Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-07-12
THE ATHELSTONS;
 OR VICTOR AND vANQUISHED.
BY MARY CECIL HAY.

"Miss Chester, how can you be se nilly as to hesitate when Sir Neil is good enough to offer to introduce you himselfS Go at once, pray; I don't care to be thought tyraAt."
 Neil's naturally sleepy eyes were full of laughing triumph when he felt the small glovsd hand upon his arm at last.
 "Now the room looks what it should look to me-" he said, with & sigh of real relief and happiness. "Did yea think I was going to deny myself all night? Do you think mans patience can bear for long the isolation you have made me bear tonight, Lina?"
 Sir Nsil," she said, with quiet sadness. "Shan we take our places ?" "Hsre, plsase-a little farther on, he said. leading her to the set farthest eroYn Lady Athelston's group, and near. aut to the curtained doox which led from the ballroom.
 And when the dance was over, turn ing back again upon his arm, Lima found herself, before she was aware, out ln the long and infrequented gallery.
 1T never had such a dance m my life" Sir Neil was saying. " It seemed to be over in less than half minute. No wonder. " he added, his voice sound ing doubly low in the yaulted corridor eft was my first dance with my first love-" asked Lima, trying to draw her hand from his. "There is no other entrance to the ballroom. Let us turns "You always refuse to understand me, IMl," the young man interrupted, hast saY .1- thought was making mistake, or something equally ridiculous. Why won't you understand that love you as I never loved any one before in my life?"
 "Sir Neil" said Lima, very calmly | (she had drawn away her hand now, and | was standing against one of the long windows. the little white-robsd figure looking more beautiful than she im- aqined, against the heavy crimson cur tainsl-"Sir Neil, why will you not un- derstand what an insult your love IS to me, and how hard it is for me patiently to bear an insult from you"
 "I insult you " he interrupted.
 "Yes, with a deeper and more cruel insult than you offered me the day you saw me first"
 "How do you mean?" asked Neil, blind to every thought but how he loved her, and happy only to stand there and gaze upon her beauty. 'Tell me how l insult you, Lima, when would rather anger every soul in there than you alone. |"
 "I do not care to tell you what you know so we'll, Sir Neil," she answered, wearily. eff you were engaged to me" (calmly as she said it, her thoughts only following out one idea, the scarlet rushed to her face at the words) "would you dare to say to Miss Marjorie Castil- lain what you have said to me tonight ? You know you would not insult her-I must use the worlds you have insultcd me you know that, as the case is re- versed, you think no shame of insulting c dependent What your treachery is to Miss Castillain, cannot bear to say"
 1T cannot help it." put in Neil, moodily. 1T can no more prevent my self loving you than I can prevent your being beautiful. I never loved Marjorie; l know now that I never understood what love meant until I saw you. Oh, Lima my first love, my only love, why should you be the one to turn away from me-you, the only one to whom ever pleadedP Let us go away, my darling; wherever you like. The very slightest wish that you can form ] will carry out have wealth, and power, and strength, and youth. Lima, could you not be happy with me? Oh sure- iy yes, when 1 love you with such devo- ton. Only just one word, my precious love only whisper one word, and years of happiness can be ours-yours and mine, dear - happiness only like g dream"
 II shall go away from High Athels- ton, Sir Nei," said Lima, speaking low and almost with calmness, though her heart beat wildly in her fear, and the on either cheek. "That is the only thing left for me to do."
 "Go away he echoed, passionately. "H you golf you go without mel shall follow you, aye, to the worlds end. my precious one."
 And then, in the madness of his love he forgot her loneliness and her clain upon him, and caught her in his arms and kissed her as brave and honorable man would have died rather than kisl one woman while he was engaged to an other,
 A moment afterward he stood alone 6 where she had left him, the blood dyeinf his face as the sound of & distant steI made him turn again hurriedly. Then face to face the two men met who wer, never to meet as friends after this night
 A few skillfully chosen and we'll timed words from Eustace Jeffrey won tn, n truth from Sir Neil and little advice crafty as the mans nature, sent hin back to the ballroom, hopeful again Then the tutor passed down the galler, in his search for Lima smiling as h, went
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