Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-08-26

When he rose from his stepping posi- tion the English pistol was still in his hand, and he held it to the light and turned it and polished it with his hand kerchief and examined the chambers to see whether they were loaded. He held it after he had closed and locked the trunk, and finally, obeying some old in huence,- he slipped it into the breast pocket of his coat.
 It had been months since he had laid aside this pistol, which for years he had worn habitually. During one of his visits to Mrs. Beverley in the weeks sub sequent to his return to Virginia he had allowed little Ran to draw the weapon from his pocket and was thoughtlessly beginning to explain it's mechanism to Inc child and to instruct him in its use, when Mary, in wild alarm, descended lpon the pair and almost snatched the revolver from the boys hands. She en- treated Anthony never to come near her sons again with pistol in his pocket, as there was no telling what ghastly acci- dent might be the result.
 He had been amused at her terror, which he considered superfluous and foolish, but he had been moved by it to lay aside his pistol. Tonight, however, the old feeling of comradeship for the weapon, the old liking for the feel of it against his breast, returned with the memories and associations called up by the sight of it's familiar stock and barrel, and he slipped it instinctively to its old | place.
 Leaving the door of the house on the latch, as was his custom, he started briskly across the ravine to the quaint, pretty parlor, where he expected to find the party as he had left it-the girls at | the piano, with Dan and perhaps the young fellow from Richmond in attend ance, Mrs. Beverley in her favorite low chair near the hearthrug and the chil dren mercurially revolving about, as was their wont before the waning of the evening dispatched them to the nursery.
 The air was still oppressive, although little fresher than at nightfall; there was no breeze stirring, nor any sugges- ton thet breeze might spring up later. | The moon, a silver bow, rested on the | topmost branches of the dark old cedars, it's power of illumination feeble still, but on the increase. The silence of na- ture was so profound that extraneous sounds were intensified and made more penetrating.
 As Anthony leaped lightly across the brook at the bottom of the ravine the sound of music stole down to him-soft, slow music, with tender, flushing ca dence, as of mother wooing slumber to her babe-some one was singing a cradle song.
 Through the garden he went, between the stiff box borders and past the old rose trees, bowed down with a weight of blossoms. He struck at them with his cane as he passed along, sending the pink petals and the little buds to the ground in showers. The gate swung to softly after him, and he crossed the yard with his heart as light as boys, his thoughts busy with anticipations. AS he neared the window through which he had gazcd that evening ill November nine months before the same impulse seized him to approach and look in on them, himself unseen; and some boyish idea of practical joke, such as striking suddenly on the window ledge or vault ing in among them, presented itself.
 The window was wide open and the long lace curtains hung straight, un- swayed by the motionless air. Anthony
 parted them with his hand and looked
 ill. The room was still, the light clear
 and soft, the music whoso sound had
 reached him as he crossed the ravine
 was hushed, and instead of the gay party
 he had expected to surprise, there were | only two figures in the rOOm-a man anC
 a woman.
 The woman sat in a low chair and tht man bent over her; her head was throw1 back, her eyes raised to other eyes whicl gazed down into them with look easily
 interpreted. No need to tell him wh(
 she was-who both were; he knew onl, too surely. The knowledge was burned into his brain with the fire of that bit terer knowledge which came to him lill a revelation.
 With an oath so savage that it seemed as though the very air must shudder t, } receive it he dropped the curtain bacl
 into its place and turned away.