The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-06-28
NEARLY DIVIDED.

q ClgdE We went walk on, / will tell
you here, My story will go well with
this hour Of cleaning.
Guy Randolph had seen slight, dark
ROBBED figure in the shadows behind
them; Alec Thornton had not; and the
girl sitting quietly among the grasses,
sketChing a mass Of foliage that ran out
between the trees and sky, was for mo.
ment unconscious that she was not
alone.
Then a voice that made her every
Ipuisa trembe with sudden glad sur
IpHse, rolled out on the soft calm even
ing ayr;
1 had a cousin, commenced Guy, after
d shuit pause, VINO grew up in my faith
er's house, because his parents died when
he was bu. an infant. He was a very
loyaOle boy, tanCiiul, dreamy, poeticai.
with face as sweet and fair as girls.
and something dependent and half
womanly in him. had no brother, no
sister, aud Lionel was everything TO me
that brother or sister could be.
| When ! drIf.ed out into the world.
drawn by my burning ambition to leave
some mark Of my existence on the earth
Ito do some wOrk-tO win some corner
lall my own in this vast world Of ours,
Lionel renamed with my parents-a
better son TO them Than |.
Six years ago his letter to me told of
beautiful girl, whose gray eyes and silk
en- halr made her seem as hallOwed
saint TO Lionel. He loved her with
great and single love, and | felt that
lsuCh love must win q woman, and never
feared for him.
SIX months later, received from my
IpnIGln N
such a heart-sick, soul wounded letter
that fierce and deadly terror stole
IacrCss me and | hurried back to my
home, wondering that love could have
lsuch power over dreamer's soul-won.
dering that the girl Lionel had wooed
had laughed at his affection, and flung
back his heart to him with mockery that
made him frenzled
| Travelled night and day for a fort
night. was in time to see my cousins
dead face, a5 he lay ready for burial-in
time to hear that his slender right hand
had severed the thread of his life, and
sent his soul in haste to its Judgment
in time to know that from the girl he
loyed,my cousin had received his DEATH
The full tones fatered, the fine face of
Guy Randolph was very pale; but be-
hInd him IN the shadOws,a beautiful girl
rose 10 her feet, and stood, with startled
Igrey eyes on his ashen face, her own as
lghastly.
Poor fellow: murmured Alec, What
a dreadful way to die!-and what a
worthless thing to die fora oman like
that
Yes, SAID Guy through his shut teeth
worthless, worthless woman, as beauti.
iul 10 dream; and yesterday would
nave been wiling 10 give my life for her
for yesterday l did not know that it
was Lena GascOlgne who slew my cous-
IN, and yesterday--I loved her.
Lena Gascoigne:
Yes. Mrs. Alden spoke to me TODAY
OF Lionel, aud said that it was so long
since his death; OF course, MissGascoigne
Mad quite forgotten; and then it struck
me Tor the fret time that | had never
asked the ranle Of the girl Lionel loved.
l. turned me glddy to learn that it was
she-ihe one woman to whom my own
meant had gone; but now you know why
leave tuIs place IN the uUrning-why
l VIII never willingly look on Lena Gas
cJISnt lace again. Would that | mad
never seen her; that | could forget-not
my cousins ta,e. but the grey ewes that
shortened his life anu VIII haunt my
own.
The girl IN the shadows was II. milling
Jut yvtt The Witches OF her face went
a sudden UIcath of pride that fr 10 1t
into CAIN. SIZE lulEyd unsteady away
and gsidtd beyond hearing: and some
Instinct told Guy THAT she was no longer
near.
her Uo.Jm was uplifted passlonGlely
stu. " The -truEgle between pride aud
softer, sengicr feeling, which was very
strong there; when The day wasdead and
a luli m con rose over the tree tops, she
stood at her window. Tobed for the ball.
| Shall | let him 60 she asked herself
Tor the iortieth time-Shall explain it
all, or let him go in silence?
linen she turned from the window and
crossed TO the door, her grey eyes bright
AMI tcauiliul, but as with tears that
Must tai.
Iwl!. ie. fate decide Tor me, she muir
Injured
And topping q. her mothers door, she
went down 10 ,ue tights, music, and
laughter .nat were below. And no far.
sr lace was there than that dainty, col
cries one Of Lena GasCoigne.
The ua'l was nearly over. Lena had
danced euG laughed ana chatted merrily
or tie long huurs--let hearts ache as
they may, women laugh silvery.
Guy Randolph had never approached
hea Calm ana grave as usual, he had
mingled with The jewellers, watching
covertiy that one girl face seeing only
IT'S mlgth ana lis beauty, finding 10 it no
smury OF his cousins grave, no regret
tor his own desrrtIaH.
Far blooms the Alpine flowers with
It's root IN the snow. he thought bitterly
40 he watched her. Aud fair as her face
Is. she nus heart of ice Would | had
Hev,r met her knowing all know now.
l VIII nor hld uer farewell. she will
understand Why go silently cut of her
me. Alas! for my transient dream Of
| .Cvs.
cannot bear i'll cannot bear il !
murmurtd the girl to herself. | must
| nave a moment alone or | shall sob
aloud.
s. she slipped away from the dancers
and stole out 10 deserted part of the
grounds, tears rising aC last to her
| cheeks.
a mans lew step reused her at last.
Sue turned and found Guy at her side.
BJih faces were pale IN tue soft, light,
Iiun hers was wet with tears.
When he saw them some Of the hard
ness died out Oi his eyes.
Auu know that | am to go away at
day break, he said slowly. You know
my reason: | wished you to hear all
sand this afternoon. think you did.
/ did. Her voice was clear, even with
a !ing 10 II which lie had never heard
before IN those silver tones. heard all,
for l Was skttcuIng, and did not know
until the story was half told that |
should hear anything not intended for
me.
But u was Intended for you. | wished
you T. quite cOmpTehend-tO under
stand that the woman who had amused
herself with my dead cousins heart.
could never be more than a hateful
n, mUry to me. l thought it best for
YOU and me to part in silence, a grave
divided us,
say! she cried imperCusly. You haze
the right 10 60 where you will, silently
bs you wish. tut you nave no right to
avcu-e my you n OF cIime IL was not
who won your cousins love six years
ago. l, was not / who lured him on,
aud laughed at him, and drove him to
gu eide! SIX years ago was child at
school.
But Mrs. Alden
Yes. Mrs. Alden spoke of Miss Gas
COlgEe You did not question her, or
you would have discovered that she
spoke SD Of my Cousin l. ma, not of me.
lie hgeo.bud IN. d, standing quite still
and stunned IA the moonlight.