once more, and for
the last time, the temptation shook me.
spoke, but l averted my eyes from hers.
could not meet them. My voice was husky
and strange; it sounded like the voice of
another man. A sort undercurrent of
thought ran through me, that if Philippa
would but share it, I could bear any burden,
any dishonor
"Listen!" said, in quick accents 1--WE
are far away, safe We love each other.
We can be happy. Let the man take his
chance. What dos anything matter, so
long as we love and are together?'
felt that her eyes were seeking mine. l
felt chance in the clasp of her hand I
knew that she was nobler and better than l.
=, "Basil,' she said, softly, and speaking
like one in a dream, sit was not my hus-
band, not the man I love, who said that.
forgive you for the sake of your great love,
for the sake of all you have done, or tried
start for Enelandg"
Her words brought back my senses. Never
in the widest height of my passion had
loved Philippa as I loved her at that mo-
ment L beSought her pardon. She gave
it, and once more repeated her question.
suited the raj wayguide, and found that if
we left Seville Tomorrow morning hy the
first train, might, by travelling day and
night, early on the morning the twenti
eth reach the town in which the trial was to
be held. | made the result of my researches
known to my wife; AMI upon my assuring
her that we should have time to spare, she
left all the arrangements of the journey to
me.
After this another painful question arose.
Was my mother to be told? Phlippa, who
may, perhaps, in her secret heart have
craved for woman's support and sympa-
thy in her approaching al, at first inss ed
| that my mo her should be tax II INTO our
Confidence confidence which, alas! in a
few days time would be gossip to the world.
| L b, sought her to waive the point to spare
my mothers feelings until the very last mo-
ment. We could not take her with us on our
hurried Journey. We We're young; she was
old. The fatiaue, combined with the grie
would be more than her frame could endure
l could not bear to think of her waiting
| lonely in Seville or the bad news which she
knew must come in dav OF two from Enc
| land. Let us say nothing respecting the
wretched errand on which we are bound
Let Us derart in secret, and leave some
plausible explanation behind us.
To my relief Phillppa at last consent d to
this. Then, er long, tear u embrace,
we steele1 ourselves to join my mother at
| the ev ming meal and to bear curse V s so
that she should suspect nothing of the tenn
pest within our hearts We did not very
long subject ourselves to this strain upon
| cur nerves. 1t seemed to me now that every
moment spent otherwise than alone with NV
wife was a pr cious treasure wasted. a loss
which I should forev regret So very
early we pleaded fatigue and retired to our
rest. Such rest!
| PhilpDa bada nv mother good nioht wi h
an embrace 50 long and passio a e that l
feared it would awaken alarm, pee ~
when 1t was succe ded | Y NV own veil Il.
but scarcely less emo'i nal, adieu For who
could say that we should ever meet againg
do not eieve it struck PhilipDa that in
acc ompanyng her was running the SLIGHT
| est risk Had she thought SO, she would
have insisted upon going alone But |
knew that the rart I had PLAYED in that
nights work would probably bring severe
punishment upon my own head. What did
! care or that}
Silently and sadly i'll the retirement of
our room we made our preparations or the
journey, which be~an with The morn. There
was no nee1 to cu1tlber ours Ives with much
luggage. We should rest in no bed until
the tlia was over. W at estine-p, co
might tfen be Philipra's, Heaven o., v
knew! So our package was soon COM
pleted.
Then l wrote q letter, to be given to or
found 10y my mother in the morning | told
her that an important matt T. took me post
naste 70 En9laiiu. tila1 Inilippa had deter
mined to accompany me; thatI would write
as soon as we reached London. gave no
further ex PLANTATION. hopal she would at
tribue my sudden fight to the cratic ma
ture which she often averred possessed.
After all, the deception mattered little
In a weeks time nothing would matter.
Grief. overwhelming grief, would be my
norton: a portion which, by her affection
for me and for Phiippa, my poor mother
would be forced to share.
All being now ready for our start, we
strove to win some hours of sleep. Our
efforts were Knocked to scorn. Through
that, the last night we gould spend together,
an eyelid. Let me draw veil over my wild
distress and Pmlispa's calm acquiescence in
her fate. Some grief is too sacred to de.
scribe.
Morningl Bright broad, clear, cool,
odorous morning! Our sleepiessness had at