Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-07-07
Or

wild energy OF despair ana grleI were
they uttered!
And he to whom She was speaking?
All. il was here that was seen how slngu-
lar was her decision.
Scarcely thrce-and-twenty, yet old in
thought and stGdy, as grave MS genial,
with face as expressive of kindly feel
ing as of intellectual dignity, and
form that was model of manly beauty,
surely it seemed as if he could have in
no wise deserved to hear those burning,
whitening words which had so unex-
pectedly fallen upon his hearing.
How astonished, not to say horrihed,
was the look he gave her.
He could hardly credit the evidence Vi
his senses, and stood as if petrifed,
unable to give order and sequence to the
troubled ideas and impressions crowding
upon him.
Then he advanced and took the girl
in his arms as tenderly as fond mother
takes weary child to her bosom.
Surely she must be ill-as she looked.
He could think of no other explanation
of her singular demeanor.
"Oh. never, Vance, never" she con-
tnued, shrinking away from the arms
that inclOsed her so gently and iirmly,
and even averting her eyes from the low
ing glances bent upon her, as if she dar-
ed not trust herself to meet them. 81
can never marry you. | have been weak
and wicked not to tell you this sooner,
but, oh. ] was so happy. ! have always
known that there is barrier between
MS. But the end has now come. Sooner
death than marriage Do not press me
for my reasons. This must be our last
meeting, Vance--the very last"
How the lover again looked at her, as
she struggled further to escape M,
A vague sort of comprehension began
dawning upon him.
He recalled the deep gloom in which
he had often found her, and the traces
of tears he had frequently seen on her
cheeks, when he had presented himself
unexpectedly to her. He remembered
how she had again and again seemed to
desire to fly from his presence without
being able to do so.
"And yet" he cried impetuously-"and
yet you love me, JESSIE"
"Love you"
Oh. how her arms inclosed him!
Again and again. as if she could not
control herself, In the wild agony Of that
moment, did she rain kisses upon his
cheeks, eyes and lips, with tenderness
and feryency which atteSted how CON-
pletely she had given her heart to him.
And then, with startled and almost
guilty air, she tore herself away abrupt
lv. and placed herself behind the chair
she had previously occupied, bowling her
head upon its high back and sobbing as
# her heart were broken
A look Of terror appeared in the eyes
of the lover, as he contemplated the
weeping girl few moments, and then,
with a sigh of mortal anguish, he dropped
into the nearest chair, covering his lace
with his hands.
What dismal abyss human life had
already become for him!
What cheat and snare were all the
fond hopes lie had been cherishing.
From his boyhoOd up to that hour,
Vance Wycvilo's lines had been cast into
pleasant places, and he had hardly
known care or sorrow.
Left an orphan in early infancy, he
had been reared by a chldless uncle who
had made a great pet of him, and taken
all the pains in the world with his educa-
ton.
Naturally gifted and energetic, it had
been easy for Vance to take the first
place in school and college, and to grad
uate with the highest honors.
His uncle having purchased a large
farm in Lake County, Illinois, a few
miles from Waukegan, Vance decided to
commence his practice in this pleasant
and growing ncighbOrhood, and the re-
suit had been all either uncle or nephew
could have desired or expected.
Within three months after his arrival
IN Waukegan, Vance become the most
.popuar physician in the town, one OF his
oldest and most popular confreres having
died and another having retired from
practice on account of failing health, and
duly recommended Vance to the largest