The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-18
=. on. ir was one OF Bertha's pIcS-

uros, and i. mus DO here still. In moment;
moro b. was uGciasping a morocco case, then
gazing with such tenacrncs1 as orc has fc'
| tho dead on tho de,.cateiy tinted oval OF Der
| tAas beautiful face In porcelain. The ere
llne eyes cccmed 10 look surprise and D.
Droach at him II had been long AGO, bcfo.c
3 much q dream Of SIN had tainted tie
| holy innocence Of hcr giriaocd.
Philip cioscd his lips very tightly; II
longol uau.torably for her lost innoc.lc lie
ban erred 50 desperately FOR the ;naldeniy
parity that looked o.. Of thee startled eye
II shs he'd dici then, he might q. leas, has
chcr.,hel her memory Hha: had no doac
tha. DC should - punished SC ;orfiblyl TheD
TIC memories OF "a, dIy when tho p.cturc
wai taken came rushing baci; upon him
They two had LceA SITTING IL her garden
o. tho afternoon Il 4 summer day. 1t va
two, tA.ee, almost four yel:i AGO, but IL
could 5cc to b!cc r!ag ro5es end kea- the
G.ovsr hun CT the Decs es il l. had been
Yesterday. lie had been reading love poem
20 her; that waAas neer 90 he dared como e.
love making, sometimes letting bis voice
soften ana tIur;b!c "A ilttic over the tcndecpr
p2ssa~ce lie was but tinid lover, and
Bertha 50 royalty cold. Suddenly g!aacirc
u; her. te saw she was overcome WITH Tx
heat, and had fallen asleep leaning be-
SHAGGY road bac.; against tho rough boI1
OF the tree Ilcr fingers loosely cles;cl
IN her sloping lap suggested Icricci
rcpose. thc Cirii.h bosom rose md fell WITH
her still breathing, and thore WIS al exqui-
site poat on her lips, as if vaguely Il utinous
acars: the hardness Of hor pillow. His heart
was beating violently as no laid aside III
boos and seated himself Oh tho bench by LEI
side Bu, ne dared AoS protane the ye3-ai
purity OF such sleep az hers; hodoyourcd her
face with Lis eyes but did rot steal one lis
from tho red lips, though there was such q
sweet, mute invitation on them. But he put
his arm about her and drew her toward hin
q; gently rs if she were q sleeping infant, and
made her head rest on his shoulder Then he
looked down the rel tinged checks, Ike tA-
woods in autrnn's tenderoSt mood, swept By
her long golden eyelaShes, and tried 70 fancy
sho was awake, though her eyes were closed,
and that she ya5 wilAag her head -hOuld rp;l
Oh bis breast and her hair like fine threads 4:
twisted Roman gold hiss his burning face
But she moved in Lcr slumber, and the.
her star like eyes opened and looked mute
astoni5hmcnt into bis eager farce. Tor o1-
startled moment SIC did not move, Gai 10
sudden boldAc.j from tAo liberty he had -.
ready taken le wired u A4ss.Onate declare.
tons Into her cars, covering Ler hair and hci
forehead ana then her cool white hands with
ldsScs.
"You frighten me, Philip" Her quick,
startled tones rs she rose 10 her feet yet rang
In his ears. Sho looked at him as half Of
mind 70 run away III don't understand
you, she said, reproachfully. Tho porcelain
picture is just as she was hen
"Why, Bertha" lie bad risen, too, but she
drew back from him. II love you. want
you for my wife
How coldly she had looked at his flushed,
excited face lie thought it was the supreme
moment In his life; but it seemed to be nothing
10 her.
as that ALI Why, thought you were mad
An, and the same madness burned IN his
soul this moment Time could not wear il
out. Shame, outrage, dcsolation could not
kill It. He rose TO bis feet and pushed the
tinted porcelain away from him.
Mrs Silas Elnngsworth was all smiles and
grace as Philip entered her parlor, and she
shook hands with him, fingered rs cordially
over the greeting az II she had quite forgot
ten her pretty fingers had ever been on his
throat She made him take q seat and began
to make conversation with him, q. II she sup
posed he had called 70 SEQ her But suddenly
she affected 20 be struck with an idea.
"Ch, know why you are not more talka-
tive, you didn't como TO see me at all" She
stepped 10 the door ''Susan, call Hiss
ELlngswo1th.'
Miss" Then there was no longer any
room for doubt Philip shrank at the blow
she gave him lie had thought all uncor-
tainty was gone long ago, but he found that
up 70 this very instant he had chcrched
spark of hope that Bertha had a right 10 the
name of the man she had fled with. And
she was Miss" still. His hostess way saying
something, but he did not hear IT, there WIS
such deathly faintness about his heart.
Then there came q step IN the hall, and his
familiar thrill Of tenderness at her coming.
She fingered an instant on the threshold, an
old habit OF hers that gave him time 10 stop
forward and meet her
Mrs Ellngsworth had risen, TOO, and was
waiting to speak. Ii was only tenderness In
Philip Breton's eyes as he took both Bertha'S
hands SO gently, but she said:
cam very much changed, thcnf and a
panied look fitted across her face Philip
did not answer her for O moment, no was 50
distressed at her Interpretation Of the love
that made his sight misty as he gazed at her.
"Well, l suppose | am in the way, re-
marked the mistress Of the house, with in
bred vuIgayty. She was smiling sweetly,
but women's smiles do not always signify
amiability II suppose" she added, letting
her skirts touch her two guests as she passed
out you want to talk over Old times with
Miss Ellin.sworth."
Now came the last terrible assurance;
Philip WINGED at tho heartless blow, but not
30 much as a flush passed over Bertha's cold
face She accepted the name without even
shade of silent denial on her calm features,
though it was the badge Of shame for her
"Oh, nc" but he dared not look her in the
face for fear she should sec his anxious pity
for her you have been ill., perhaps, but
always thought you the loveliest woman in
the world"
She smiled as she let him lead her to a seat
"You always said that Then she glanced
sadly into the mirror But 1t is morc pleas
ant TO hear now, for know am not pretty
any longer
Could she understand that the change than
had come over her radiant beauty only
mood HE love M rnnka IL deerarl Could