Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-28
CAERISION,p GIFT.
The Story Of an Occult end Mys-
terions Power.

| terions Power.
not TO say; but every time I meet Kim I
teel he hates me, and wishes me out of
the world"
Between wishing and doing there is
q great difference. 1 dare say all this
is fancy on your part"
Perhaps SO. Anyway. Cecil Carr is
as good q name up here as Charles Car
riston, so please humor my within and
say no more about it. p"
AS it made no difference to me bv
what name he chose to call himself, 1
dropped the subjec l knew of old
that some of his strange prejud ces were
proof agaips. anything l could do to 49,
move them.
AT last we reached our temporary
abode. 1t was u substantial, low-built
house, owned and inhabited by a thrifty
middlc-ag widow. who. although
well-to-do. 80 far as the mple ideas at
her neighGors went, was nevertheless AL
ways willing to add to her resources by
accommodating such stray tourists as
wished to bury themselves for day or
two in solitude. or artists who, like our
selves, pr, frrrcd to enjoy the beauties
of natu und.sturbed bv the usual ebo-
ing and flowing stream of sight-seers.
AS Carriston asserted. the accommo-
dation, if LONELY, was good enough for
two single m n; the fare was plentiful,
and our rooms were the picture of
| cleanliness. After q cursory inspec-
ton felt sure that 1 could for few
weeks make myself very happy in tLcse
! quarters.
had not lsaa twenty-four hours in
the house before I found out one reason
for the great C angc for the better ~
Charles Carrston's demeanor; knew
why his step was lighter, his eye bright
CT, his voice gayer. hnd his whole bear
ing altered Whether the reason was p
subject for congratulation or not could
not as yet say.
The boy was in love; in love as only
a passionate, romantic, imaginative ma
ture can be; and even then only once n
a life time. Needless. headstronS, i'm
pulsive, and entirely his own master. he
had given his very heart and soul into
the keeping of woman
~,
That q man of Carr.ston's rank,
his fate within the walls of lonely
farmhouse beyond tho TrossachS.
seems incredible. One would scarcely
expect to find among such humble sur
| roundings wife suitable to man of
| his stamp. And vet when l saw the
| woman who had won him l neither
wondered NJ the conquest nor did
blame him for weakness.
| l made the great discovery on the
morning after my arrival. Eager to
taste the freshness of the morning air,
l rose bctimcs and went for short
stroll l returned. and while standing
at the door of the house, was positively
startled by the beauty OF Il girl who
| passed me and entered, rs If she were u
regular inhabitant of the place. Not q
rosy Scotch lassie, such as one would
expect to find indigenous to the soil;
but Slim. graceful girl, with delicate,
classical features 4 girl With mass
of knotted light hair. yet with the APP:
parent anomaly, dark eyes, eyelashes
| to my mind, makes q style of beauty
rare, irresistible and dangerous abvoo
all others. The features which filled
the exquisite oval of her face were re-
fined and faultless. Her completion
was pale. but its pallor in no way sug-
gcsted anything save perfect health.
10 cut my enthusiastic description
short, | may at once say it has nescF
been my good fortune to cast my eyes
on u loveller creature than this young
girl,
Although her dress yns of the plain
est and simplest description. no ons
could have mistaken her for servant;
and much as l admire the bonny,
healthy Scotch country lasses, l felt
sure that mountain air had nevsr reareQ
being of this ethereally beautiful typo.
AS she passed me l raised my hat in
stinctively. She gracefully bent her
golden head and babe me quiet but
unembarrassed good morning. My
eyes followed her until she vanished at
the end of the dark passage which led
to the back of the house.
Even during the brief glimpse en-
joyed of this fair unknown a strange
idea occurred to me. There was re-
markable likeness between her delicate
features and those scarcely less dclic ate
of Carriston. This resemblance may
have added to the interest the girls APP
pearance awoke in my mind. Any way.
entered our sitting-room, and, a prey
to curiosity and perhaps hunger. await.
ed with much impatience the appear.
ance Of Carriston and breakfast.
The former arrived first Generally
speaking he was afoot long before
was, but this morning We had reversed
the usual order of things. As soon as
! saw him cried:
.'Carriston, tell me at once who is the
lovely girl 1 met outside, An angel
with dark eyes and golden hair. Is she
staying here like ourselvesP"
A look of pleasure flashed into his
eyes-a look which pretty we'll told me
everything. Nevertheless he answered
as carelessly as if such lovely young
women were as common to the mount.
ain side as rocks and brambles.
II expect you mean Miss Rowan; q
niece Of our worthy landlady. She lives
with her."
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