Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-25

St. Orme wM in the stalls as usual, moro hopo. !essly in love than ever. more determined !han he had ever been to win the woman he loved for his wife; he went back to his club with a resolve that on the following day he would put matters to the test, and know his late and hers.
 So. with the customary offering of flowers, ne ne sent note, just line or two, asking her if ho called at four o'clock that afternoon, might he see her alone?
 T think you must know," he ended "how I love you. The question which must make or NoM my afa life s do oys together with bright young cousin who was to make one of their party, were to start that night from Liverpool Street for Switzerland, and were therefore rather in state of 's sixes and sevens."
 Violet happened to be late at breakfast, and Mrs. Dallas, as she was in the habit of doing, at once arranged St. Ormes flowers ill the various bowls and jars which stood here and there in the pretty sitting-rooms. The note she laid upon the breakfast-table beside her plate.
 A moment later, Cecily Dallas and her gay young cousin, Mary Temple came in, and seeing e1s the letter beside yoes Rae hths n ness, suggested teasing Violet little.
 "Let us hide it. laughed Cecily.
 Where" asked the cousin.
 'Oh, here-put it inside Wis book. She said she should finish reading it first thing
  last leaf"
 II suppose it's from him?" said Mary, turning the note over and over.
 .s Oh, yes-that's his coronet at the back. There, shut it up-put it there on the Httl0 table by tue window. just where Vi will see t when she has done her breakfast. That's it, come away"
 Meantime, Mrs. Dallas having disposed of all the flowers excepting few creamy rose- buds, went into the dining-room and laid them down upon Violet's table-as it hap pened upon Violet's book.
 Half an hour later the two girls came back, finding Violet lying idly back in big chair, two or three creamy roses at her throat and the closed book on the table before her.
 "Ah finished your book, Viz" asked Cecily. -"Yes," answered Violet.
 "H'm-did you like it?"
 s.Yes, fairly well.'
 "Did you-did you find anythingf" Mary blurted out.
 Violet moved in her chair, and the scent of the rose-buds waited up to her. Yes, ssOh! you did, And you liked it?s
 "Very much,'' smiling still
 That's all right. We'll, Mary and are going out; will you come?"
 "Notth morning, dears,
 So the girls went their way, confident that their little trick had succeeded-as, indeed, it had, far better than they suspected or desired and Violet sat still to wait for him. Naturally, he did not come, and after 1:.sIn an
 
 table straight, finally taking up, the book, which she had finished reading the previous night, and putting it away in the bookcase which stood between the windows. Still he did not come, and at last Violet grew weary of waiting and went out.
 "He will come at five, as usual" she said to herself. "I shall be back by then: only want to get those gloves in Bond Street. l
 And exactly at four of the clock, Lord St. Orme knocked at Mrs. Dallas's door. It was opened, as usual, by the neat young parlor- maid, who held it wide open that he might pass in. <+
 "Miss Dallas at home?" he asked.
 "Mrs. Dallas is at home, my lord" she an- swered.
 St. Orme's eyebrows lifted themselves 2 tri1e and his heart said. What a bore. However, he followed Margaret into the draw ing-room, where he found not only Mrs. Dallas, with Cecily and Mary Temple, but he found that there was no Violet
 They greeted him with more than 1rlendli- ness. 'FViolet went out about a quarter of an hour ago. said Mrs. Dallas, simply. |" think the went out to get some gloves or something of that kind."
 Somehow St. Orme's brave heart seemed to him to water within him. Sts
 As he sat there listening to the gay chatter of the ladies and the friendly clink-clink of the te;l-cups, he tried to remember whether she had ever given him 8 word of distinct encour- fess to hims.lf that he eeaid, bring even one such word to memory-no, not one.
 As soon as he decently could, he rose to go go; }
 ssYou will wait until Violet comes home? ' said Mrs. Dallas. She will not be long now, '' glancing at the clock.
 :: Thanks, many-no. cannot stay to-day ' he answered.
 .sShe will be so disappointed not to see you, J Mrs. Dallas persisted, thinking of the look she would see in her daughters violet eyes when she found she had missed him. "You know you never come in before five"
 "I know that, Mrs. Dallas," with smile which he meant to make brave but which was only unutterably sad, :. but I must go this afternoon. Say goodbye to Miss Dallas 1, fo, me, won't you? I'm sorry not to see hel again hope you'll all enjoy your holiday thoroughly" .sOf course will. But I wish you could have stayed said Mrs. Dallas, vexedly. And then St. Orme bade the two girls good bye, and went out feeling.oh, God as if the world had come to an end for him. as II It nae come to an end, and yet he could not die, but must go on-on-on alone forever in wilder ness of desolation! f