The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-10-05

tenlng biuShfully with uOWncaSt eyes,
and Vivien thoughtfully, with now
and then a keen glance at the reader!
There was much duet practicing; Do
lores would curl herself in the corner
of sofa and listen delightedly to her
lover and her friend as they rendered
soft Italian or Spanish airs. Foolish.
unsuspicious Doloresi She could not
see the upward languishing chances
from those bewitching eyes. or note
the white fingers accidentally touch
her lovers hands. Hilary was an
early riser, and was wont to take a
stroll along the cliffs before breakfast.
Vivien noted il, and often met him
with her hands full of flowers and
look of establishment in her face.
Then followed a half-hour's converse
ton, often touching upon dangerous
themes.
'.HOw blest / ami said he, 81 have
the dearest sweetheart in the world,
and NE loyeliest woman for friend"
She looked at him with her beautiful
eyes dim with tears, and replied softly:
"But you can not think what it costs
me TO be your friend" Then she laid
her hand on his arm deprecatingly, and
with bushes said:
Forgive me, spoke unguardedly."
After that Hilary's manner seemed
to be changed; there was a restlessness
and thoughtfulness foreign to him. Per-
haps, il he could have shaken off the
enchanting wizards" spell, could
have reused to a state of activity, he
might have broken the charm being
Ia An
Dolores eyes were stricken blind, for
in the innocence of her heart and her
unbounded trust she saw and thought
of nothing but devotion to herself on
the part of her lover and fidelity on the
part of her friend.
%, you two may 60 and practice
your new duet. / must stay with dear
godmother. who has a headache" said
Dolores one evening. The two went
willingly enough, but. after singing a
few songs, Vivien said:
Singing of moonlit waters makes
one long for them; can not We have q
row before Dolores comes DOWN."
And they stepped from the low window
to the lawn, and went down the cliff
path to the boat-house. They rode far
up the bay, then drifted slowly back,
listening to the far-off sounds of
guitar and the refrain of love song i'm
a rich tenor voice. The perfume of
late roses came from the shore, and
here was Vivien with her beguiling
eyes talking in a sweet low voice:
"YOu ask me why L can not be your
friend, and it is a cruel question. Do
you ask il to torture me? 1t is for this
reason:
"we are friends:
And here the music ends.'
And she covered her face with her
hands as if with shame at her ayowal.
Hilary bent forward and gently took
them away, saving:
''Bur the music need not end there,
Vivienr' and with tender pleading he
bent forward, clasping her TO his heart
for a moment, raining kisses upon her
lips. Then he resumed the oars, and
Destiny, watchful ever, guided the
boat close 10 the shore, among the lily
pads.
Dolores left Mrs. Glentworth fast
asleep. and. failing TO find her friend
and lover in the house, went to mees
them. Perhaps they had gone for
water-lilies, so she went through the
garden. picking flowers As she passed
and singing snatches of Spanish
serenade. The moonlight fell csresS-
ingly on her sweet, upturned face. the
night breezes softly waved her dark
hair, and she went down the cliff paths
leaving behind her the scent of flowers
and fragments of song. And there
were the lilies folded and cleaning
white ON their emerald couchesi She
took branch from a little tree to reach
them with, and stepped on a partly
submerged log. She had secured a
handful and was reaching for more
when the boat that was slowly drifting
down the bay passed by the lily-bloOm-
ing inlet; the moon shone full on the
faces of the occupants, and Dolores
saw the heart-clasp and the kisses. 1t
daZed her for q moment; that heart
clasp had in it an arrow that pene-
trated hers. She attempted 10 retrace
her footsteps, but, weak and bewil-
dered, she slipped and the lily-pads re-
ceived and held her. Some fishermen.
returning late, saw her fall, fastened
TO the rescue. and carried her up the
same path by which she came. The
moon yet shown down caressingly, but
on still white face and lips whence
all song had departed.
The drawing-room was filled with
nurrying figures, pale and scared faces,
and cries of lament; all attempt to re-
suscitate the inanimate form had been
in vain. The hastily-summoned ply
sicians were standing over her when
Hilary and Vivien came in; and on the
delicate carpet there were pools of
water that had driPped from her cloth
ing and hair. Vivien uttered cry of
horror: Hilary reeled and would have
fallen, but caught at a chair for sup
port. Recovering his self-possession,
he questioned the fishermen.
LAS near as l ken tell we, sir, 'twa
this way: Me an my pardner,
comm 'Ome late, 'appened along jes
as this ere innocent was a reachin' fu
flowers. We was t'other side o. th