Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-05

beg You TO dismiss him, to forego this mar
AZ the mention of Douglas Melbourn the
beautiful upliftcd eyes. were lowered and
the color left the lips, but. when her aunt
had concluded with the above words she
looked up suddenly and burst into wild,
the MARRIAGE she repeated, and her voice
was 60 devoid of mirth and so suggestive
of something else that it brought tears
into her aunt's face. Seeing this, she pres
emily said quietly: Forgive me, dear
aunt, but it sounded odd, very odd, and is
quite impossible"
Her aunt kissed her and went away puz-
zled and grieyed.
CHAPTER w.
Nothing interviewed TO delay or prevent
the wedding, and Immediately after 1T the
husband left England with MS strangely
beautiful bride.
Three years and a half passed. II was
the husbands policy to keep the hspless
wife at safe distance from those she
had wronged, lest in q moment of wild re-
morse. such as she sometimes knew, she
might reveal the tragedy OF that midnight
marriage in that death-haunted garrett
but when the sweet, mysterious breath OF
spring filed the air and made. serene the
earth, Beatrice found herself alone AZ
Glymont, her husbands country-place.
with her little daughter Aelia, whose cum
ming she could not rejoice at since 1t add,
ed TO the weight of her crime. She had
comforted herself little at first with the
Thought that her life would be short, and
then as her husband could claim but little
of the large fortune, the estates would st
last return to the rigbtful owners. and her
sin would be buried with her.
har an
through the large, neglected parK, and day
after day she watched the sun as he fell
behind the trees, which nearly hid the
towers of AIilburn Place. Ono eve
ming. when the clouds in the western
sky lay like islands Of violet IN sea OF
amber, the purple-tinted light, softened by
the foliage overhead, fell upon her. touch
ing up the wayy hair tenderly, lovingly. rs
on another evening not four years before.
She sat on messy rock. Der dropping shonl-
ders leaning against the rough trunk OF
century-old oak, her uplifted hazel eyes,
full of q strange, wild sadness, fixed upon
the strip of sky visible through the rift III
the green boughs above. Her hat, with It's
long, curling feather, and volume OF
Keats in faded binding lay upon the BANK
of the stream, which gurgled and played at
her feet and little further on lost itself IN
the lake which lay dark and deep IN the
gloomiest part of the park. AS tho thin,
white hands were raised TO put book the
heavy waves of her hair that the soft, cool
breeze might fan the weary brow,
sharp, sudden sound disturbed the silence.
Was it a herd of park deer, fright
ened and flying down the steep hlllsideI
II seemed more like q horses iron-shod
hoofs. The sound passed, the echoes dled
away. and the silence fell again, to be
broken presently by q low, faint moan'
borne OF upon the signing breeze. Stoop--
ing to pick up the crimson shawl that
t-ailed over the messy ground Beatrice
moved down the stream IN the direction OF
the sound looking around on either SIDE,
till suddenly she halted with a sort OF
startled cry. for there on the other bank
Law figure so motionlep that at first she
dared not approach, then glancing quickly
ND and down the stream she retracec ner
stems TO the spot where. just below the
falls. a slender tree, uprooted by some WIN
ter storm, lay partly IN the water, mus
forming a sort of unfinished bridge, blt
where it ended there were only sharp ROCKS
here and there with the water tapping ana
foaming around and sometimes over them;
Pausing only for quick survey she stepped
upon the slender trunk, which bent ana
rocked under her light weight, then spring
ING down upon the rocks afew agile BOUNDS
took her TO the bank and in O few moments
she was bending over the still face, but
started up and pressed her hands TO her
heart. For moment she stood ike one
beTeft of reason, then dipping her hands
into the cold water she bathed the pale
forehead and whispered douglas" See
ing no sign of returning consciousness sue
lifted his head On her arm and supported
it. a nameless fear sweeping over her tnat
those heavy lids would never more Dc
raised, the light of the soul never more
illunine that noble face Frightened at
the stiffness Beatrice moved the arm that
lay lifeless upon the grass IN order 10
touch the pulse. A spasm OF pam con-
tracted the features, the dark eyes opened
and looked up into her own. Her comb
had fallen and the long hair fell around
him like veil, shutting out the light. a
moment he lay dreaming, while she read
"pospels of love in his eyes" then sud
denly awakening TO the reality the color
swept into his face and he rose. Beatrice
moved away 10 the stream and dipping up
the sparkling water in her hand offered ~
to him with smiling apologiesf Tor the mover
cup. He drank again and again rom inc
white hollow of her hand, then sand: can
You forgive me for the fright must have
given YOU? That silly horse OF mine took
fright at an unexpected glimpse OK the
lake through the trees, and starting threw
mefrom the rocks up there, Tor l was lOst
in revere and not needing him. l came
down here to the water and there tainted
like girl but that" said he, laughing
with affected lightness, you Will be KIND
enough TO attribute TO the ehect oil the
fever which 80 nearly laid me TO rest under
the long grass which covers your beloved
poet in the eternal city"
II thought" she replied. that there
was some greater change III you tnan theso
short wears could make"
"Short " he echoed; they have been
endless, but" he continued, and his voice
dropped to whisper, " long ago lmblbed
a poison subtler, more fatal than the ma
lsria of italy," And they stood land looked
into each others eyes; reproach, bewilder-
ment, loUe in his; a deepening OF the nope
less sadness in hers. -.
"Good-bv." said she presently, holding
ont her hands. .,
He held them moment. then said soft
": Tomorrow" And she sighed: " To-
morrow" Thus the compact was made
and kept till the end. which was not long.
CHAPTER
When she came again the fairy-like Aella.
whose light feet trod with. delight the
messy earth and whose silvery voice
rivalled the liquid music of the stream and
tho birds, skipped before her. With
child's unerring instinct she read this new
would rest her shining head on his broad
shoulder and locking into his face wonder
at the strange lights and shadows that
chased each other across II as he talked TO
the beautiful mother And after awhile
VIXEN an easel and colors were brought TO
this cool thicket she was content to
sit upon the crimson shawl thrown
down upon the soft green carpet
spread by natures fingers and string
into necklaces the pale wood-daisies
as she watched the perfect face and ripping
hair, in which large white rose nestled
lovingly, appear on the canvas under
Melbourn's gifted fingers. Once she sprang
up and darting forward with her peculiar
bird-like motion threw the linked flowers
around her mothers neck, who, bending
to caress her, said TO the artist: !" Put the
daises into the picture; let them be cham
TO bind her heart TO me through all the
coming time" But when that picture was
finished and the eyes so beloved looked
out upon her with all their unspoken sor-
row the child was sobered, and the tiny
hand trembled as she pointed to It and
said: rs that my mother 2" And the
mother sank upon the ground and cried
as she clasped the little form TO her bosom:
"Yes yes itis the only mother YOU will