The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1890-02-01

ing-no matter what any one woulo Wy /
am justified"
justified! But still the shadow lin
gered on her face, the sapphire eyes still !
held their look Of pain.
When evening came, however, In the
quaint, old-fashioned drawing-room, her
face was bright and cloudless - the
dawn of summer day.
There she met Hugh Vernon, the
naughty handsome, master Of Oaklands,
the stately mansion whero people be-
lieved Genie Howard would yet reign
mistress.
There was no promise between them,
but he spent the greater part of his time
at the homestead, and was Genie's es-
cort on all occasions.
They had another visitor that even
| ing, Colonel Erickson, handsome, SOL
dierly man Of perhaps thirty-fve--a man
in whose clear blue eyes any one with
Quick observation might read at times
passionate admiration of proud, sweet
Genie Howard.
| But he, as well as almost every other
one, looked on Genie's fate as settled.
1t had been Hugh Vernon's fathers
wish when dying that Hugh should
make Genie his wife, and the girl was
perfectly willing up till-well, perfectly
willing still, for her nature was loyal
and true, and yet-and yet what was this
vague unrest that had crept into her
soul-this longing for something, she
scarcely knew what? Only lately her
heart had beat madly at another's COM
ing, her pulses had thrilled at the touch
of another's hand, the sky seemed bluer,
the grass greener when he was near.
What meant the passionate pain that
thrilled her being as she noticed, from
the moment Wilson Erickson had bent
above Eunice Forrester's white hand, ne
seemed to have eyes for no other while
the evening lasted?
More than once-nay, almost every
chance he got without being observed
his eyes rested on the perfect face till
Comics heart grew faint within her as
she watched them. That night she knelt
in passionate agony, realizing what 1t
all meant-realizing that she loved
Wilson Erickson with all her heart. and
vet, was she not almost the promised
: wife Of another?
A few bright sunny weeks passed, and
then a strange awakening came to
! Genie. Whatever the interest Wilson
Erickson took in Eunice Forester, he
made no attempt to become her lover,
and satisfied of this, she took no note Of
where Hugh Vernon's heart and soul
were drifting-drifting to DE tangled in
the meshes of Eunice Forrester's red
gold hair and find their hope in the light
of her lovely eyes.
People wondered that she was SO blind
his infatuation was SO plain to every
one else, and above all to Wilson Err
rickson.
One evening In the cleaning the!
4 were all ON the veranda together.
The mystic spell of the hour seemed
|, to have fallen over them, for silence hat
! reigned for awhile.
"Do you know, Miss Forester" VIII
SON Erickson said, "that you and onc'
T met before? You have no memory Of 1t
i have your?
He was watching the beautiful face .
d he spoke, and not only he, but Geni
noticed, the deathly pallor that over
!, spread it.
Q Only for moment however.
}. 1t might have been the gray shadow
9 falling, or some sudden memory tina
II had blanched it, or seemed to blanch
9 for the moment.
n NO." she said, slowly, II do not N
member you. Where did we meet?"
l. "It was at the entertainment given b
d the scholars in st. Mary's seminary |
Canada. 1t was after the performanc
Is "a kind of theatrical performance, 20
remember"
!" You remember? Was it question?
Eyes, remember" her sapphire eye
of full on his face, her red lips curv1n
e. with q half-mocking smile, II playe
9r Isolde"
n Eyes; you played Isolde, but you hav
n changed greatly since then"
81 was only sixteen then, and tn
II greatest changes come between sil
t; teen and twenty-five. Most likely tt
le greatest change is in my hair. hs
ID brain fever three years ago, and 1t W;
shaved, and instead Of coming out til
he fiaxen yellow of other days, it came OF
Id very little better than red; hardl
knew myself for short time after.
~ suppose / little more than resemble tt
I'd delicate girl 1 was then. I was vel
delicate at that time"
Resemble her? Yes, that Is what
is seems to me, or rather seemed to me "
did, but of course better health, 8
% years and the change in your hair,
he was scarcely to be wondered W
d. vaguely puzzled"
The conversation was not resume
m, again till-till one evening, almost tv
lis months later, and then Eunice Forrest
es- stood facing Wilson Erickson, und
tn the shadow Of dropping trees.
81 know you are not Eunice Fl
ra- roster" he said, ''though singularly III
en- her. Do you know why have wait
CO, so long? Partly because believed 20
better nature would assert itself In tin
'ed for you are any thing but . happy woms
!. sc vnS ~k1u hac~noo havo kunuru vuh