Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-12-12
CHAPTER XVI.

night. Chelsea square was silent, and
the wind among the line of trees stand
ing sentinel wise came like n tremendous
sigh ascending to a moan. The year
would die and the new year be born in q
whirling whiteneSs, winding sheet and
baptismal robe in one.
The lights i'll the lamps fared lone
somely or bent TO the rush of the wind
Their uncertain flicker fell upon Tom
and sent strange. leaping shadows across
his face He walked us one without pur-
pose and kept close to the palings.
Following his confession had come
Delatole's attacks in the press, each word
an adder bite. He had expected them
but they drove him mad, and for a week
he had been hidden in the neither circles
of the city. Such week.-a conflagra-
tiou i'll which he had tried to burn every
vestige of honorable manhood left him.
But he had not succeeded. No. for he
was here i'll this last hour of the year
making his indeterminate way for last
look at the peaceful old square he had
once thought SO stupid, a last look at
the walls that had frowned on his fro
ward hopes, perhaps last word with
Virginia. And then? The rivera sleep
III lLlt SHOW All emu SOllGDO".
At the tree where the knowledge of
his love and power first came to him he
paused. His arms were loosely folded
on his breast. His eyes were shadowy
and gricvcd as those of a beaten animal
thoroughly cowed.
suddenly the shade at Nirginia's win
dow was raised, and she stood with her
body pressed against the glass, her hands
arched over her eyes as she peered into
the night. Oh. was she watching for
him: Oh. had she one thought for him:
With yearning sob Tom made n
movement forward and then retreated.
He could see the whole room. \ man
had entered. He remembered him rs
N!rSiuias companion at the theater. He
carried 4 bunch Of flowers as white as
the Snow ClinGing to his broad shoulders,
and rs Virginia went toward him he
took her hand and gave them to her
What words was he speaking now?
Tom could see his strong. quiverinG face,
his moving lips. his submissive yet i'm
PaSSiOnvl attitude.
He loved Virginia. Yes. and the en-
chanted whisper of his love seemed to
steal ont TO the watcher through the
drifting snow.
\ moment they stood close together tin IL
Virginia WAS in his arms, clinging to him.
and he had kissed her.
\ sharp breath Of longing broke from
Tom. To shut out the picture he turned
his fac, to the wet bark OF the tree shud-
drring and sobbiuE like woman. Nir-
ciniA auothers. He not the slightest in
lucnce in her hfy ever again falling into
darkness. utterly forgotten.
Family the first chimes fioated from the
hrlfrry, and he looked up
Virginia had left her lover. who stood
Just behind her. She was again at the
window. still under curved hands looking
into the darkness. and now he could plain
ly see the pity, the tender, searching look
in the wide clear eyes
He WAS not forgotten. No, No. not even
in this first moment Of her new happiness.
1t was for him her gaze tried t. pierce the
deep gloom for him-poor wanderrr-th
light burned brightly in her window. ~ If
she knew. who knew him so well he might
stray back that night.
He stepped into the deeper shadow but
his spent heart felt one quivering thrill ot
hope. \ tumultuous. angulshed craving
10 live again swept through him. II he
were worth her remembrance, If she want
ed him hack, might he not yet make some,
thing of the ruins Of his youth-not the
marvellous structure he had once dreamed
of with turretS in the cloudS-yct some
thing
He covered his face with his crossed
arms. and the bitterest moment of his life
was upon him.
\ picture seemed to rise before him,
thrown outward in bold lines upon misty
, Wilderness. He saw diSheartencd miner
laying down his spade before a worked ont
mine which had failed in Its golden prom
Use. Before him into the west and the
falling night stretched a new road. and
toward this his face was set But h,
looked back once over the blue prairie
back to the east. a farewell i'll his eyes. II
was a momenS halt-a little space fol
dreaming and regret
Toms nervelesS hands fell down. II,
gave quivering sigh. like man coming
up - breathe after the water had passed
over him.
His artistic life WAS complete in its ter
rible incompletenesS. This WAS his mo.
ment Of transition. Was there a new road
for him? Its beginning might lie il
shadow, hut did it lead anywhere? Coult
he - on Where He did not know.
7 But Virginia in the window still watched
for him. and now the chimes were pealln.
like mad ON. their rise and fall thei
winged clamor. their ccStatic repetition,
reasoning down his pltiful hesitation
He turned his face from where the rive
lay and walked eastward through the fall
ing snow. His heart was bathed in
strange. warm peace. The chimes fol
lowed him 4 silver, celestial voice
The END.