The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-04-18


often angry with it.
When she reached her own dingy
chamber at home, she wondered why II
seemed 30 long since she went ont foi
| wood.
1t had really been but two or thret
hours, and yet life seemed TO have opened
for itself new vista.
1t was the last of September, and on
this New England shore the wind blew
chill across the beach. The idlers hao
| gone, and Wildair and Marion stood alone
by the water. The weeks that just passeo
had done their ineradicable work foi
them both, but until now nothing hat
been said of love, for Wildair had beer
held back by a bondage which before hac
been simply indifferent to him-now !.
| was hateful.
Standing with Marion now, before he
must leave her, every fetter fell from
him, burst by the passionate love he felt
His eyes devoured the pale face before
him-they longed for full look OF love
from her.
He bent nearer, murmuring, entreat-
ingly:
"Marion, look at me!-oh, look at me!''
AhaeN Va IdcblOH fosHoS se~S>~
her eyes, and she met his glance with one
soft, and yet full OF the fire of undying
love.
81 must leave YOU" he said, at last
"but will come back to you, / swear to
return!"
He spoke as IL subduing some obstacle
of which she knew nothing. She looked
at him with trusting eyes, feeling assured
of his iove nf his honor and truth.
All, there was paradise itself in Ma
rion's face for him, as he looked at 1T thus.
Another swift half hour, and Marion
stood alone on the beach. The figure OF
her lover had disappeared in the dusk
| Now, indeed, she knew what 1T was to be
alone. Then, with a smile of sad happi-
| ness she thought that never again, a.
| heretofore, could she be utterly alone, for
did she not love, and was she not be-
| loved?
She returned to the old house. In her
| room were scattered books and papers,
| for Wildair had taught her much in the
| last few weeks, and had been lavish IL
supplying the hungry mind with litera
| ture.
The days slowly dragged into the wir
ter. She waited, hearing from Jaspcf
| often.
1t was gray, cold afternoon in Decem~
| Der. She had hurried home from the
| office; there was no letter that night, only
| the paper to which her father was SUI
| scriber.
Her mother, lying on the lounge, said
querulously, as Marion entered:
"Your father has been out in the boat
| IL was SO still this afternoon. He carrieo
out the Telescope for some reason or other
and Of course forgot it. It'll be lost, and
we never shall have another. II took toe
much money for that!'
"He1l 60 out again Tomorrow" re-
| piled Marion, sitting down by the stove
and putting her feet on the hearth.
/" No, he won't; he hardly ever goes in
| the winter. It's the most costly thin
| in the house, and now that's gonel"
whincd Mrs. Logan.
Marion smothered an exclamation OF
impatience, and rose from her seat, Say
ing:
"I'n go after it. Did he leave the boat
anchorcd?"
"Yes; though charged him not to do
4. There's storm brewing. Hurry in
before the wind blows up"
Marion fastened her cloak and hood
| tightly, and went out.
The sea lay quiet for winter, but II
| rolled with blue blackness that it never
knew in the summer.
She pushed of the light boat that her
father let remain on the beach thus late,
for the fisherman was what Yankees call
| shiftless."
Marion enjoyed the bounding over the
dark waves, the sharp, bracing air that
had premonition Of storm IN it.
She soon reached the larger boat, and
stepped into 1t, twisting the boats to-
gether by the anchor rope Of the smaller
one. She sat down a moment, liking
the motion Of the craft as it lay anchored
there. AS she sat, she thought of the
newspaper in her pocket, and opened it.
glanciag casually down the columns.
How many times docs simple marriage
notice carry despair to some who read it?
Like the lines OF doom she read 1.-THE
announcement of the marriage OF Jasper
Wildair, of Boston. Life and Joy seemed
scotched from her for ever.
With careful fingers she folded the
paper.
she murmured with white lips.
A blind, dizzy weakness came over her
1T appeared the farewell OF hope and
10y. Another deep, IaSt Dreatn OF vino
blew over her. She faltered, her foot
failed, her head swam. She did not step
truly, but down into the waters that
eddied and gurgled around her.
The last thought to that poor, tired
soul was:
He loves me!-loves mel"
Cold, benumbed, she could not help
herself in that icy food, and besides,
strength and hope had deserted her.
A week later there hurried along the
lonesome beach man in whose eyes
shone the glory of hope nearly fulfilled.
All had been arranged!
A distant cousin OF the same name as
himself, and, happily, far more wealthy,
had supplanted him in the ambitious
IDEAS of the lady cousin he had promised
10 wed, and his purpose OF breaking the
engagement had been all the more easy.
lie had hastened from the wedding of the
other Jasper to the old house which held
all that was best for him. Words cannot
tell what he felt as he stood again on the
beach, now forever without her.
"And yet q hope, born OF true love, a
n~o. that was not of Garth shed sor,e