Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-04-30
R E T R I B U IT 0 N ].
BY soTHE DUCHESS"

BY seTHE DUCHESS" "How should I feel tired?'' she says now, smiling at Gerald Massareene, who has become quite friend of hers
 He has found in her an ally-a certain partisan, who derides the notion of Mllll- cents ever consenting to fulfill her love- less engagement to Capt. Boyle while her heart is given to another. That other, now stretched at the pretty partisan s feet IS quite willing to accept her read ing of the situation. Though Millicent herself has been somewhat difficult to understand, g little vague in her answers, trifie willful, in a degree-a marked degree-averse to being brought to the point, still MT. Massareene is inclined to believe in the creed of his pretty conidante when she declares herself ready to affirm publicly her belief in the constancy of his fair, if rather trying, lsve.
 'sWell, I'm glad you are not, :" says he pleasantly, alluding to her assertion that she knows no fatigue. "To-night there will be an influx of guests, or dered, like the supper, for tomorrow night, and it would not do to be in poor form. You look pale, however"
 Are many cOm1nST' tuOuSu Co make us put on our best bib and tucker and our choicest manners. You will have to make your very best bow to the lord lieutenant of the county, and to smirk at youthful if very famous gen. eral The only thing to be careful about is not to overdo it tonight; to remember that the morrow will bring the big Nautch, and to reserve some smiles for the hero of the hour"
 He speaks with some bitterness.
 Tomorrow night will bring Capt. Boyle.'' She looks at him softly out of her serene eyes. ''Do not let that make you unhappy. His presence means less than nothing. Indeed I believe it will do your cause good"
 Sweet prophetessl I would dared share your creed.''
 "What creed?'' asks Duran, who has joined them unseen.
 "A belief Miss Roche has in the un- conquerable power of love-" replies Mas sareene gayly, springing to his feet and crossing the close turf to where he can see Millicent standing, for once, alone.
 "And so you believe in loves omn1po- tency,' says Duran, gazing at Nadine with calm searching eyes. "You?"
 ''There is surprise in your tone-and doubt. Why should I not hold such creed?" returns she steadily, though her lips have grown very pale.
 II cannot answer that here. Will you come with me to the Firwood? l shall not keep you long, and I must speak to you. Do not refuse me, Nadine. This is probably the last hour we shall ever have together. leave the park the day after tomorrow"
 She had shrunk little from him when first he appealed to her, but as his plead ing grew stronger, more impassioned, she rose. With her eyes downcast, and her color faded to pallor that bespoke an anguished heart, she moved beside him to the wood he had mentioned.
 Presently they enter it. The eternal greenness of it stirs her blood once more to an admiration that rouses her and compels her return to the immediate present. Ever since she had obeyed his word, and risen and followed him hither, she had been in kind of waking dream that had been too sweet to permit her desire for it's dissolution. Now, however, that she is fully awake to her danger as we'll as to her pain, it is too late to with draw from 8 tete- -a-tete, that she feels must rive her soul.
 Duran, stopping abruptly beneath the spreading branches of huge Scotch fir, lays his hand upon her arm thus arrest ing her footsteps also.
 IL lOF0 Oc 1utlcOu dh-pOWCIlU1 IO" 1S it that I have failed?' he asks in a low tone. "No love was ever stronger than that I bear for you, and yet it has been of no avail when matched against the barrier that stands between you and me. Has it been my fault, or is it that the love should be equal on both sides, and that-yours-fallsb below the mark?''
 She had been standing with lowered lids and trembling hands, but now, as though forced to it against her will, she looks at him, Her large, dark, mournful eyes are full of repToach-mute, but so terrible that his heart grows warm within him. Alas! how clearly in those melan- choly eyes is her pure love lying.
 s'It is true, then! have your love" he says, always in a low voice, but none the less ecstatically; ''and if so, my dearest, why will you rppulse me? An! have pity on me, if you will not on yourself! Think-think before you sacrifice us both to mistaken sense of duty"
 'I have given my vord," says Nadine -"my promise,'
 "A word-a promise-better broken. See here, my love, I have lived many years longer than you. Too many" he says after pause, that is filled with re- gret for those past hours when he had not known her, and when another had borne his name-another unloved and undesired "I cannot bear to think what years lie between your birthday and mine; but still my very age gives me the right to speak. Is it good that you should surrender all your happiness to one for whom you have no real regard, just because you once gave him hope to that effect? Nay, there is no loyalty in that Better let him go than live to repent the bargain he has made"
 "There is my word," persists she, meeklv hus earnestly. ',. c:t:.-u thai oac,s; and he, too, l3vss :-'.s,. | loves me so weii,'' declares l intuition that has revealed ...,: real passion of the 1r;,a H.iv-: ;..;.: l promised to rl;lrry, "t!.;t 1 t. ;.:; | would kill him did I now prove f.,:,;,'
 ''You are very tender tow1.g,! ', :.; exclaims he bitterly. 'But Of izl>,:: ;.0,,' | is it with me? No, I shall not die; l ;.1n not made of such brittle stuff as this other lover of yours. I shall probably live, even though you forsaEe me; but what of my life? is it to be all barren-all wasted? Have you no pity left for me?' 1 stAlas is it kind to torture me?'' says she, with such 8 forlorn glance as once l more reduces him to a forgetfulness of self, and to the old passionate regret for