Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-13

hotel, they quickened their steps-for two
reasons One, that the sun bad gone
down and the air was chilly; the other,
that something seemed to have happened
at the hotel There was commotion in
the piazza: guests and servants had all
gathered there. and something-or some
one-was being carried in.
Faster, fasterr' said Grace Duval.
abruptly. Something has happened y
She left her cousin and ran on, but the
commotion had subsidized partly as she
reached the steps. The hotel team, they
told her, had run away and dashed into
another team, and Felix Gray was brought
back dying.
Grace Duval put her hand to her head
in dazed wav! The crash! The calam-
ity! Was it this? Then someone spoke
her name. Felix was asking for her--for
Miss Duval. Would she go to him? He
could not live an hour. She turned, babe
her cousin 60 to her mother, then followed
some one to the room where the boy
Felix lay diving. Was it not barren
place-that bare-foored. bare-walled
place? Was it not sweet, still face be-
fore her? They left her alone with the
diving. He had something to confide,
some secret He could barely whisper.
Grace Duval knelt and took bloodless
hand with purpling nails in her own.
..What can do ?'she said tenderly land
tears tell from her gentle eyes.
Nothing" said Felix Gray" You can
do nothing-but listen" He had to stop
and speak more slowly. IL have some
thing to-tell you. About-about a girl
B" There was girl once; she was
Young. and she was not wise. A mana
man came to be her lover. They were to
be married"
Grace Duval bent her ear very close and
held the cold hand closer in her own
"Yes," she said tenderly 81 under
stand" Felix continued with increasing
difficulty: "They went to a place-to be
married But he had lied. He
had not meant marriage. He had wronged
her-forced her to evil He
ruined her to all her acknowledgement
her. She had to leave her home. She
had to do the lowest, meanest work. He
cast her off. She begged of him. i'm
plored Of him to be honorable-to save
her. He-deserted her. She tried to die.
but she could not. Then she took an oath
that he should not be happy while she
lived. She swore that she would follow
him and stand between him and any other
woman. 1t was necessary that she should
disguise herself. She-changed the color
of her hair-from dark to light. She
wore-men's clothes. Her real name was
-Felicle. She made it-Felix Gray. The
man that she loved-is here. You know
him"
Grace Duval did not move, though a
loud voice rang in her ears. Something
crept up in her throat and seemed TO choke
her for an instant. And then again she
controlled herself. 'Poor child! Poor
girl! ~ she said with yearning compassion.
Felix Gray tried to speak again, but
only indistinct whispers issued from her
lips. "Around my neck-a locket-his
picture-I loved him"
Grace Duval saw life flicker out; saw
the gray look, and stilled features; the
quiet of death.
She folded the hands of Felix Gray.
ed the locket of which she had been told
There was picture within. 1t was the
picture of a mantle face OF Kirke
Duval. She took the locket from the chain
for the sake of the dead lest some one
else discover. Then she rose from her
kneeling posture and, half turning, saw
the door open and her cousin enter
She went near to him and held the
locket open.
He glanced at it and turned as pale as
the dead.
Grace Duval spoke slowly then. without
a culver of lash or lip.
From this moment" she said in her
clear, composed voice. from this mo-
ment we are strangers! !" And she swept
from the room.