Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-03-11
A Hidden Crime.

placed my little sister in my arms
bidding me care for her as | would
care for my life, and to guard her
with a fearless watchfulness lest even
the wind of Heaven blow too roughly
on her frail flower. / think it must
have been the soft, clinging arms of
little Alice that first drew from my
heart that solemn VOW to live for her
alone; at any rate L loved her with a
love that it is given to few mortals
to enjoy or suffer. I idolized my
little sister and gave up unfinchingly
every joy that came into a woman's
life, through love and hope in my de-
votion to her. My beauty faded, but
had forgotten to care and watched
only the fair loneliness of my Alice,
as she grew from a winsome child
hood, into a beautiful woman, with
every grace enhanced by that inno-
cent girlishness, that was, like q
flowers pure petals, untouched sweet,
and gracious, and womanly. 1t was
little wonder that other eyes than
mine saw her charms and learned to
love my darling az well, but the knife
blade cut through my beart, neverthe-
less, when in the soft twilight at our
summer home, she told me of the
love asked for, and given so willing
ly. l drew her into the folds of my
arms hiding her face on my bosom
lest she should see the pain and dis
appointment written in my eyes, for
the man she had chosen was not or
thy to look upon her beauty, not wor-
thy of her, gay, reckless, vacillating
Harold Morton, in love with every
pretty face that crossed his path!
/ was not jealous of my sisters
happiness, oh, no, / loved her too
passionately to mar her JOY by n
selfish thought, and for her sake [
tried to like Harold Morton. though
1 tried in vain. They were to be
married in a year, for in that time
Alice would reach her eighteenth
birthday and l could not bear to part
with her so young.
[ think all would have gone well
with the lovers had not u beautiful,
fascinating cousin Meta Darman came
down from the city to pay us a visit
at our quiet old homestead, a few
months after the engagement took
place. Yet she agreed with me after
some months had passed that the low
ers were charming, and heartily con-
graduated them both, but-ah, God,
[ was blind, trustful in my ignorance
and did not notice the terrible wrong
she was working my sister; how that
little by little the subtle power was
creeping in between Alice and Har-
old, and how as the days went by, his
eyes looking down into her dark,
glowing face would linger there, en-
thralled, while my little one crept
from the room to hide her shame and
grief from the mocking eyes watching
her. I awoke from my stupor n
day to find Alice gazing down at her
ringless hand with blank unseeing
eyes. l bent over her in silent dis
tress, calling her by name and bidding
her speak to me, but the fearless sob
with which she answered me drove
the blood from my face and made me
clasp her fiercely to me.
"Alice dear Alice" l cried out,
E'speak to me, my beloved, don't
moan that way"
| looked down at last in terror for
she had tainted in my arms. As /
sat there, stunned by this shock, a
strange, hellish thought came into
my heart, and l verify believe that
from its first entrance and Judgement
there, every good and noble feeling
died within me, and l lived, but to
return that blow with redoubled force.
reasoned, coaxed, pleaded with
Meta Darman to give up her ill-gotten
triumph, but she laughed in my face,
and then it was that l babe her leave
our home.
Il will not give him up, Nina, "she
said defiantly. "Alice is young
there are others she can choose from,
but my sun is setting, my youth is
passed"
1 looked into her cold, selfish face
and read the truth of her words
there. She would never give him up,
that much was true.
"You are killing Alice" | said in
a strange, slow tone, ''she is frail,
she can not stand this shock-but it
will be a life for a life, Meta Darman,
mark my words"
She laughed scornfully, though heI
face paled a little, Notwithstanding
her scorn, ''you can do your worst
was her reply, and 1 clenched my
hands fercely, a thousand devils bid,
ding me strike her dead as she stood
there in her fair insolence.
81 will kill you," 1 repeated, in
that same dull tone, ''you know well.
Meta Darman, a Wentworth nevel
breaks his or her word, and l swear
to kill you if you persist"
She gave a long, shuddering look
in my face, reading in my steady
eyes the resolution there, then she
turned away, struggling her shoulders
mockingly.
Il repeat: L do not fear you," she
said, with a short sneering laugh" yor
are too good. Nina. YOU are not made