Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-05-22

ON Htttot ftOt W " =hAfs A(etANo1 ! essfeN's
And Beatrice-had she Jared better during
these long monthsl Alasl not at all She
had gone away from the Bryngelly Station
on that autumn morning of farewell sick at
heart, and sick at heart she had remained.
Through all the long winter months sorrow
and bitterness had been her portion, and now
in the happiness of spring sorrow and bitter
ness were with her still. She loved him, she
| longed for his presence, and it was denied TO
her. She could not console herself as some
women can, nor did her deep passion wear
away; on the contrary, it seemed to grow
and gather with every passing week. Neither
well for that. 1t was better to be thus tor
mented by conscience and by hopelessness
than to lose her cause of pain.
One consolation Beatrice had and one only;
she knew that Godfrey did not forget her
His letters told her this. These letters, in
deed, were everything TO her-a woman can
get so much more comfort out Of letter than
man. Next TO receiving them she loved TO
answer them She was a good and even a
brilliant letter writer, but often and often
she would tear up what she had written and
begin again There was not much news in
DTIilAtllN. IL WIS ulAlCuil lD inhhc nrl lCt-
tiers amusing Also the farcical nature of the
whole proceeding seemed TO paralyze her 1t
was ridiculous, having so much 10 say, to be
able to say nothing. Not that Beatrice wish
ed to indite love letters--such an idea never
crossed her mind-but rather TO write as
they had talked Yet when she tried to do
SO the results were not satisfactory to her;
the words looked strange on paper-she could
not send them.
In Geoffrey's meteor like advance to fame
and fortune she took the keenest Joy and in
terest--far more than he did, indeed. Though,
like that OF most other intelligent creatures,
her soul turned with loathing from the dreary
fustian OF politics, she would religiously search
the parliamentary columns from beginning
90 end on the chance Of finding his name or
the notice Of a speech by him. The law re-
ports also furnished her with a happy hunt
ing ground in which she often found her
game.
But they were miserable months To rise
in the morning, to 90 through the round OF
daily duty-thinking OF Godfrey; to come
home wearied, and finally to seek refuge in
sleep and dreams of him-this was the sum OF
them. There were other troubles, To begin
with. things had gone from bad 10 worse at
the vicsrage The tlthes scarcely came in at
all, and every day their poverty pinched them
closer. Had il not been for Beatrices salary
ii was difficult to see how the family could
have continued 10 exist She gave il almost
all TO her father now. only keeping back
very small sum for her necessary clothing
and such sundries rs stamps and writing pa
per- Even then, Elizabeth grumhed bitterly
at her extravaganza in continuing 70 buy a
daily paper, asking what business she had to
spend sixpenee a week on such needless lux
ury. But Beatrice could not make up her
mind 70 dock the paper With its occasional
mention Of Godfrey.
Again, Owen Davies was a perpetual anx-
iety = her His infatuation for herself was
becoming notorious: everybody saw it except
Ter father. Mr. Changers mind was SO occu-
,lel with questions connected with 1.-THE that
fortunately for Beatrice little else could find
IN entry. Owen dogged her about: he would
wait whole hours outside the school or by the
gisarage gate merely to speak few words to
Ter. Sometimes, when tlength she appeared,
lie seemed TO be struck dumb, he could say
nothing, but would gaze at her with his dull
eyes in fashion that filed her with vague
alarm. lie never ventured, indeed, to speak
TO her of love, but he looked it, which was
almost a. bad. Another thing was that he |
had grown jealous The seed which Eliza |
both had planted in his mind had brought |
sorth aOundantly, though, OF course, Beatrice /
lid not know that this was her sisters doing. |
On the very morning that Godfrey went |
away Mr. Davies had met her as she was |
walking back from the station and asked her /
4 Mr.. Bingham had gone. When she replied
that this was SO she had distinctly heard him
murmur: THANK God! Thank Godin Sub
she discovered also that he bribed |
the old postman 10 keep count Of the letters I
which Sho sent and received from Godfrey.
These things filled Beatrice with alarm. but
there was worse behind. Mr. Davies began
to send her preseiits-first, such things as
prize pigeons and fowls, then jswelry. The
pigeons and fowls she conld not well return
without exciting remark, but the jewelry she
sent back by one of the school children First
anne bracelet, then locket with his photo
graph inside, and lastly, case that when
.he opened it, which her curiosity led her to
10. nearly blinded her with light 1t was a
4 diamond necklace, and she had never even
seen such diamonds before; but from their
lie and ulster she knew that each stone must
BE worth hundreds OF pounds. Beatrice put
t in her pocket aud carried il until she met
aim, which she did in the course of that after
looU.
''Ir. Davies she said, before he could
peak, and handing him the package, this
las been sent to me by mistake. WIN you
Kindly take 1t backr
He took il. abashed
Mr.. Davies, she said, looking him full in
he eyes. II hope that there will be no more
-uch mistakes. Please understand that can
lot accept presents from you
If Mr. Bingham had sent it you would
AVE accepted it, he muttered sulLily
Beatrice turned and flashed such a look on
aim that be fell back and left her. But it
vas true. and she knew that il was true.
II Godfrey had gived her sixpence with
! hole in it she would have valued it more
han all the diamonds on earth. Oil what
POSITION was hers And it was wrong, too.
She bad no right to love the husband of an
'ther woman. But. right or wrong. the fact
'enlained. soc did love him
And the worst of it was that, sooner or
alter. al this about Mr. Davies, As she wen
new, must come TO the ears Of her father,
ND then what would hsnpep. One thing was
'ertsiu In his present povfrty stricken con
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