The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-04-01
\ VIRGINIA ROMANCE.
An Extract from THE Quick or the Dead.
by Miss tmeiie RiNes.

passed, and then, turning, with her hand
still on the key, took another long, scruti-
nizing survey of the room
Presently she went 10 one Of the win
d0ws and drew aside the curtain. The
skirt of the sky was strewn from hem to
hem with little, ilittering, iilmy clouds,
through which a we. moon shOne yap-
0rous, the tulip trees. nearly stripped of
their golden, October leaves. thrust their
empty seed cups out and up, like So many
elm gOblets 10 be filled with weired
mst-wine; the wind blew in pulls, like a
thing breathing in its sleep. and the rain
had ceased Barbara hair made a
mellow glow in the wan light, and the
slready scarlet holly berries biinked back
at her from the frothy gloom of the shad.
ow.wayes \ horse neighel impalienty
JUS, below, and was answered from a Gar
meadow She could see the light from
her windows streaking the faded grass
on the lawn. With a sigh she let the
curtain drape itself once more in It's ace
cust0med folds, pausing 10 rest both
hands on the mahogany writing table.
and again deyOuring the room with that
slow, absorbing gaze. As her returning
eyes fell upon the table on which she
leaned. She gave q strange cry, and press
ed backward among the window curtains.
still keeping a fixed, Mortified look on
the table How bathos will intrudc upon
lpalhOs Ii is the fippaut Tweedledum
Of most serious TWccd.edee The
possible viper from which poor Barbara
shrank was nothing more nor less than
q half.smoked cigar, which lay in neat
little ashtray among It's ashes, lust as the
man who had been smoking il had placed
it there three years ago. Suddenly she
fell ON her knees beside The table, and,
snatching up the bit of tobacco, kissed il
again and again She was woman with
an almost terrible sense of hum0r, and
presently She began to laugh, not hyster-
ically, but quietly approximately She
saw how ridiculous % Thing that act OF
hers would seem 20 an 0n-lo0ker. And
then again size kissed H. and catching
her face into her TWO hands went into "a
shuddering passion of s0bs, fearless noise
less. and terrible.
All This win not seem Oyer-trained
VIXEN Que knows It's origin
I'm this ROOM among these Identical
articles, just three years ago, Barbara
Pomilet hal passed the first three months
of an absolutely Joyous married life two
years ago her husband had died, aud she
had come back an utterly unhappy wO-
man TO the scene of her former happiness.
Every chair. book, knick knack. rug. in
this room, was associated in some way
with her husband The very pictures,
the toiiet-gIass, the ornaments on the
lmantcl-suelf, all held for her some
memory which stabbed her as she looked;
and vet IL was of her own will that she
had returned She did not wish to- for
get, and she could not better remember
than i'm place so fraught with memories.
She bad not however. calculated the fail
lp0iguancy Of the grief that was about TO
lciaim her As vanished scenes swept
across her inner sight, there came with
them words and looks and tones lnnum-
cradle Ills arms held her his breath
warmed her. his voice was la her ear
vibrating, actual. She lcapei @ her feet
stumbling over her heavy gown her fAs.
lCinlfed, lreadinE eyes sought the vague
lglOom behind her, rs she hurried 90 lhe
door The room was fall of hi- voice, 0i
lais sighiec. of bis laughter Sine breath
led ga,pingiy, and caught 40 the key 90
unlock the door. DO was stiff with long
ldi-usagc. and refused 10 turn There
lagain his laughter, about her. above her,
land his lips 40 her ear She could hear
the words, loving, reckless, imprisoned
words. not NEE, for ghost O. utter
"Barbala Barbara your curlel lips arc
Ia cup, and your breath j. wine You
make me drunk drunk '
She grasped the key with both hands
painting. sobbing. her eyes strained with
a mighty overwhelming panic. Still tht
senseless bit OF brass resisted. She
caught up fold of he- gown and wound
il about tie handle. Now his very lip'
were on her they drew her breath, hcl
life.
80 God, help me o God, let the dooi
open let it open I"
Miss Frldiswig. alone with her knitting
in the dining groom just below. heard d
sudden noise as Of falling, md burst on
into the hall to meet Ramcses with hei
eyes goggiing They made simuan
te0us rush up the stairway, and nearly
. fell over Barbara, who was lying on he
face half in and half out Of her room.
Rameses, who was as strong as mos
men of her size lifted the poor girl bodily
and laid her upon the bed
They did al the disagreeable, useless
things that people generally do 10
fainting woman, aud by and by, when j
was time for her to return 70 conscious
ness. she opened her dark eyes, and drew
several short, difficult breaths
Il know know she said
"You know what :" coaxed Miss Fri
diswig
i II KNOW know repeated Bar
3 bara. ~ know-where ] am. Must &c
p -a-new lock-tO-morrow. Rameses-
sleep - in here - tonight. What
o'clock
r Mos twelve said Rameses, who va
holding Barbara's bare feet in her hands
You 90 tdh babe, Miss Fridis. Mis-
2 Barbra, YOU 20 tuh babe too
% Yes. darling, you must for my sake,
urged Miss Fridiswig
b Not yet; not yet, said Barbara
She tried TO sit up and fell back anon!
r the big pillows. \ sudden shivern.
shook her throughout. She made anoth
- er effort and got her arm about Rameses
! neck.
.rr 4at,i., MOO