The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-10-19
CHI APTER XIV.
AWAKENING.

understood now the meaning or Mere
Lucas ominous headshakings, of her en-
deavor to promote an attachment between
me and Gordcn, and OF this last measureby
which sae had shown me that Taras would
never marry. She feared that my affection
for him was ripening into love and that
should expect him to make me his wife.
The relation quite stupefied me, and
sank down silently on the stool by his
bench, with tears that could not account
for gathering in my eyes and q feeling Of
desolation and loss in my heart.
Mere Lucas kissed me and went away
with little sob of sympathy. He will
never marry me-" said to myself, trying
to realize my situation and find an explanar
tion Of the sadness that oppressed me. Un-
doubtedly love, unknown to me, had been
smoldering in my breast from the first
moment that Taras smiled at me, and to
burst up into flame it only needed that un-
fortunate touch by which old Mere Lucas
attempted to stihe 1t.
He will not marry me-" said, repeat
Ing her words with little addition Of my
own. Then slowly the graver import Of
her warning dawned upon me- His reason
for avoiding marriage was not because he
could not love, but because he would not
Eiberia-because he knew that ere long he
must die or be taken prisoner to Russia.
At this perception cold sweat burst out
bpon my brow, as IL l had become aware
Tor the first time Of this impending fate.
Going to my room, took myself to task
for my want of vigilance. What had
done to guard his life since the night when
learned that IL was in dangeri Nothing
boz ot frp
a few weeks and listening when found
the chance TO scraps of conversation that 1
could not understand. and even these fee
BILE attempts had been abandoned lately,
and had suffered myself to be lulled into
a state of carelcssneSs by the absence Of
any open sign Of hostility toward Taras
and by his own disregard of precaution.
But this apathy on the part of the secret
enemy had been led to expect from the
conversation Of Taras and his friend Kaya-
nagh. They had said that probably no
further attempt would be made for some
months, Those months were now passed.
The critical time was at hand, for had
gathered from one or two remarks that any
fresh oifense To the car would be the sig
nal for a renewed and final effort TO silence
Taras. That fresh oifense was about 20 be
committed. The group of statuary was fin
ished. The work Of casting and burning
done, the striking allegory would be public
ly exhibited for all the world TO talk Of.
recalled now, almost with stupefactior
at my incredible indifference. an incident
which proved that the secret enemy was on
the alert and fully acquainted with Taras
design. The proprietor OF the pottery ut
which it was intended TO burn the clay
group had called 60 inquire IL the subject
was ofa political character Taras OF course
admitted frankly that IL was. and when Mr..
H., for commercial reasons, had begged
10 decline 20 give any assistance in the pro-
duction he asked Mr.. IL what reason
he had for suspecting that the work was N
political one
MY information, sir" said Mr. H,
"came in the form Of an anonymous letter.
aud for that reason ] felt that In iusties 10