The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-09-12


..Mr. Darlington, l wish you all the
happiness ever vouchsafed to man,
she said, with brave smile.
Thank you, dear little friend"
He look down upon the white face
with kind eyes.
at is becoming cold here; don't you
think SOP" she asked. land now must
90, or the others will think ! have been
| spirited away"
With gay little nod, she left him
and went straight up to her room,
| which was situated in sort Of tower
at the top of the house. and faced the
| river. How cozy it was, with cheer
full CRATE fire burning, and casting
ruddy CLEANS into dark corners.
She threw herself at full length on a
soft fur rug in front of the fire.
81 wonder if there are such things
as we call presentiments," she mused.
Il have felt the whole day that some
thing awful was hanging over me-
what. / cannot imagine"
Some one raped lightly on her
door. Rising hastily she opened it,
then stepped back in amazement, for
before her stood Lucille Linden, the
WOUldu w uO usltl ucletOlOIt ICclG
given her one pleasant word.
Il thought would run in moment
| and see you," Lucille explained, rather
| confusedly. .'Isn't your room a coy
onep"
"Yes. will light the gas so that
you may see it the BETTER" replied
Lilias.
mo, do not; l like this dim light,
returned Miss Linden.
Lilias offered her visitor an easy
chair, then seated herself at the win
dow and looked over at the shining
river. The memory of her victorious
rivals cruel words returned to hel
mind, and she wondered, bitterly
what errand she had come upon. She
| could not bring herself to utter com
monplaces to the beautiful woman sit
| ting there opposite, with triumphant
smile on her face.
Miss Linden broke the silence
81 am very happy tonight" she said
softly, with hands clasped in her lap
"Very happy"
Lilias answered not How could
she, with honesty, ask why? She knew
only too well-oh. only too well!
Il am the promised wife of the no
blest man on earth," began the slow
soft tones once more. "a veritable
king among men,"
Still Lilias did not answer. Bending
forward and fixing her luminous eyes
on the girls face, Miss Linden broke
into a low laugh.
THE news does not affect you much
| little one, ehp" she asked.
81 knew you were to marry Roy
Carrington," poor Lilias made answer
wearily.
She did not feel able to compete with
| this cruel, brilliant woman.
"Ah! then he must have told your
| in great surprise. ''Rather a strange
contidanre for him to choose" with
malicious meaning.
A hot flush burned in Lilias' fail
face.
"Will you explain what you mear
by that remark?' she asked.
Lucille looked at her insolently.
81 don't think 1t is necessary; you
understand me well enough. And your
| love for Roy is no secret"
"What are you, fiend or womanp'
Lilias passionately cried. "Why have
you come here to insult me? What
have l ever done to pRP Answer
| mel"
For one moment Lucilfe, who tow.
| cred nearly foot above Lilias, looked
at the little creature in alarm. Then
with careless shrug of her shoulders,
| she turned to leave the room.
"Good-bye, butterfly" she lightly,
cried ODeninp the door
But what was thisp The hall and
staircase were full of binding smoke!
"Thc house is on fre!" Lucille
screamed. ''Oh. what shall we dop"
They rushed to the stairs and began
to descend; but the heat and smoke al
most suffocated them.
1--WE must go back again and wait
for help" said Lilias, with strange
| calmness.
''But we shall surely burn to death. '
moaned Lucille.
''Perhaps-but it is our only course.
| Come"
Back again into the tower-r DOM.
Lucille, in her mad despair, fell to the
| floor.
"Oh, l shall be burned to death!
| shall never see him again. Oh, heav.
en-. send help" she screamed.
Pity stirred Lilias' heart as she look.
cd at the terrified woman.
"Miss Linden, do not grieve So" she
said. If it be true that death awaits
us, remember we can die but once.
Try to be calm"
"Oh, l cannot die! l am not prepar-
ed"
Just then Lilias heard a ound; the
door opened, and Roy Darlington stood
beside them. With a cry of JOY Lucille
cast herself in his arms,
'"Oh, Roy! Roy! save me! Let us
get away from here at oncer' she
shrieked
"My darling, 1 cannot take BOTH"
he cried. "Oh, what shall do?"
Take her first, Mr.. Darlington"
Lilias said. "You can come back for
me-"
"Yes, Roy; take me! l cannot re-
main here to die" Lucille cried wildly.
Where was all her glorious beauty
now? Who would have recognized
her in this disheveled, frantic crea-
turep"
Coz Lillias added, with glowing
eyes. "Come back for me-if you can. "
''God keep you, little one, until
dol" Darlington exclaimed. "YOu are
the noblest woman on earth"
"Good-bye" Lilias murmured faint.
". "Do not waste more time"
The next moment she was alone.
and face to face with the death of which
she had sung so lately.
Roy Darlington never came back; j,
was simply impossible for him to dc
so. When he arrived with his nncon.
scious burden at place of safety. the
building was a mass of flames, and in
an hour nothing remained of Lea
Hurst but huge pile of ruins.
Roy Darlington married Lucille, and
rs far as the world knows, she is a
happy woman; but there are times
when the memory of the poor mar.
tyred little butterfly becomes an intol.
cradle burden. and she would give