The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-10-25
FEl'I'ERED BY FA7E
A Thrilling Virginia Romance.
BY EMMA S. SOUTHWORTH.
Copyright 1885, by Laird Lee.
BY EMMA S. SOUTHWORTH.
Copyright 1888, by Laird h Lee.
CHAPTER XIX.-Cont.nued.
lis footballs came to her ears.


with woman's glory-the blush of innO-
cent love-but now, alas, how sadly al
tered!
When she knew that it was Roger who
was drawing near, her face whitened
until it rescmbled the driven snow, while
her pearly teeth seemed to penetrate the
scarlet lips, and from those glorious
eyes there cleaned strong light, such
as may be seen in the orbs of poor,
hunted deer brought to bay, and turning
upon his hunters.
Nature had stood much, but nature
could stand no more. The time had come
when she must give vent to her mingled
emotions or die.
When Roger had come close to her she
turned her face and looked at him. He
could not help giving an exclamation.
"Good Heaven! Carol, what is the
matter with you? Your face is like death,
and your eyes shine as with fever.
There is that upon your features that
reproaches me, aye, stabS to the heart.
For Gods sake tell me what you intend
to say, for something warns me the worst
has not yet come. Are we not to be
friends, Carol?'
Then she laughed-such a hollow mock,
cry of a laugh. 1t was no more like the
ringing merriment of old than she was
like the artles5 girl whom Roger had met
that fateful day.
"You come here and ask me that-you,
of all men on carth9 Does not your heart
reproach you, the heart to which human
misery appealed in vain? You tell me
look like death. Well, my heart is dead,
and to you belongs the blame. l live,
and yet do not live; l breathe the fresh,
pure air of Heaven, but there is nothing
fair in my sight now. A blight rcsts upon
all the earth. When the eye is distorted
all objects upon which it falls assume the
same phase. So it is with me. Need
say more, sir?'
He stood there, stricken dumb with
amazement, aye. with horror.
What a terrible crime he must have
been guilty of in her sight to call out this
from the lips that had never spoken a
cross word before. 1t began to anger
him. He had suffered as man could
hardly suffer twice in a lifetime, and she
counted it as naught.
He was but q man, and much more
gentle ana forgiving than the majority.
He had stood much and had never har-
bored even a thought against Carol and
her love, but now 1t flashed across him
that her love could not be so powerful if
it gave way to an obstacle so small as
the one he looked at.
His face gave no Indication of what
was passing within him, for the set look
had remained, and besides, he was one
of those men who had great control of
their feelings, so far as exhibiting them
is concerned.
Finally he found his voice, and, in
spite of his efforts, it trembled like a
tightly-strung cord.
"Carol, we stand here face to face.
The past, with all its joys and sorrows,
lies behind us, the future before, but we
live only in the present. Since last we
met you have changed wonderfully. Tell
me why it is you look with aversion
where once you loved"
Something in his voice aroused all the
impetuosity of her nature.
''Where once loved! You have said
it, Roger Darrell. May Heaven forgive
you Tor deceiving me as you did!" she
cried.
81 deceived you, Carol?" he echoed.
"Those were my words, sir; 1 will put
them stronger if you wish-basely de-
saved me from that wicked wedding,
Nora Warner was dragged away by the
minions of that wretch the mad-house
DOCTOR dragged off to misery and racking
pain, and by your orders. Do not at
tempt to deny it, sir, for I can see the
assumed look of innocent surprise on
your face. You brought her to living
death, you ruined the life of the gypsy
girl, Barbara Merriles, and then, with
your face and sweet words, you tried to
lure me to destruction.
"Did I love you? My God! even at
this minute can feel my heart throb be-
cause OF your presence, and the blood
rush like molten lava through my veins;
but do not fear for l have ground it
down into subsection. l will forget the
past as if it had never been, and it will be
well for you to do the same so far as am
concerned in it, but may you to your dy-
ing day hear in your ears the heart-rend-
ing cries that come from that mad-house
that come from your poor wife, Nora
Warner"
"Whatr'
The words burst from him like a pistol
shot. AS ii by magic the cloud was lifted,
and he saw into what terrible mistake
the young girl had fallen. His eyes were
opened to the truth, but it only served to
make his blood flow more rapidly with in
dignation and anger
"For whom do you take meP" he asked,
coldly.
'You yourself declared that you were
Roger Darrell, and Roger Darrell is tho
man who sent his wife to the asylum to
be made mad. Surely the curse of
Heaven must follow that man forever;
surely the cries of his victims must as
cend on high and reach the great white
throne. For myself, forgive you freely,
because l love-have loved you in the
past; but in the name of those whom you
have wronged in the past, could almost
ask God to crush you, broken-h hearted as
am"
"Save your pardon for those who ask it
Miss Richmond. AS for me, 1 do not
seek it. Looking back upon my past life,
do not see an event for which may
have occasion to blush. AS for these