Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-09-27
NEARLY DIVIDED.

plans, isn't it, old feilowp Yesterday
you said you would remain until Octo-
ber."
yesterday I SO intended"
''Then something has occurred to
make you hasten your departureP"
"Yes; l think I'll tell you, Alec.
Have cigarP We won't walk on;
I'll tell you here. My story will 60
we'll with this hour of cleaning"
Guy Randolph had seen slight,
dark-robed figure in the shadows be-
hind 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 a moment unconscious that
she was not alone.
Then voice that made her every
pulse tremble with a sudden, glad sur
prise, rolled out on the soft calm eve-
ming air:
Il had cousin" commenced Guy,
after short pause, "whO grew up in
my fathers house, because his parents
died when he was but an infant. He
was very lovable boy, fanciful.
dreamy, poetical, with face as sweet
and fair as girls, and something de-
pendent and half womanly in him. I
had no brother, no sister, and Lionel
was everything to me that brother or
sister could be.
"When drifted out into the world,
drawn by my burning ambition to
leave some mark of my existence on
the earth-to do some work-to win
some corner all my own in this vast
world of ours, Lionel remained with
my parents-a better son to them
than l.
''Six years ago his letters to me told
of a beautiful girl, whose grey eyes
and silken hair made her seem as a
hallowed saint to Lionel. He loved
her with a great and single love, and
felt that such love must win a wom-
an, and never feared for him.
''Six months later, received from
my cousin such wild, despairing
scrawl-such heart-sick, soul-wound-
ed letter-that fierce and deadly ter
ror stole across me, and | hurried
back to my home, wondering that love
could have such power over dream
er's soul-wondering that the girl
Lionel had wooed had laughed at his
affection, and flung back his heart to
him with mockery that made him
frenized.
Il travelled night and day for q
fortnight. Twas in time to see my
cousins dead face, rs he lay ready for
buriai-in time to hear that his slender
right hand had severed the thread of
his life. and sent his soul in haste to
its iu,lgment-in time to know that
from the yirl loved, my cousin had
received ns death!''
The full tones faltered, the fine face
of Guy Randolph vas very pale; but
behind him, in the shadows, beauti-
full girl aroseto her feet, and stood
with startled grey eyes on his asher
face, her own as CHASTITY.
"Poor fellow!' murmured Alec
''What dreadful way to die!-and
what worthless thing to die fora
woman like that!'
''Yes," said Guy through his shu
teeth,-''a worthless woman, as beau
tiful as q dream; and yesterday
would have been willing to give my
life for her-for yesterday [ did no
know that it was Lena Gascoigne who
slew my cousin, and yesterday
loved her.
''Lena Gascoignep"
Eyes. Mrs Alden spoke to me to
day of Lionel, and said that it was 81
long since his death; of course, Mis-
Gascoigne had quite forgotten; ant
then it struck me for the first time tina
/ had never asked the name Of the CIR
Lionel loved. 1t turned me giddy t,
learn that it was she--the one woman
to whom my own heart had gone; bu
now you know why / leave this plac,
in the morning-why I will neve
willingly look on Lena Gascoigne'
face again. Would that I had neve
seen her; that could forget-not m,
Cousins fate, but the grey eyes tina
shortened his life and will haunt my
own" a e
The girl in the shadows was trem
bling, but over the whiteness of he
face went a sudden breath of prid,
that froze it into calm. She turnet
unsteadily away. and glided beyont
uehrlHSS auU SOlue luSbluCt tOlu 0u,
that she was no longer near.
Her bosom was uplifted passionate
ly still, by the struggle between prid,
and softer, gentler feeling, which wa
very strong there, when the day wa
fully dead, and a full moon rose owe
the tree tops, she stood at her win
low, robed for the ball.
'.Shall let him gop" she asked her
self for the fortieth time ''Shall ex
plain it all, or let him go in silencep
Then she turned from the window
and crossed to the door, her grey eye
bright and beautiful, but as with tear
that yet must fall.
II will let fate decide for me" sh,
murmured-
And tapping at her mothers door
she went down to the lights, music
and laughter that were below. An(
no fairer face was there than tina
dainty, c0lprons one of Lena Gas
coigne.
The ball was nearly over. Len,
had danced and laughed. and chattet
merrily Tor the long hours--let hearts
ache al they may, women laugh sill
very.
Guy Randolph had never approached
hera Calm At agagelas usuals lie ha'