The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1891-02-13

her lace was entlrely nluden from me
When had finished we sat some tim
in silence.
"This pin, she remarked at last, "mus
have been cut at Rome"
1T was"
81 thought 80. They cut them beau
tifully there"
"Were you ever in Rome?'
"And the child she went on, with
out needing my question, ''she reall,
prevented your becoming a-murderer?
"Would you have SO regarded me?"
looked at her anxiously. Indeed Their
was that in her manner, as well as he
words, which made me tremble.
Eyes, and more;" she raised her eye
and fixed them full upon mine; ga COW
ard"
Great heavens! How like the look Of
the face of Della in my dream of years
before!
"And you have given up all expecta
ton of ever seeing the child again. she
asked, turning her eyes from me to the
cameo.
II scarcely know If I should wish tc
meet her"
'Why?'
"Under an impulse Of gratitude TO.
the unknowing part she had taken in
preventing my being a-murderer"-
"And a coward" she interrupted.
"And a coward" admitted, II made
a silly, sentimental VOW"
What vowY' she frowned.
"That no other person should be my
wife; that would seek her, and when
found, if ever, would win her.
Surprising that she would be willingY
she added, not giving me time to finish.
It was plain that had antagonized her.
"Of course"
"Well?'
"Since then"-I looked out at the
peaceful moon, at the deepening shad-
ows, the gilded face of the rocks" since
then I have met one who has driven the
child image from my mind-I fear from
my heart"
We sat without speaking, each wait
ing for the other to break the silence
"You have spoiled q pretty story" she
said somewhat sadly. you should have
been true to the little girl. How do you
know but that she is treasuring the mate
to your pin?'
''She was too young"
Chow old did you say?"
"Seven, perhaps"
"Seven. That's not too young. Twas
impressed myself at that age"
May l ask, are you true to that inn
pression?"
She hesitated. II have treasured an
ideal. But must go in" she added in
another moment, and rising she moved
toward a window opening on to the porch
from the drawing room.
Good night"
She stepped in at the window. AS
she crossed the sill and entered the brill
iantly lighted room she turned. A
smile, frank, happy smile broke over
her face. 1t bespoke the merry side of
her disposition; certain witchery that.
seen between moonlight and gaslight.
made me wonder for a moment if she
were not IL veritable witch. In another
moment size was gone.
That night dreamed. was again
n the park in Germany. 1t was night |
the "humida nox" of Virgil-a night |
of cypress. of exuberant ver-
lure, of hanging bough and twisting
,ine, all seen by the light Of waning |
noon. The image of former dream
walked beside me. The features of that
mage had long ago faded from my men,
,ry. Now they We're the features of
Miss Ward.
Would you kill him because you in
suited him? because you struck him."
The words came strangely, as out of
dead past.
mo, no; will kill no one. I am no
longer boy. I thank God escaped
the dreadful result of that boyish folly.
It was you who taught me what is true
courage: teach me now what is love-
Ny dream haunted me all the next
day. sat on rock against which the
waves beat sluggishly. There was
in the slow surging, the
broad stretch of ocean view, the clouds
changing their fantastic shapes, that es-
pecially accorded with the condition OF
my mind. My meeting when youth
with the little girl in Germany, the
from state of mind wherein
l considered the taking of Il human life
quite an exhilarating affair, to one day
later, wherein l was willing to risk my
own life rather than defend it from my
began to seem strange to
me. Then my vow-it had suddenly
become a menace. All these matters
kept passing and repassing while ! lis
tened to the ever splashing waves.
That evening l met Miss Ward again.
| expected it would be my last evening
at the seashore that summer. We sat in
the nook where we had sat together so Of
ten before. Whether it was the prospect
of my departure or a suddenly impaired
Of the condition Of my feel
ings l do not know to this day, but the
spell that had been gathering about me
for weeks appeared suddenly intensified.
Without intention, without forethought,
led on. it seemed, by a sort of fatality.
burst into a torrent of words
which had never dreamed of speaking
when l Joined her. Ipoured out my feel
ings in n number of short, glowing SEN
l never could have
spoken had prepared to speak them.
l well remember her first words after
l had ceased to speak. They conveyed
TO me the first knowledge of how deeply
| was stung.
s.But Your Vow" she asked. started.
I had forgotten it. do YOU think it