The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-05-04

that white, but somewhat insignificant
feature-"otherwis / should scarcely
be in sympathy with my surround
ings."
Talking OF romance, say, after a
time, and returning to my ordinary
rather mournful tone, ''there has been
kind of aversion to this walk, in my
mind, since the day on which Lucy
was drowned. At the corner of the
farthest meadow there is summer
house, which used to be favorite
haunt of mine; but from it we can see
the waters of the pond in which she
lost her life. / can show you without
leaving our own grounds, the very
spot where she sank; and | cannot
even now look at that wretched sheet
of water without picturing it all
again"
II can quite understand that, re-
turns Robin, with ready sympathy.
cat the same time, it certainly is a
pity-the walk is such pretty one.
l wonder why your brother chooses it
for his morning stroll; he must find
it even more depressing than you"
"Ye-es," 1 answer slowly, for the
same thought had entered my own
head. HE used, know, to avoid the
place; but lately have often noticed
him coming from this direction. OF
course, don't like to remark on it
it is better for him to walk here than
not to walk at all.
By this time we have reached the
arbop. 1t is rustic structure, n the
last stage of dilapidation. No one
likes to give orders that it shall be
pulled down; yet, since we are not
likely ever to care for it again, no one
is ever sent to prop it up.
at is enough to give one the
blues remarks Robin, her bright face
clouding for moment as she chances
at the ruin.
''If you could only picture the good
times we used to have here" ] say,
with a sigh, ''when we were all chill
dren. Lucy would come dancing over
the fields to join our picnics in the ar
Dor; and often we used to sit here for
hours and tell each other stories of the
future. Frequently enough the pond
worked into these fabrications. 1t was
strange, was it not, that the life story
of two out of three should have been
so nearly and darkly connected with
it?"
'.Yes," answers Robin, a little vague
ly. Her eyes are fixed upon the dis
tant water. shimmering in the sunlight,
and seen but indistinctly through the
thick foliage of intervening trees.
.Who is that?" she asks abruptly.
Brought down suddenly from my sad
recollections of the past to the matter
of-fact present, l strain my eyes in the
direction indicated and become aware
that tall slight form, clad in gray,
is standing beside the pond, apparent
ly gazing down into its waters. l start
as my eyes light on the figure, and for
a moment my heart seems to cease
beating.
81 don't know, I am sure" l return
family. And then | continue very
softly, as though fearing my words
might echo across the intervening
fields-''it gave me a start at first, the
reminded me so of Lucy"
Lucy! But Lucy is dead!" objects
Robin.
at can't be Alice, surely" l contin-
ue, still gazing at the figure, which is
now slowly skirting the pond.
s.And who is Alice?" demands Robin
is such a girl for sitting
matters.
'Alice is poor Lucy's sister," l re-
ply. ''But it cannot-no, it cannot be
Alice" l add, with sigh of reaief.
''She never by any chance comes to
Frogstone.
''How odd!" murmurs Robin. Il
was under the impression that Lucy
was an only child"
"Your idea is more than half right, :"
[ answer thoughtfully. ''Alice was
her step-sister, and older by some sew
en- or eight years than Lucy. We used
to think in the old days that she was
over-bearing and tyrannical with the
poor child. There is no doubt that
she resented the idea of her engage
nent, and hated John with all the
strength of her ill-governed nature"
'.And both their parents were dead?"
Eyes; they died when Lucy was
child
why did Alice object to tho en-
II hardly know. She had some
strange sad love story of her own, and
had come to the conclusion that no
'aith was to be placed in men. Her
wish was, l believe, to keep Lucy I'M
married, as genial companion for
herself. She must have loved her in
\ wild selfish way; but she certainly
,yrannized over her abominably, and
vt times rendered her life very wretch
3D.
Ibid she feel her sisters death
nuch?"
.tYes," / answer, with shudder
She came storming over here, and
demanded an interview with John. i
never told him, but received her N.Y.
self. She accused us of her sisters
Heath, declaring that, but for us, Lucy
would never have thought of ventur-
ng upon the ice. When she found
hatneither her entreaties nor demands
would induce me to let her see John,
;hc went home and wrote him wild
'evengeful letter, which / fully
believe has ranked ever since in his
mind. She told him that he was Lucy's
murderer"
Gro BE CONTINUED