Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-29
CONTINUED from last Saturday.
PART ".


CONTINUED from last Saturday.
PART ".
He, too, had neglected an engagement on
account of "severe headache, i" and he had
come to dispel this ailment by promenad-
ing the terrace-or at least that part Of
il which lay at the foot of Mrs. Hunting
don's lawn-for the rest of the evening.
Nell could see his face quite plainly in
the moonlight. And it had never been
such "A beautiful face in its brightest
glow as it was III its sadness and pallor-
And why was he there Bad as he was
there must be some strong feeling whic h
impelled him to come to the place and
haunt it so when there was nothing to he
gained. 1t was what Il man with Il warm
heart and-yes, Il tender love filling it
might have done.
Nell leaned against the uncovered
trellis trembling, and soon ON the leaves
near where her check rested great drops
fell and shone.
"Why are you not good - she wills
pered brokenly. "Why are you not Il
gentleman-a man? | should-like you
then. | could not help it. Oh, can
scarcely help 1t now -
And at that very instant, as though he
had heard the words-though he had not
he stopped just below where she stood
and looked up. And then he came up the
steps and walked toward the arbor
There was nothing to be done. 1t was
impossible to 90 away. There was no
time. As she made her involuntary step
towards the entrance-a step which
brought her into the full moonlght-he
reached her and they stood face to face.
1t was as if he had received an electric
shock. a sharp tremor shook him for an
instant Nell looked up at him and then
looked down.
"Will you let me pass." she said in Il
low voice.
81 can't" he said with desperate,
miserable effort, "until you tell me why
you did that heartless-that cruel thing to
me this afternoon"
Nell could not speak. She put her hand
on the trellis to steady herself. This was
too sudden.
you ought to tell me- he persisted
"You must. Surely woman would not
do such a thing as that through caprice
woman like you | may not be very at
tractive fellow may 90 wrong some
times-I know I'm hot headed and rash
and obstinate-and have a deuce of
temper-and perhaps you have right to
dislike me, but you might have spared me
that. Why did you do itr' passionately.
=
not-presume to-ask mer Yet the words
We're not spoken valiantly and her voice
was not SO clear as she had intended it to
be-,
everything going to turn against me ? |
have tried-I have tried to keep things
straght-but it is no use-and you might
have helped me-if you would"
&c" exclaimed Nell with pride.
"Yes-You y fiercely. "There have
~, l.,
felt themselves too good to help men who
could be helped by their kindness. Even
if you had not cared much for me-if you
had been little kind-but to kill man
at such time as this Dc you think |
have not trouble enough ID. you think
l have tried-I gave the thing a fair trial
and failed. | came back here more
crushed than you know | longed for
sight of your face-and kind look. You
have never given me one yet, butt it
seemed as if now you might, perhaps.
And yOu struck me down-when | was
suffering mOst-yOu, the woman | love ~
Then Nell lifted her head
How dare YOU she said. Glow dare
you!'
Dare !" he echoed with fire and de
fiance that almost overwhelmed her.
"What daring is there inlovinga woman
What man, If he is man at all, cannot
dare that much? y dog might love you
the worst fellow in the world might love
you. Perhaps, | am not quite the worst,
and tell You again that love you. You
cannot help t-neither-'-with Il break
NEITHER can L.
"Let me pass" said Nell, II wish to
leave you. We have nothing to say to
each other -
She began to tremble. She did not wish
to leave him. She wished to stay-to
hear him say anything. That was the
worst of all-that was why she trembled.
But he only saw the tremor and agita-
ton in her face. He stopped short a mo
ment and looked at her as he had done
that day on the lawn.
us this only dislike :" he said, as if
wondering. as it only hatred, or is it
something else ?"
If he had had less power-if he had
wrung her heart less when he spoke she
would have been more pitiful. AS it was
her only safety lay in gathering her
strength together in one merciless effort.
1T is more than dislike" she painted
1T is contempt VIII you let me pass
now ?"
YES" he answered And he moved
aside, and as she went he turned and
stood still, staring blankly at the moon
lit sea.