The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-24

ssTnke II to heart' wish l had killed
hertz The words come with a hiss
through his clincsed teeth; his face Is
white and distorted with passion. THAT
she should live, and live with him, is the
calling thought; that is more than can
hear How her little white fingers fast
ened on his arml Liar that she Is! how
sbo deceived and ruined mel Body and
soul she has destroyed.
"Ob. not your soul, darling! There Is
time-rcpcntance.
"Thcrc Is very little time now and | am
unrepentant."
lie throws up his head and points 70
the window. The lamps in the room are
waning. and through the closely cur
tanned window the first streaks OF coming
morn arc stealing with persistency that
will not be denied. Day is breaking, anu
with II his mothers heart. The cruei
light will tear him from her, VIII carry \
him-whi'herl
oyou have not told me where you are
going.r she says, pressing her mana
against her heart to still its throooing'
IL can tell no one that
"Whatl not your mother Grant,, do
not fear. will betray you; anything you
GOV IN me now will be sacred. Tell me
where il IS you mean TO go.
II cannot
But why-why'"
"For the simple reason that | dont
know myself" There is n curious CLEAN
IN his eyes that disturbs her and makes
her forget the flippancy Of his tone. ut
l. 10 n strange land will wend my way
before the day is very much older A
stranger in strange lapdl. My reception
viii be cold one, or rerchance hot
one. "
lie laughs wildly. His merriment is,
however. shortl.ved, breaking of almost
rs it began, and ending in a dismal
silence.
"You are thinking Of Africa" says his
mother. trembling, she scarcely knows
why. III you still refuse to let me know
exactly where You are going, at least
promise you will write TO me. Grant,,
my dear, dear son, promise me that y
IL will promise you anything you like,
though doubt if you would care TO keep
ND the correspondence. There IS some
thing terrible in his manner, which has
grown frivolous in n CHASTITY way, and his
face is livid. "She will live and pros
per- he says inconsequently as 1t seems
10 Lady Valw0rth: .but she will have to
remember will compel Der to do that
And remember you laying his hand
roughly upon his mothers shoulder, ere
member well that my last words were that
she was responsible for ALL
IL will not believe these are your last
words. You will return to me, when all
this has blown over you will return, If
even for a month or 50. Promise me
that too, Grant"
IRON where / am going no man re-
turns"
THAT is not true. There is no place
on earth from which you cannot come
back TO me, if you only will. e."
mo place on carthr' He repeats her
words slowly. MY place on earth will
know me nomorc.n lie seems to wander
away from the actual meaning Of her
words to the mere sound Of them. 81
lave no longer any place on earth, he
says dreamily.
.sYou have place in my heart always
cries she, with sudden burst of weeping.
She throws her arms Found him, 0no
clings TO him in an embrace that is iuli
OF despair ALAS my one child! my
pretty baby. that it should come to this,
she inoans, bitterly.
You will not forget my message to
herr"
Though he is supporting her half faint
Ing form, he hardly hceds her; her words
bear no meaning to him. His mind j.
ever with the gill who had unconsciousll
BETRAYED him, whom he has lOvcd-whon
he still loves, with terrible intensity.
Il shall forget nothing. When do yot
start;'
"Whon you leave me-
"Thcrc viii be no train, darling, until
: o'clock"
~ shall require no train. "
"But how, then, will you goF'
Again he bursts into that loud dis
cordant laughter that chills the blood in
her veins.
"Do not be uneasy about me. have
prepared for myself a mode Of transit
swiftcr than any train. Poufl Steam
will be slow TO it,
'You do not trust me-" Gle lays sor-
rovfully, still unsuspecting still dead to
the warning that his words, his face, his
manner. should have given her.
trust YOU entirely. ! trust you with
nv last message-tO her. Now go.
~ shall see you againi' cntreats she,
lingering.
II hope not, / hope from my soul
notm
For the first time his oomposure seems
10 desert him. lie grows CHASTITY pale,
and tit Of shivering seizes upon him.
lyon are i'll you are sufIering!' cries
his mother quickly.
mo 1t is nothing. Only go ]
must be alone for awhile, and my time IS
short Good-by.
STOPPING, ne presses his lips TO her fore
head
.For the moment" she answers anx-
iously.
"Good-by."
There is no denial of her question in his
manner. and she is fain 10 be content
with It. She clings TO him, and embraces
him warmly; an embrace lie returns in
kind. She moves as if to leave him. Al
most rs she reaches the door. his voice
stops her
zone word" he says huskily. do
not-do not be unkind 10 her! -hen
IN gone, do not show 90 teel resentment
toward hcr,'
lie makes her sign with his hand to
declare lie has said all he had called her
to hear. and going out, she closes the door
behind her.
The sound of her retreating footsteps
has died away. llcis alOncl lie stretches
out his arms YEARLY as one might who
has Just flung from him some cruel bur
den. and drawing back the curtains. opens
wide the window and gazes ont upon the
growing day. Already the sun has
mounted the heavens, and from the en- Il
soft rosy bars Of trcmulous light are de-
scendng upon the distant hill tops. From
among the laurels comes the thrilling
music Of innumcrable birds; from the
wood the cooling of the gentle pigeons.
\ rose that has climbed up the wall, more
ambitious than its fellows, thrssts It's
scented petals into his hand
Mechanically he accepts the gift, ana
breaking the flower from its stem, inhales
its perfume Ii is sweet with dew, ana
sweet as only morning rose can be, with