Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-01-06
1.-THE same businessf'' demands she,

however, L want to tell yOu that Il stroke
of luck has at last fallen at my feet. To-
day the-ny-my chief sent for me and
offered me "a higher stool in the office.
in fact
He hesitated a good deal and seems in
deed singularly ignorant of the proper
terms to be used with regard to his rise
in his position.
II am very glad says Nadine, in her
clear, cold, girlish voice, so devoid of real
interest.
This rise will enable me to marry
continues he, watching her closely. She
is evidently aware of his scrutiny, be
cause her face remains impaSSive, even
while her fingers interlace each other and
grow into clasp that leaves her knuckles
white. She mods her head softly in an
swer to his remark, not trusting herself
to speak.
But it will take me out of town" He
is watching her still narrowly. But this
4 time she manages to meet his gaze. If,
indeed, her fate is to marry this man,
and go with him Wheresoever he goes,
then it will be only kind of fortune to
drive them into the country, far from this
/ great London, where one meets every
I one, and where those known to her in her
! present life might sometimes (cruel
thOughD be seen by her.
''Well?' she says.
sit will take me out Of the country.
i The fact is, continues he, rushing at the
rest of his communication, II have been
offered post of-of trust that will take
me to America -
you go there in search of this man
who has stolen the sapphires?" says she,
| quickly. ''You are hunting him down.
Is this your post of trust? Are you "a
detective?''
Something like a vague smile fits
across his face as he notices how she
shrinks from him.
''Not exactly His tone is full of mys-
terry. eff detectives are abhorrent to
you, be happy in the thought that 1 have
nothing in common with them; that, in
fact, detest them quite as much as you
do. No; am going there in advance of
| the detectives, as 1 hope. You'll be
| ready TO come with me?''
is it to be sOon:'
''Itmay sound soon to you, perhaps In
about a month from to-day" It is now
growing toward the end of July. "But
[ may have to start earlier than that. You
will be ready"
He is very pale as he presses tie ques-
ton If she refuses-if she even bar
gains for more time, it will cause confus-
ion. But she does not refuse. A pro-
found sigh escapes her, but she says:
Eyes, shall be ready in a voice sub
dued but void of trembling. If she is to
marry him, and thus to resign all good
the world can give her, it will make lit
tie difference whether she lives with him
| here or in that far country he has
named; then sudden thought occur
ring, she looks at him eagerly: my
mOther?" she says.
''Will of course accompany u.s."
''Will your stay there be long,"
~ hardly know-fOr some years GER
al Tvs n ot iC J1n6npi6p1 -
Everything is undecided that lies in
the Years beyond" she signs again.
''You are going abroad tomorrow, you
say?''
Yes, for a week or two-perhaps
three. But I shall be back in time for
our wedding.n
He attempts to speak lightly, but the
sad look on the girls face checks him.
He is, however, too elated by the victory
already achieved to know any fear for
the future No doubt she is pining at the
thought of leaving her home, but once
married TO him, the power and persist
ence of his love will conquer all regrets.
So he thinks; so he vainly believes.
''Don't look so grieved, my darling"
he whispers fondly, pressing her
hand between both his own. ''Think
of the long and happy future that
lies before you, with me forever
as your slave The time will come,
Nadine, when you will not regard any
ties but the ore that binds me to you.
Ties of home and kindred will be as
naught beside It. Though now, perhaps,
you give me your heart unwillingly,
then you will love even as you are be-
loved Oh, that that glad hour were
blended with thisI' He presses his lips
ecstatically to the hand he still holds.
His whole face grows bright with the
affection that CLOVIS within him. Then
one word that he has used returns to him
with unpleasant force. ''Unwilling,"
he goes on mus'ngly, frowning slightly.
Yes, you are unwilling to give me your
heart -
E'Ah, nor' says she gently, and with a
troubled air of uncertainty; Il am not
unwilling. You mistake me. | would,
with all my soul, that l could love You as
you desire, and perhaps, indeed, in
time"- she heSits.tes, as though lost
in a labyrinth of painful thought. ''NO,
[ am not unwilling" she repeats again,
feeling how good thing it would be for
her could she indeed obliterate from her
mind all the too dear past and give her
self entirely to this man. ''You speak as
though l am obstinately Withholding
sOmething-as if you believed you were
rObbing Inc of the heart on which you
set such store. But it is not so. What
ever else you may have stolen, it was not
my love. GU cannot steal that; but
some day, perhaps, l shall give it to YOU
Preoccupied as she is with sad and
hurtful memory, she is reused to present
life by the curious glance and start that
follows on her speech. Both are subdued
as suddenly as they came, and Annerley
once more regards her with only the ar
dent look of affection that before was his;
but Nadine cannot forget that they were
there. Has he heard of Mr.. Duran? Has
Madness acquaintance with him come to
his ears? Does he suspect Duran of
being the thief who has stolen from him
his loves heart: She feels little cold
and sick with anxiety as she waits for
his next words. They reassure her.
you give me fresh life,' he says.
''Some day, indeed, the love I crave shall
be mine. And now,' glancing at his
watch, II fear our last moment has come.
Now [ must bid you farewell, until the
happy time that will see me home with
you, with our near marriage only few
hours distant. Good-by, my darling, my
best belovedr'
Not living soul is in sight. Folding
her closely in his arms, he holds her to
him as though he could never again
suffer her to go. She feels the reality,
the wild earnestness of his love at this
instant as she never before realized it.
SOftened, suhdued by it, she gently re-
tttI1S Ills eIIuIdC0, tItl IuoH StdntlS DdCA
from him.
''You will think OF mckinley, low
ingly?'' breathes he with passionate en-
treaty. Sweetheart! if you could only
know how hard it is to part from you for
even these few days! Nadine, have pity on
me, and try to love me in my absence They
say absence makes the heart grow fon-
der;' prove the saying true. Alas! how
fatally honest your sweet eyes can be.
There is nothing in them for me-noth-
ing but pity! Well, even that is better
than u few other things [ could name
it is at least akin to love. But have you
no sorrow in that we must part? Are
you cold always? Suppose we should
never meet again after this hour-never
in all our years on earth? would not this
move you? Why, no! You look bewil-
dered, but not sad. 1t is the last mo-
ment | cannot see you again tonight
-because-because Of Never mind
that. Good-by, my pretty girlr'
Once again he folds her in his arms.
Once again he passonately presses his
lips to hers.
He releases her.
This fear of mine is folly" he whis-
pers heavily. at is but for a week or