The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1891-07-29

| the Rant meadows and the undulating
hills, while an amused smile played around
his mouth. Presently he seized her thin,
white, shapsly hand and kissed it passion
etely.
"Iloye you, Rhoda, Are you not con-
tentS"
An expression OF WEAKNESS almost of
! pain crossed her face as she stroked the
white smooth forehead that Cleaned like
marble In her lap.
" ContentP Yes--for the moment But
year from now What then?'
Harlan laughed mockingly.
Or . hundred years, for that matter
We may be dead year from now Or
you may love some other man. Who
knowsf Come, Rhoda, why will you bor-
row trouble? Nothing exists but to-day.
Guam minimum creditta postero'-to tho
devil with tomorrow, as Horace says.
Don't be blue, darling" He had risen and
was seated by her side. Throwing his arms
| around her he drew her lips to his. II
love you, ] love you, I love you, he muir
INJURED passionateay. Their eyes met, the
hot blood burned their cheeks, her arms
encircled him and, while the brooklet
scolded and the oak tree whispered to the
passing breeze, they gave themselves up
to the INVESTIGATION that youth begets from
love.
The sun had begun TO sink toward the
West and the trees east ylons shadows
athwart the sward as Harlan and his COM
panion re-entered the dog-cart and made
their way northward toward tho city.
They were very quiet as they drove on
ward, and the young man answered abb
sently the few remarks addressed to him.
Rhoda noticed this and the same express
sion OF pain and apprehension that had
thrown its shadow across her face earlier
In the day appeared again and rested there
for time.
An hour later they were seated at the
dining-table In Rhoda's quaint, old-fas-
hioned house. Her mother, confirmed
invalid who seldom left her room, had sent
down word that she was not feeling MS well
as usual and could not dine with them
for which relief Harlan Otis gave silent
thanks to fate.
AS he glanced across the well-appOlnted
table at the graceful, fair-fsced woman
who had given him her heart, the young
coIleglan wondered how 1t all would end.
Mentally and physicallyhe was infatuated
with Rhoda Barr, but there had often come
TO him OF late feeling OF repuIsion In her
presence, a longing TO be free of the ties
that bound him to her that was weIl-nigh
irresistible. At such times the face of
Alice Inman came before him and the
blush OF shame would suffuse his cheek as
he realized how unworthy he was Of pure
girls love,
Rhoda Barr understood thoroughly tho
young mans nature. At first his atten-
tons had amused her without awakening
within her any strong emotion. Being.
few, Stunned by s. society" she had taken
q somewhat malicious pleasure In monopo-
lizing the leisure time of a youth who was
considered "a great card by the match
making mHtrons OF the town. As time went
on. however Rhoda had fallen nassionately
In love with the Handsome tickle, brilliant
collegians For nearly q year now she had
devoted her whole life TO his service and
had tried to wean him wholly from the
functions of the gay world. She had been
only partially successful and already she
began to realize that the restless, unstable
nature of the poet would not long endure
the restraints imposed by her.
Nevertheless she WIS woman of endless
resources, woll-read, an accomplished lin
guist and highly cultivated musician In
fact she held u strong hand In the game
about to be played and that her cards
who knew her could for moment doubt.
She was very quiet that night at dinner
and lot Harlan Indulge his thoughts as he
pleased. Then, utter they had finished
their kQuears, she led the way TO the draw
fng-room and raising the lid Of the piano
motioned Harlan toward an easy chair
near the open window. Striking match
she held IL against the end OF his cigar.
As the smoke arose and slowly disappeared
on the evening breeze that murmured
through the trees, II sense OF calm stole
over tho colleginn's soul, while through
the night echoed the soft and soothing
strains OF Chopin nocturne.
After a time the motif changed. No Ion
ger was the night calm and rcstful. There
was passion, seduction Ia the breeze that
kissed his cheeks. The fever Of love unsat-
ished vibrated through the strange, weird
harmony. Life was love, und love was
life. There was nothing In the universe
save the union OF two souls. Come to
mo- come to mo, voice cried in the dark
ness, the music ceased and ON the night
went up the murmur OF long, an ardent
kiss.
1t was midnight and Harlan Otis trudged
YEARLY toward college. He was dlssatis-
fed with all the world, his head ached, his
brain was in whirl. Before him arose
the shadow OF tasks undone, OF duties UNI
/ filled, the memory OF u day wasted In idle
ness-and worse.
"IIeighhoW he muttered, casting q
glance behind him at tho house he had Just
left. Possession may be nine-tenths of
the Law; 1t Is certainly ten-tenths OF Sa-
tety."