The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-08-29


He turned and looked again at thai
tall, queenly figure, standing there besid,
him, one white hand resting lightly OF
the balcony rail, How beautiful she was,
with the soft MOONLIGHT falling ON hoi
proud dark face aud Just the sweet, ten,
dorshadow of 3 smile ,unching the scarlet
lips and softchIng the large, dus.Sy eyes,
vi am going to leave the hotel to,
morrow, Miss Bamforth,n he began,
abruptly plunging right into the heart oil
the subject before he had time to ohangt
his resolution.
She wheeled around and looked al him,
a strange whiteness creeping slowly oven
the dark loneliness of her face.
"To--leave the-hotelw she echoed
blankly, seeming startled out of her usu-
al proud regal elf-possesslon.
''Yes. My friend, Charlie Hartnoy,
has been urging me this long time to visit
him at his mothers cottage; you know
where it is-about Il mile from here. He
has some other guests, and he swears
that an treating him shamefully. So
am. But first thing in the morning
shall go over there bag and baggage, and
put an end to his grumbling, hope to
have the pleasure of seeing you and your
mother occasionally in spite of that"
"Oh, certainly, you must; butt
slowly and with keen regret--''what a
barrier this will be to all the little plans
we had formed for our enjoyment during
the next week or so--mamma and l
If"
Harold interrupted with light, forced
laugh.
"There is another barrier" he ex.
claimed, in voice that seemed utterly
without feeling, so bitter and hard it
sounded "a barrier far more insur-
mountable than one of my creatlon-it is
golden barrier, Miss Kate
And casting one quick, fleeing glance
upon the beautiful blanched face so near
him-a glance which revealed more than
he dreamed of, even in that sudden,
reckless mood-he passed from the bal
cony to the parlor without another word;
and, making a brief apology to the lady
and gentleman within, babe them au
revolr and hurried from the rooms.
A week passed and Kate had not seen
Harold st. Paul since that hour on the
balcony.
There was regret in her proud heart,
but mingled with it was another feel
something that was neither anger
nor sorrow.
That last parting glance from his blue,
half-scornful eyes had haunted her day
and night since then. If she had in
terpreted it Alright. But, then, she
would probably see him no more.
He would not come near her, and
She. Oh, no! Her pride was still
too naughty and unyieldinS to permit
her to obey the impulse which sometimes
throbbed in her heart so strongly that it
sent the hot blood coursing to her olive
cheeks.
One morning she went out to ride
alone, for wonder.
Being in no mood for company of any
kind, she slipped away from Mr.. Wash
burne, ever ready to be her escort, and
would not even allow the trusty groom
to follow her.
Over the smooth road for miles she
dashed on the back of her spirited bay;
then she plunged fearlessly into a thick
grove, where the roads wound like q
pale ribbon among the fllckering lights
and shadows under the dark green trees.
'This is simply delicious she said to
herself, breathing in the pure, fragrant
air as she cantered smoothly on. 1t re-
minds me of Maid Marian in the. deep
Sherwood forest, and"
She stopped speaking abruptly, with a
slightly paling face, for close at hand
there had sounded the sharp report of a
gun, and with one violent plunge of
sudden fright her horse bounded forward
and went tearing down the white road
with a speed which she soon found she
could not control.
Kate was good rider and kept her
seat well. But in a short time her heart
began to throb and her cheek to pale
with terror, for just in advance she dis
cerned a steep, rocky cliff, leading to a
| StIcdiH DcIoW-dilu INV ldi bOioW Blu
could not guess.
"That means danger, perhaps death, !"
she muttered, setting her white teeth
hard together, And, taking frmer
seat, she bravely put forth all her
strength to cheek the bay in his mad
course, bat all i'll vain.
But Just at this terrible moment, when
all hope seemed gone, a thrill of joy shot
through Hates almost fainting heart. A
man had risen from a rocky seat on the
very brow of the cliff and stood erect,
bracing himself firmly, as if preparing for
| a shock.
| Kate breathed a silent prayer and
closed her eyes involuntarily as her horse
leaped forward; and then she was con-
scious of sharp, sudden shock, a voice
| from somewhere calling her name, and
for many minutes she knew no more than
that.
When she revived she saw for the first
time who it was that saved her, who il
was that held her SO firmly yet gently in
| his arms until she was able to stand upon
the ground beside him. And then:
"Harold," she whispered, with shy
glance into his face ere she turned hel
own, all crimson with bushes, away
"Harold, there ISIS no golden barrier
Some wicked fairy must have told vol
wrongly"
"Katem He drew the slender, queenl!
figure quickly to him, then held her of
at arm's-length to study her beautiful
changing face. ''Do you know wha
your are saying2 Is it-can it be thu
truth?"
81 know what l am saying, and it il
true; but-but perhaps may have sale
too much" And with n swift smile o
tenderest coquetry she looked up into hi
happy face. NO" she added quickly
sweet seriousness on her lovely face
''no barrier, save, just now, the barrie
of your love and strength which stoo'
between me and death"
"My Kate My darling "-and Harol'
drew her closer to his heart-'I woul'