Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-08-22

fields. just at the outer verge Of tho
grounds, sheltered by clump of sturdy
pines, there was n little rocky cavern,
formed probably by the action of water
at some remote epoch. | knew well that
this was q favoritc resort with Beatrice
Therefore, on coming near and seeing a
bit of white drapery futtering outside
the entrance, | doubted not that she was
within.
"Now I'll give her a SURPRISE" l
thought.
1t was a boyish freak, confess, but
there are some people whose own youth
is Infectious and Beatrice was one Of
these. | believe "Old Parr" himself
would have been led to revive some of
the tricks of his boyhood if he had as
ISOLATED intimately with her What |
did was this | climbed into one of the
old pines, intending to reserve my sur
prise until my niece came out. Scarcely,
however, had ! gained a seat upon
stout limb overhanging the cave when
/ heard not Beatrice, but Madeline
speaking.
'Do not urge mo to give you reason,
Allan" she said, her voice harsh almost
to shrillness in her efforts to render it
steady. "Say that l am tickle. That
will cover the whole ground, and save
you the trouble of seeking an underlying
cause
But you are not tickle Madeline. [
could say it Of many women, but not of
you. The love which was mine a year
ago is mine today. You dare not deny
it, Madeline"
Thus much heard unavoilablv while
retreating from my undesirable position
of eavesdropper. la it found abundant
matter for reflection. doubted not that
Allan Stephenson had asserted truth in
avowing that Madeline loved him still.
Then came the questions, Why had she
given him up? How had such q sacri-
flee become necessary? What motive
could be brought to bear upon high
minded girl like Madeline Mannoring,
powerful enough to induce her to discard
Allan Stephenson, whom she loved, for
Julius Stone, whOm-judging by my own
santiment-I thought it highly probable
that she detested; The more | studied
upon it the more intricate the problem
became. But had q feeling that it was
connected, in some way, with my broth
er $ frequent CarcwOrn look and the en-
barrassment had once or twice noticed
in his manner when made some inqui-
ny into his affairs Robert was so VIOLA
tile that knew had not much chance
of getting a serious explanation from
him. | could question Madeline, but
would she be disposed to break through
her ordinary habit of rcticence and con-
fide in me? would try it at all events.
At last there came a day, when therest
of the family all went TO a picnic gotten
up by Julius Stone in grounds attached
to a place he had lately purchased. Mad
cline remained at homo, and |. not car
ing for Mr.. julius Stones entertainment,
recherche though it was expected to be,
remained with her.
81 fear" | remarked as we watched
the carriage driving of, that Nh Julius
Stone will be a disappointed man today
when he sees whom the Mannering car
riage does not contain"
IF you wish to spare him disappoint-
ment it is not yet too late for you to CO.,
returned Made%le, pointedly
81 shall not pretend to have a great
deal of solicitude on his account. but,
Madeline, have on yours. How has il
become necessary that you should marry
this mann"
"In the course of human events" she
retorted, with assumed levitv of manner.
But her set face and ashen lips rather
injured the effect.
"Now, Madeline l pursued, "you
need not try to put me off with such
sorry pretense Of Indifference. lam de-
termined to know all about it; if not
from you, then from Your father; if not
from him, from Julius Stone himself, 1t
is plain to me that you are being sacri-
feed, and ! want to know whether the
end is as desperate as the means
at is" said Madeline, in low, de-
spairing tone.
Tell me-" urged, entreatingly.
She had covered her face with her
hands, For little time she sat thus in
stony stiffness; then she sat up erect,
her micn resolute, almost defiant.
"There is nothing to tell she said,
decisively.
as there no hope, then, for Allan
Stephenson
"None."
"Perha - he has deserved his fate.
You have probably discovered that he 10
a worthless fellow, unworthy of 4 wo-
mans constancy."
Ellis peer for nobeness does not
breathe" she retorted with warmth
that surprised me, though had counted
upon a flaming up of her womanly spirit.
"What. Not julius Stone:'
believe | was cruel to torture her so,
but her innexibility vcXed me beyond
measure. She pressed her hand to her
forehead, like one whom sudden whirl
has made giddy. In another moment
she was mistress Of herself.
Look at yonder cumuli," she said,
pointing to Il pile of clouds lying below
the zenith. "What an accumulation of
drifting fleeciuessl One might easily
fancy the Fates setting their spinners to
work upon just such n cOttony mass"
at would be an intangible warp spun
of such MATERIAL affirmed.
"And dropoff into the mist of dreams,
"a do the tlmv threads of orr lives