Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-08-24

dinner. | hate the meal III summer; put
it is the time when | indulge in u cup of
tea. lou shall share it with me, if you
/ WILL
She touched the bell before he could
utter prOtcst-tsavc her order to the
servant-aui in Il few minutes hose two,
who had parted five years previous, with
mad, passionate words on hi., side, with
bitter regret on Lers. though she held
fast to her Hn.Huiurs purpu-c who had
never met from thar tunc 30 this, and
! hat believed there could ur 40 meeting
ground for thrI ih a." tuiI". s.ii oppo
/ sic each c'uor u IT,. iU'o .s"sujc table,
and the countess poured ont ncr fra
grant Orange PrEoc into the tiny
china shells, and offered dclicately thin
bread and bitter to her unWt;ng guest
and everything Wa9 as natural and com
monplacc az r"ssillo. In this are we act
our tragedies WitH forks in our hands in
place of dagger. and pm; them decor
ously to our mouths instead Of planting
| them in our enemies breasts.
The countess talked rtthn V.c9thcr--his
iourney-hcr late voyage; &rd le tried to
do his best but was aware tHdt he did not
succeed over Wcil.
"Do you stay long in Amcrica," he
asked
81 have no plans" she answered.
"Iuc count is not with yoJ;' was his
nest question.
IT am u widow" she replied
Then ne did not know W,Ett to say. and
tried to- say several thin-s. and broke
down in each.
$50 you had heard nothing Of me-" she
inquired yet YOU had a correspondent
from this house, I think. But | suppose
Mr., laurence and Ms Ila-ting. thought
you would only be bored 10y news of an
old acquaintance
"Sevlral letters have missed me
lately" he said; "probably the very oncs
in whici / should have learned all this. y
The countess bowed her head in assent,
which did not in the least express assent,
and upset the mans last power of SELF
control.
II know what you mean, " he exclaimed,
rising from the table more quickly than
good breeding would dictate.
the countess quietly put out her hand
to keep her cup from overturning with the
jar he gave the table, and looked at him
wi,h placid interrogation.
You think they were afraid to tell
me. ~ he went on; ''afraid of giving me
pain. or that Dora was afraid for her en-
pirc-you know am engaged to herr
1t seemed to his listener that her mouth
was changing into iron-the muscles OF
her tongue almost as useless as if they hH'
been made of spuuge-Uut She stiIl luu,ca
at him; the half smile was on her lip, TN,
voice which replied was INDECENT and
musical as ever.
- do, nov that | have it from the hes
possible authority yourself. Neithcl
your betrotIcd nor anybody else had givel
me reason - suspect it. Your name h&.
not been mentioned, said. -
81 suppose Mrs Laurence told Dow
you wouil not he Interested"
, 81 suppose so! Mrs. Laurence wa
mistaken; | am intcrested-I con
graduate You with all my heart
] have seen Miss Hastings constantly sine,
my arrival. am sure You have won ;
prize, and am sure that YOU are worth!
Of it.
1t was rather neat speech, and sh,
. knew that She delivered it very nicely
, and all the while sparks of fire danced be
fore her eyes and the floor went up ant
, the ceiling came down. the chairs anC
tables moved about in IA frantic dance
and everything grew so misty and indis
, tnct that she could see nothing clearl!
t except his pale, angry face as it con
f frCnted her.
"Iou are very good" he said stinly
5 "Your pretty compliment to Dora is sim
) Pile trNth, and | will try to deserve III.
, | SHARE
. "N'ou will do it," she replied quietly.
lie began to sneer-tried to get out
{ biting speech in regard to the spirit 0
Q prophecy she had developed. But anEr
:, a. hc Was-bitterly as he hatea her-th
9 tauut died uuuttcred beneath the fixed
solemn look in those brown eyes. SO Ii
o buttoncd his coat and uttered a common