Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-08-09

tary hesitation before one OF the pOr-
traits OF Sir Gerard Adhesion, and
looked from 1t over his shoulder, for
Lima loitered behind them. The vague,
unacknowledge resemblance was all ex-
planned to him now.
He fingered in his mothers dressing
room until she would let him stay ne
longer; then he went back to the draw
ing-room, and waited for Lima. Sure
" she will come back, if only to say
goodnight to me-, he thought, walking
to and fro upon the velvet carpet.
But she never came. Neil's eyes
seemed fastened to the door, which he
had purposely left open, but no girlish
figure passed it. One of the canaries
brought in the tea, and Martin lowered
about it in his grave curiosity. Neil
caught eagerly at this straw Of an idea.
"Tea, eh, Martin z" he said, in actual
dread Of hoy much Of his thoughts the
old butler could guess. ST will go and
tell the ladies'"
of course, Martins countenance was
unmoved as usual, but there was sQlhe-
thing very like smile in his sensations.
az will find her." thought Neil, with
kind of apologetic excuse for himself,
"and tell her Martin is waiting for her
to come to tea.
Not with his mother, who was placidly
enjoying her beauty sleep; not gone to
her own room, as Margaret said when he
met and questioned her; not In the
library, where two great fires were hav-
ing the Christmas laugh and converse
ton all to themselves !, not in A sud-
den thought struck Neil he had moi
vet been into the blue morning-room
where she had been fond of sitting, as he
we'll remembered, in old times. Surely
he would be there.
Without waiting to know whether his
quiet rap had been heard, he entered.
| No lamps were lighted here, but the fire
shed soft gold light upon the dainty
blue furniture, and upon solitary little
| figure in black, lying with dreamy still
ness in wide armchair.
For few moments Neil stood unseen,
gazing, with all his heart in his eyes, at
the beautiful, grave figure, wrapped and
fondled in the rich, caressing light.
Then he came forward, as grave as she,
his blue eyes full of earnest love and
untold longing.
He did not take q seat beside her, but
stood opposite, against the low CHM
ney-piece. Then he made his prepared
and commonplace little speech, but he
looked at her with as great q. reverence
as if the black-robed girl had been his
Queen, and the blue silk chair the very
throne OF England.
Martin is lowering about the draw
ing-room with tea, Miss Adhesion.
al have taken tea" she answered,
glancing at him with almost startled
| glance. ST took it with Lady Athel
ston in her own room. generally do. !"
"Then it may CO." said Neil, quietly.
A little pause then the girl leaning
forward in her big armchair, with the
intense stiffness which, in her, was al
ways begotten of any nervous dread or
anxiety the young man standing before
her, big and tall and strong above his
fellows, yet with his heart beating and
his lips shaking like q woman's, because
he felt that he was near her once again,
and free to love her and to offer her his
love. It was no insult noV to lay at
her feet the heart in which she had
reigned alone so long.
He broke the silence presently.
st have not yet thanked you for
your letter. You can never even dream
what Joy it was to me to receive your
summons home-I mean here"
"No-home," said Lima, only be-
cause he paused and waited for her
words.
"Stil less can you dream what joy it
Is to me to be here. How long may I
stay 2"
She looked up at him again with the
startled gaze.
"YouSyou will know" she said,
softly. "As long, I hope, as your mother
Wishes"
"Lina, you will forgive me that do
NOT speak as wiser men would do at such
time. From the 6rst, dear, my love
has been a cause of suffering to myself
and to you; so can hardly trust my
self to look it in the face calmly, o other
men might, and to tell you of it by de-
grees. I can only stay here, Lima, as
your husband. May stay?"
The unusual quietness of his voice
white and trembling in the passion Of
his love.
"Sir Neil" she said gently, as she
rose in her desire to reach the door,
"stay with your mother"
"And with you?"
The answer she had striven to svade
was waited for with breathless eagerness.
She smiled, little nervous smile which
rippled oddly on her lips, while her eyes
were grave and serious.
"And with you, Linar
The question was repeated with still
greater eagerness, and the answer still
more anxiously waited for.
It came in the softest whisper
eyes"
"With you?-with You, Lina?-witl
my wife?" The questions rushed from
his lips brokenly, in his JOY. "Oh, my
beloved, is 1t to be so?-will you b.
happy so?--for, immense as my love is
it shall not bring you misery again. NJ
own love-my own and only love-cal
you be happy as my ny wite ,-2 9 treasured sd
it as you whispered that other precioul
} yes"
And she whispered it.
Closely and tightly he held her in hi
arms, with projecting, fostering love
but the look of reverence still shon
| deem down in his hlne ewes IA ha dranl