Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-12
CHAPTER IL

1t was full daylight when Hilda awoke. She
sprang from her bed. and, drawing up the
white blind. looked eagerly out; then she shiv-
cred and drew back a little. She suddenly dis
covered that she was very cold.
IL was one Of those gray mornings which 80
often follow a glorious day of sunshine. Every
where the light pierced, everywhere it lent
steel-like shade to the landscape. The sea was
no longer q soft, shimmering bed, ready to
rock the tired wanderer to rest on its bosom;
| it was hard. gray. pitiless as it dashed on the
beach with sullen roar. Far out, quite at
the opening Of the bay, there was no heaving
water to hide the rocks; instead, they lay bare,
their sharp points and steep sides fully ex-
posed to view. while firmly wedged between
two great masses were two or three long spars
bearing silent witness to what had been and
what was not. Even the plain. monumental
pier had been touched with the enchanter's
wand last night. but it looked grim and bare
enough as the girl turned her glance upon it.
Presently her eyes wandered to Woodbine
Cottage There was q strange mixture OF
eagerness aud uuwilingness about her glance.
She would like to have looked upon it when tho
sun was shining; yet what could the daylight
| matter to it? 1t could not rob the honeysuckle
of its sweetness. the rose-briar OF its fragrance.
True, but even it looked cold in this gray
light.
Hilda left the window The chill had crept
from her limbs into her heart. Last night the
one supreme fact-she loved him-had sufficed
today her heart clamored for fuller knowl-
edge. She was not one Of those women who
could take to themselves the undignifed atti-
| tude of winning the man they loved. It would
| have revolted her-nay, have been impossible
to her. Her distrust OF self would have stepped
| in there and have prevented her, In the same
| way that it stepped in now and prevented her
his love rose up before her and demanded a
| reply. Oh! Last night, carried away by her
| own emotion. she had been prepared to answer
| 'Yes" today she hesitsted; yet to hesitate was
torture. Pitifully she went through the exam
ination anew. Each remembered tride came
before her, and then-was it instinct or only
| self distrust-a whisper came to her that there
was sadly little to build upon.
| She could not believe it. Like star Of hope
| was the remembrance Of her aunt and Kate.
They had no doubt; they must know. 1t was
only she, who was 20 ignorant what did she
know of . man or OF his ways?
With her absolute honesty she acknowledged
how few were her opportunities Of judging
She had told herself over and other again thai
she Was not a. other women. She had hardly
dared TO hope that her hands would gather thu
precious fruit; and now, when II seemed in he1
grasp, she could not fold them and pass it by.
She lay down again, still pondering the aues
ton, in her heart growing more distrustful
each moment less certain. II only, she TOLD
herself YEARLY, she had little Of that self-con
6dence, OF that world-snd all things in it-sre
made-for-ms feeling that 90 amazed her i,
other girls it would be easier. But her self
analysis left her NO loophols. She knew hersel
- she was, cold hammered, warm hearted, DOW
erlsss TO break down the barrier Of reserve
The picture did net want single characteristic
constrained shy, unrssponsivs. She rsmsm
bered them all
Suddenly = new terror presented itself. Yer
terday-it seemed TO her that her whole lif
dated from shsn--shs had met him, vithou
consciousnsss; bat todsyl
She covered her face with her haada ~
~ eguop ogua1w - uoAaeA