Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-10-27


moonlight was flooding everything oil
| the lawn with its radiance, as Mis-
Styles, the evening before her depart
ure from Seven Oaks, ran lightly dowI
the gravel path to summer house, il
search OF a shawl left there at afternoon
tea. The wrap had been secured, ant
she paused a moment on the broaC
stone step to note the effect of tn,
moonlight on the silvery thread which
wound at the foot of the garden, wheI
a voice at her elbow made her start
She recognized it at once. The gen
tleman threw aside cigar, as he said
II almost feel your coming here ar
inspiration. was thinking of you.'
He was standing by her now and look
ing directly down upon her. "I have
something to tell you, Mary; will yor
hear it?''
She stood with her face averted, hel
gaze still fixed upon the river.
mo, there could be nothing YOU
could have to say to me that / would
wish to hear" she said, coldly.
But there are duties one cannot ig-
more on question Of what is agree
able" the gentleman went on, sand
ask you to hear me as simply matter
of duty"
DUTY Is an odd word from you to
me,' Miss Styles turned and met the
full gaze Of a handsome pair of gray
eyes.
Yes; an unrecognized quantity be
tween woman and man." the gentle.
Taf - -.
owes a hearing to the man who love:
her. Whatever weight the words
might carry" the young man went
on, land whether well or Ill chosen
must speak. tell you, against reason,
against my best judgment, In defiance
OF pride. l tell you that love you I'm.
reasonably, blindly, with an intensity
that conquers pride and defies my judg.
ment, with love which, after ten
years waiting of silence and separation
and an ever-present sense OF hopeless.
ness. is still unconquered and enduring.
claim by these feelings, which you
alone have brought to life, the right to
plead their cause. / claim this right,
Mary" he added, with Infinite tender
ness IN the tone, ''and beg to win your
love-"
"Those are strange words from you
to me, Alec Thornton. Are you act
ing farce?"
us It then incredible that still love
your 1t is strange that my love has
not died, yet must confess its vitality.
In the first hour of our meeting al
Seven Oaks knew that my heart had
never dethroned its queen, that, how.
ever cruel, she must always reign"
He paused an instant as Miss Styles
said sneeringly; "We grow quite TO.
mantle; how unfortunately harsh facts
are. Your vivid imagination has
woven fancy colors about few in your
life and mine about ten years ago."
mo, l remember with painful ac-
curacy,o the young man replied slowly,
as with folded arms he stood facing
her. "But what is pride? When one
loves ones very life is involved"
Miss Styles measured her full height
~ lie sii sc0rnfully.
'Your remuneration has cost me
nothing, as you see."
"My renunclatlon?" the tone was
one of great astonishment.
The recollection is not flattering, -
Miss Styles continued. "Yet | am
able to endure it with composure,
though not apt to forget that my re-
lease from an engagement was gra-
tuitOus.n
"Gratuitous2 Your release gratuIt-
ols?" the young man repeated. I'm
less you have lost your candor you
must own never released you"
This borders on insult, Alec Thorn
ton," Miss Styles said quickly, and
looking steadily into the eyes that were
fastened with equal earnestness on her
own. Fortunately l have your let
terS.'
And l, equally unfortunately, have
not yours, but | have what will. and
did tell Its own story-my rejected
pledge, the little violets."
Your rejected pledge?" Miss Styles
asked curiously.
"Yes, my rejected. returned pledge" !"
he repeated. POSSIBLY circumstances
which have been burned into my men,
ory have escaped yours. went TO your
house one evening ten years ago, a
happy lover, believing implicitly III the
woman who had that morning, with
words she well knew how to choose,
dlspelled my doubts, and L think par
donable jealousy. L found, when the
servant answered me, you had placed
a full explanation of your absence-the
photograph of my hated rival and my
poor violets. There was no need for
more-these told their own story. You
could not face me with the truth; the
English Captain had stolen your love
from me, or / had never possessed it,
and you chose this manner of breaking
the news. l tried TO return your
flowers, but could not. The little ones
folded In my hasty farewell, scribbled
on a stray sheet L found on the table,
were taken from a vase on the gallery.
Yours lie where your own fingers
placed them that morning. From that
wretched hour of awakening vowed
to forget you; but [ have not-alas, l
cannot. Once more, Mary, L ask you,
may 1 try again to win your love?'
There was a momentary silence, dur
ing which Miss Styles seemed oddly
moved; at.length she:said in low voice
and looking quite away from her COM
panion:
''Do you mean that you did not read
the note2"
"Can you mean that you wrote me
one?" he asked eagerly.
'And the flowers you left were not
those l had given you" Her tone was
beginning to tremble perceptibly.
For answer he touched the spring OF
his watch and showed, lying upon a
bit of white velvet inside the extra
case, four little purple vlolets. You
laid them there" he said in low, for
chile, calm voice.
Mary Styles dropped her face in her
hands, as she said II broken tones, 20.
-. ,rbo+ bova vo,r thouuht of mpS'