The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-06-11
CHAPTER VI.

Richmond again In the ruddy nghG OF |
rosy July sunshine. a hight breeze
stole in at the open window of the
pleasant parlOr at The PoplarS, where |
Dr. Raynor lay back in lounge-chair
idly reading the Times. Violet, IN
pretty summer dress with roses IN her
bosom, sat in her favorlte corner, her
workable Strewn with gay creWelS;
her big John leant over her chair, and
watched her with adOrlng eyes. lie
looked up and asked as Bob laid down
the paper impatiently:
'fIave you heard of Jessie Venni-
more lately, BObf"
stNo. I wish to Heaven had. wrote
to her telling her of my accident and
begging her to hold out till / could
come to her. Fancy the poor child SICK
and surrounded by so much trouble.
Oh! it makes me feel like a mailman to
think of it. have laid here ike a log
while she had such need of me. Had
YOU been at home when the letter came,
John. | should have asked you to 90 to
her in my stead. l suffer tOrmentS
while pictuTing that mans power for
evil. III start for Scotland to-day at
any risk"
@Oh, Bob dear, you are not fit, it will
kill YOU; YOU can hardly stand yet"
I've ordered a crutch, and will be
careful for my poor girls sake. Do not
try to dissuade me, Violet; must go,
indeed l must"
Violet's pretty eyes were filled with
tears; her lover patted her cheek kind
ly, and said:
"Cheer up, little woman; III go and
look after this headStrOng brother of
/ yours. | shall be glad to plant my feet
/ upon my native heath once more.
/ did not think l should go there until L
could take YOU, but'-with Slgh-'SO
| much happiness must not be mine just
/ yet, sweetheart. so | II 90 with Bob"
"DO. YOU dear good fellow. | shall
. feel safe if he is with you. Here comes
/ Audrey; open the door, John. Good
/ ness, Audrey! are you i'll, you look so
white?'
Audrey smiled as she shook hands
. with each in turn. then sank into a chair
close to Bob, where her face was in the
shadow.
''No. | am not i'll. but am the bearer
/ of unpleasant news, Violet. l want to
speak to Bob alone; suppose you try
that new song with Mr.. Dean"
"All right, Audrey; but remember
Bob is an invalid, and you must be gen
tie with him."
As the door closed upon Violet and
John, Bob said:
What have you to tell me, Audreyp
Have you any tidingS Of my poor dar-
ling? If you have, speak quickly; my
heart is eaten up with anxiety"
Audrey crept behind his chair, so that
he could not see her face, then laying
her hand on his head, she said, in a
voice low and unsteady with emotion:
Bob dear, can you bear a shock?
Can you be brave and believe all things
tend to some good end even when our
hearts are almost broken by grief and
. Disappointment
AUDREY, what do you mean2 Speak
plainly. l am not a child. Say anything
but that my girl is deadI'
'Tis not that Bob dear; but she in
future must be dead to you. L heard
no 70. 4 Ql%r Cr1lnan
wicked victory. She maTries him on
Wednesday
Bob sprang to his feet and brought
his hand down with a crash upon the
table beside him, saying, with eyes OF
flame fixed upon her face, by Heaven,
she shall uOt!'
'Oh. Bob. Bob. be patient; perhaps
tiS better so. She could not be worthy
/ of such love as yours, or she would have
been true till death. Take comfort,
darling; there are loyal hearts and un-
changing loves that live and burn, be-
side which such puny flames as hers
are as QuenChed fires. Take comforts
shut her out Of your heart since she
could so weakly slip out of your life:
Audrey had come quite close to hin
in her excitement, her fair face was
transformed by passion. There was NJ
miStaking the lOvelight of her eyes.
Amazement, bewilderment, and dis
QuSS slowly merged into q suspicion o.
, foul play in Bob's mind. All her un
desired love was plain to him now.
What do you mean by such emotion
Audrey? Why are you so to me?-
Audrey had sunk to her knees, he
: face lifted towards his. SeiZing hi
2 hand in both her own, she said passion
ately:
.Despise me if YOU will. Bob; but
. love you. love you with force ant
passion that must win some return
from you, or l shall die. Let me com
: fort you, my own dear love. Let me III
the heart that poor weak creature cOul
never have satisfied for a lifetime. u
not look so coldly on me. Am l no
~ beautiful? Am | not a woman to cor
tent man? Speak to me. No, yO
/, shall not take your hands away. wi
cling to them till you are kind to mt
! Oh. Bob, Bobl'
Hush, Audreyl for Heavens sake
y You know | have no love to give yOJ
1t hurts me to see you lower your won
anhOOd thus. Nv friend. my sister, le
. us forget this foolish Scene-imagine
? as unreal as this mad love of yours, thS
Will pass away like morning dew b,
|, meath the warmth Of some good man
love some day. Come, dear, do not ad
4 to my troubles by this wayWard frea
. of your untTied heart. Get up, dea
q tits not fit that the knee should ben
II in SuppEcatlOn to any but the King
Kings
4 You are my king. my love, my ma
= ter. Let man kneel to God and woms
n kHeel to man, the ruler of love, f
= which one lives. Bob. l beSeech you
= say one hopeful word to me. Now Je
n sic is lost to you, will you not win CO
- tent from me?N
8 Jessie is not lost yet. viii win he
o She is the only woman l will call wifi
II Show me her letter. l insist-you hay
r. it in your pocket. Come, give it to IN
Ir 1t is all can take from you. Do N
IT anger me; [ cannot trust myself to !
d patient. Give me the letter"
s. Audrey rose slowly, compelled by Il
!. sternness of his unfinching eyes.
Instinctiyely she put her hand in h
d pocket.
ie Bob heard a rustic of paper, AZ
20 taking hold of her hand, drew out Il
m letter.
\ She made one effort to retain it, b.
To he forced it from her and read:
ID DEAR EY:-Your letter showed 7
q that you shared DR.. Rsynors better judgme
of my unhappy position. do not write to
- proach you. You were but his mOuthpie,
Ill I do not wish to open old wounds. only bo
o. You may never suffer from the UnChdritat
Judgment Of one who ought TO keep talth
all the world were false. ! have given In
~ last. What use TO fight single-handed agar
fate2 Nothing can matter since Bob can
an licve ili of me, so / am going to be married
~, Rex NennimOre on Wednesday, the l4th