The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-18
q - 90: |E ..' ): Z 8. Z, e :;
-.uy,Ss..s ~ t,,r 49,
B5rffloDMlllS
BY CHARLES J. BELLAMY.
Oruyrish.ed by the Author, ana pupnsnsd
by Arrangement with hun
CHAPTER Xxx.
EIY ODD.


4. vas - Accr later than usual the pext
afternoon tha. Philip pushed back hia chair
from tho Office tablo preparatory TO going
home Iio did no. acknowledge 10 himself q
certain street excitement that affected him
as he roso 70 his feet, much less tho cause %
It; and he laid 1t 10 ordinary masculine vaa-
fly thct 10 paused @ ~, isnt before mirror
before Ire went out
1t sSns nOc the go b, face he uso4 % 500 in
.hc class iIio bllc laouStachc had grown
heavy aid completely hid his rather unor-
tis.ic upper lip, bat it WIS not that had
changed him 50 much His forehead hGd
gone new Ines in II and there wos, somehow,
L. f'rmer look about the corners Of his mouth,
the yCr-h and froehncSs that hid !astcd for
twouty-s.x summers had given place on the
twoaty-soveuth There ives self poise and
suggestion Of reserved force in him now tha;
stood for somo very rnpid development o!
character.
rs Philip went up the hill, his quick oyes
CAUGHT Il glimpse OF a wosans dress By III.
E.La~sworth's gate, aud in few steps more
h. could goo il was the shade Of blue Bertha
loved. Why might IL not be Bertha, why
rot. EXCEPT that he was 80 eager IL should
Lel Ho hurried rs much os he dGre1-how
strongly bis heart was boating Sb0 might
turn any moment and go into the house lie
fred 10 think Of what he could say 10 her Il
It was She
Ycc. y wos Bertha Her face was turned
away, showing him only tho perfect Greek
prolle and the uncovered coils of her wonder
III goiGen hair. Ter hand rested on the gate
az she looked or ON the hills. How grand her
Thoughts must DO 70 hsrmoni1e with the 81
perb dignity Of Der face Philip felt guilty
A. disturbing her, but IL had been SO lonG
lie came quito near, 80 near TINT tho mag
nc.ic tArill Of her presence touched him mole
decDly, more tendcrly, ne thought, than OF
oli, but she bad 10. turned. lie saw ,he patti
" carevorn lines scro5S her forehead that
he'd ben es smooth as marble There was
faded lcol: on her cheeks. less full than they
used to be, and their exquisite color lees
evenly epread. Her hand was winter and
showed 10 blue veins almost painfully. Ills
heart ccilcd ovcr her, his proud Bertha. Why
could no. God have cpared herl lie would
rather hnvo died and saved her tho care and
suffering that had stricken her loyel.nesl
Than she turned a. the sound of footeteps
und great wavo Of Tenderness swept over
his soul he looked OF her 80 eagerly, &c
ccnt,y tina. II ceeinod her face might soften
little, but 1. did not, nor was there any mark
Of startled surprise at his coming 50 suddenly
upon her
at is you Pbilipr' Even her voice was
changed, there was new hardness IN IT, She
reached out her cold white hand to him
For moment he did not speak. 1t seemed
M If his heart would break, there was such
stress upon it. And then he was afraid she
might DO ashamed before MIN, ashamed OF
the terrible injustice she had done hin
ashamed of the blot that had touched e.
name. But whatever she might have felt
there vas no sign Of any emotion on her I'm
p<ssive face
"And you arc the mill owner now" che
said. "How odd It seems" She smiled
graciously, bat still he could not speak. He
could only lool; down at the thin, blue
veaned hand he held, and keep back the sob
that trembled on his lips for his lost love
And that snilo end such words as those
wero ell she had for him at last lie lad to
look away for strength to speak. He must
think Of some commonplace that would not
startlo her repose. Ali there was the door
WY where she had given him the first ardent
cares of bis life tho last time he had talked
with her, tho night she torsook him Did
she remember he wonderedi He looked
pacl; at the cold, beautiful eyes, and the
amused srnilo yet fingered on her lips
Eyes, IL docs oeein very odd"