Daily Republican., 1886-08-30
The Test of Love.
BY GUINEvERE.

~ WIN NV ts1ns
A pretty girl stood on the lowest step
OF an old Virginia mansion, shading her
white hand, from be ut ath which she
watched an approaching carriage.
There she If; see the CLEAN OF her
crimson feather" she murmured with o
joyful smile.
She waved her hand, and the occu.
pant of the vehicle tiuttered q Roman
scarf in response.
The carriage drew near and paused !;
there Was the soft sound of Iustling
ldraperies, and the two friends were
clasped heart to heart.
"Ah, how / have longed for this meet
ing!" said enthusiastic Nella BruL too,
holding her friend off at arms length.
"My dear, your long journey has not
left trace of fatigue upon you; You
look as fresh as June rose."
Lisa Marvin smiled in reply. She
was a tall, slender girl, with dreamy,
bruno face and braids Of je.ty hair.
Nella trtpped beside her, chatting
tune crossed the wide hail before them
voice:
| "Terry, Terry, one momentl here is
Lisa Oh, dear, how unceremonious
| am! This is my cousin, Terry Raleigh
Miss Marvin"
The young man, advancing, bowed
low with courteous words Of greeting.
Liza Marvin looked after him admir-.
ingly as he lett them o moment later,
and they continues their way to the
upper floor.
"Handsome, isn't he-every one likes
Terry" said her companion. II pre-,
dict you will no great friends in the
days to come. IL does not take long for
one to learn TO love Terry"
A slight flush tinted Lisa's face
'He il like you, then" she said. 81
have known you but year, and love
you as would lovs sister. l loved
you ere our friendship was week
old"
"Aud 1 loved you at sight" said
Nelia with gay laugh. "See! here III
our room just opposiIe mine. l know
you like mountain scenery; look from
this window"
AS Lisa stared to obey, her dress
caught on Queen Anne chair and de-
, tanned her.
She stopped 10 release it, and, as she
did so, caught q glimpse, through the
,, aperture LETT by the haii.clossd door, Of
dark fie ure.
The face was aversed, but the bearing
and poiss OF the dark head was that Of 9
young man.
"Nella, thought your uncle and
cousin the only male members of the
family" she said involun tarily, as sh,
jJined her friend.
A sudden shade darkeBed the pi
!. quaint, blonde face, and the blue eye
} dim med with tears.
. "There IL another COUSIN" she said
as If the confession was wrong from
her.
ri Then she wheeled about SUDDEN,
4 ana caught Lisa's hands.
!, 81 viii tell you-it is the skeleton IL
our closet" she sa.d in low tones
]. "Tsrry's brother lives under shadow
2 Three ears ago he Was accused of for
: gerry, and though acquitted, his nam
was never cleared. No one believes IL
D him bnt Terry and mot even his Owl
/ father. He has been abroad, and re-
turned only q few days ago. Is |
no: awful? He is so clever, too. 81
: is going away again."
]. because L came?" said Lisa
quickly.
"Yes."
"oh, / am CORY! What life b
v must lead"
: "Yes, always melancholy, bitter, an
;. FESTIVE. Poor Madison"
Lisa fell backward with parted lip
: and dilated eyes.
~ "Madison-Raleig she gasped
70 "Oh, how blind l have been! Madiso
h Raleigh. Tell me, did he know VIII
was to ba your visitor--my name
Nella, did he know"
l. mean"
., She drew her slender 81 ure erect an
" smiled sadly.
= "Don't question me now, DEAR" sh
said tremu lousy. "You have confide
In me, but | cannot tell you my stor
yet.
When she WAS alone she fell npo
y her knees and broke into bitter wee
ing.
"Why, why did GOMEZ" she m oane,
"Yet, perhaps, the hand of fate guide
me here. And he ia going away!
must see him before he goes-I mu
know the truth. l."
The dinner hour came and passed.
Il Terry Raleigh was the life of Il
party, gay and sportive.
;, He offered his regrets that he m u
absent himself that evenings; but
matter of importance urged his presen
II elsewhere, and standing arm in arm {
the stone steps, the two girls watch'
him ride away through the gatheril
y gloom with that gay smile on his han
some, boyish face, and one upliit,
re hand waving his velvet cap TO them
he went.
At 10 o'clock Lisa found herself alol
vi In her own room.
She extinguished the light and O.
u down near the open window with
thoughtful face turned toward the out
world.
Il The moon appeared above the tire
tops and flooded the garden with
,e lsilvery light. and in lis path q dal
figure walzed and disappeared amor
"a the shrubbery.
One moment Lisa hesitated, thu
winding light scarf over her hea
- she crept quietly down to the ellie
garden, and they came face to face
n the moonlight-Madison Raleigh al
the girl he had last seen under Il
, Italian skies.
S "Lisa" he cried hoarsely, and th'
he drew himself up coldly, and his IA
re took on look not pleasant to see.
IT had hoped to avoid a meeting"
said. "You have heard my story-wl
do you not shrink from me?"
"Yes, 1 have heard your story" q
answered steadily. "Answer me o
question-is that why you never wro'
IA never"
"That is why have been silent the