Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-03-23


batl ing in the river, their brown bodies
glistening in the sunlight with q cop
perry luster. But even these were in
keeping with the scene, for they splashed
and dived in queer silence, unlike white
lads, who would have made the canyon
ring with shrieks and yells.
| Gilbert was under the spell Of the day,
feeling an Incidence and lassitude and a
quiet content stealing over him until his
senses were lulled into a dreamy repose.
He felt the delicious languor of enforced
idleness, just tinged with enoughof the
consciousness of the waste Of precious
time to add zest to its charm, as it al
ways does to the naturally busy man. A
passing breath Of wind swayed the
grasses and danced across the little
river, ripping its silver blue satin, bring
ing the eager trout to the surface and
ruf1ing gently tho plumage Of the SOL
emn sentrylike cranes. Out from the
shore q dozen turtles were basking on
the rocks, their heads held erect in
painful and constrained way, their eyes
closed, and their whole bearing evincing
that they were being soaked In rich,
golden sunshine.
On fat stone not a rod away was
coiled huge rattlesnske, his oily skin
shining with black and yellow glossi-
ness. Gilbert drew his revolver, and
resting it over his left hand aimed ut
the ugly fat head and glittering eyes
and fred. The report was followed by
startled woman's scream near by, the
turtles slipped with a sudden alacrity
into the water, the cranes tapped their
wings as though about to fly, but
thought better of it and walked about
with grave concern, and the snake lay
wriggling and twisting at the foot OF
the stone in a death agony. Gilbert
looked around and saw Kulcan, with
Leila in his arms, pale and trembling,
and her blue eyes resting on him in ter
ror. Kulcan, too, was trembling, for
neither Of them had seen his weapon
nor knew what caused the echoes which
were still rolling along the canyon and
causing the people in the sleepy city
to rush out Of their houses and ask one
another the meaning Of the thunderous
sound.
Gilbert stepped forward with smile
on his lips, and Kulcan, treasured, placed
his sister upon a grassy mound, where
she sat painting for several moments.
Gilbert knelt beside her, and taking her
hand in his stroked it with unconscious
tenderness to quiet her fears. The
warm blood shot up into her cheeks, and
her eyelids fell beneath his gaze. He
felt the sudden thrill rush through him
again, and he caught his breath as he re-
leased her hand, which she pressed
against her bosom with an involuntary
movement, as though to calm her hearts
tumultuous throbbing. To another man
she would have been as transparent as
glass, but Gilbert was 80 confused, SO
dazed by his unwonted feeling that he
saw nothing.
Kulcan, however, did see and knew
full well the meaning Of what he saw.
IT pleased him vastly to think that the
god mightF love his beautiful sister; 1t
augured well for his own prospects; and,
too, he had feared that the celestial Wis
itor mighthave claimed, and justly, his
own betrothed Aimee, whose life he had
saved. And he, being lover and an
ardent one, felt a sincere and cordial
sympathy for Gilbert; 80, with nat
,ral tact and delicacy, he moved away,
leaving the others almost unconscious
of his departing, returning to the city
to explain that the god had caused the
thunder and destroyed a huge rattle
snake, news which set the gossips'
tongues wagging at once.
The little grassy knoll whereon Lela
was resting was in the bright sunlight.
and Gilbert led her to a shady spot,
where he dropped into the grass beside
her and looked up into her face, drink
ing in its rare beauty with the same
sense of ecstasy which certain music
had often reused within him. A riotous
stirring of the heart and wild throb-
hing of his pulses accompanied this
ecstasy, and trembling joy mingled
with an uncertain feeling very like pain.
Ife could not have expressed In words
the new and suddenly acquired wealth
of feeling of which he found himself
possessed, but he felt great wave Of
happiness sweeping over him, a divine
content, and realization of the mere
Joy of living and being beside such In
comparable loveliness. he knew now
that he loved; that something had come
into his life that filled and rounded 1t
out and made it worth living. Of the
signs of love he, knew nothing, yet he
knew somehow that Leila loved him.
She sat with averted face for several
minutes, then slowly turned her head
and rested her eyes upon his face In q
straight, earnest gaze. Her eyes were
full of soft, tender light, deep, ques-
tioning yearning, and as they met his
true, tender gaze her head slowly sank,
she drew a long inward breath, her
bosom rose and fell In quick throbs, and
it seemed to Gilbert that she was about
to faint. His hand stole over hers, which
came to meet its warm grasp, and as the
wild thrill rushed through him he drew
her to him, and her golden head fell upon
his shoulder. She was really almost
faint with emotion, and her eyes closed
as a great contented sigh escaped her
lips. Their lips came together as two
long parted mates and mingled into
one with a wild, delicious food OF bliss.
In another moment she had turned,
and her shapely arms were clasped
tightly around his neck, and she was
kissing him with hunger and a fury
that made his blood dance In his veins.
Then as suddenly she drew away and
covered her burning face with her hands
in maidenly shame, yet her bosom pal
pitated and her breath came In quick
gasps. He. drew her hands down and
gazed into her eyes. They met his with
such pure, deep tenderness, such steady
calmness, that he drew her. to him again
and kissed her noble forehead In rever-
ential awe.