Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-03-25
MISS CLARE.
By MARIA L. POOL.
CHAPTER I.

brown sides stood out against the fall sunshine without q vine clambering near At little distance from its southern end there rose a tree, dying sycamore that drew itsalftogethcr and refused to droop over blaclsened and messy well curb that stood at it's roots That was all one saw in looking from the hill on whose brow l stopped my horse to rest him and myself and to survey the country.
 Hills rose all round the house. and the narrow. grassy road on which 1 was travelling was the only sign any one had approached the building since it was erected.
 So thought, till, descending the slope and trotting slowly down the road by the house, 1 startled hen with brood of little peeping chickens from huckle- berry bush close by the way. Impelled by strange impulse which I did not understand nor try to resist. refined in my horse and dismounted. The chick ems ran screaming to tteir mother as I walked by them to the door. "Poor things!" said to myself, ''how will they ever get through the winter?" l felt like saying that to everything I saw about the place. It was quite long walk from the highway to the door, and my feet more than once got entangled among the faded remains of the tall weeds that had flourished there all sum- mer. Close by the door was astonished to see plot of heliotrope set out in the sun for an hour at midday, supposed. The air was unusually warm for the late fall, and the sunlight fell revivingly on the sweet puzzle flowers.
 I gave rssounding rap on the door with my riding whip that made the house echo like great hollow shell. Then, before anybody should come, tried to think what I should say when some one did appear. A middle aged, ordinary looking woman came from somewhere far back, should think. for heard her walking q long time before she opened the door.
 "Can you accommodate myself and horse till tomorrow" I asked. II am tired. and would rather stop here than ride on to tho hotel at the next village" :"
 After a moments thought and scru- tiny of my face and dress she replied:
 "Yes, guess so; if you'll take care of your horse yourself"
 I agreed to the condition, and she called a child to show me the stable. A little, toddling 4-yearold girl came and went before me, down behind a knoll, where I found dilapidated barn, into which introduced my horse.
 The presence of the child surprised me. I had not thought there had been a child on the premises for years. tried to make her talk, but she would not, or could not, so walked back to the house.
 It was somewhat past their dinner hour. and I said 1 wanted nothing to eat till supper saw no one but the woman and child. and began to think I had coursed a fit of ennui in yielding to my impulse ana coming to this quiet place.
 thought of the heliotrope at the door, and wondered if it belonged to this wo- man. l studied her face, and decided that if she wished to cultivate flowers she would choose a bright. double mari gold
 I sauntered out of doors, and round into the front yard: the flower pot was gone. My hostess had not removed it, 1 knew. had already woven a little plot, the heroine of which should be sweet, blue eyed blonde, the owner of the helio- trope. Blondes were my favorites, and this lady must be a Saxon beauty.
 At supper, slight, dark girl came and sat down at table opposite me. She be- slowed deliberate, inquiring look upon me, and then ate her supper, never even glancing my way again. It was very provoking: that prolonged look seemed to satisfy her that was so very ordinary appearing that there was no need of be- slowing on me another glance. think looked at her during the whole meal: could not help it. Her dark face drew my eyes, and unconsciously challenged them to peruse it. Her eyes were large and dark, the darkness seeming to lie principally in the great power of expan- sion in the pupil, which was luminous and soft; so it was then, though after ward learned that it did not always pos sess that quality.
 I launched several topics of converse ton, watching her meanwhile, hoping she would favor my frail barks with fail wind, but she did no such thing; she sal indifferently. and saw every little con versational venture sink down disabled without saying a word to save it. 1 men , toned number of places had visited in the forlorn hope that might hit upor one she had seen, and that she migh manifest it. At last spoke of hearing celebrated lecturer at certain town At the mention of the mans name hel whole countenance darkened like clout where one expects to see lightning play ing, but she did not look up, and saw no lightning.
 II won't go away from here till hav' found you out and made you talk" said to myself, when she rose from tn table and left the room without havin, articulated a single word.
 So on the impulse of the moment, be cause this woman had wounded my van ity, made that resolve whose execution changed my life as completely as live can be changed.
 devoted myself to my hostess, ant finally retired to my room, with tn :! agreeable conviction that had made good impression upon that lady. an'