The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-10-27


drawing Virginia with him.
"Oh, kiss me once, love-" she whisper
ID, her white cheek hard upon his; 1--WE
must part SO soenw
Don't leave me-" he pleaded. 81 love
you. To be near you is delight even in
this fearful place. I'll give back the
play. In the light of truth will stand
unmasked. I'll do it gladly, let them
revile me as they will. Then I'll have
peace-and your love, dearer than all
the world"
Oh, her lovely, melting eyes, her kiss
heavy with farewell!
sit is too Late she sighed, and he felt
her lips upon his throat. "All that is
past" And for another moment she
dung to him.
"No, no. We will be happy yet" he
cried in anguish.
But the words were hushed upon his
lips. In some occult way the truth was
revealed to him. He knew that all the
faces he had looked upon were those Of
the dead. He too was dead, and Vir-
ginia. Life and earth were gone forever.
Repentance was vain, redemption i'm
possible, parting, shame and despair
eternal.
In the sudden blackness that swept
down like the shadow cast by mon
strous wing Virginia's body slipped from
his longing arms, and he was alone.
The cry that broke from his humili-
ated soul sent the vision whirling, and
he awoke, conscious of bursting heart
and quivering body bathed in cold
dews. He made an effort to rise, and as
he did so felt hand upon his shoulder,
heard voice speaking his name.
"What else" he cried, finging back
his head, his eyes flashing q maddened
defiance and clouded with blood. 'TVhat
slse2 Oh, Godp'
Mr.. Plunket's commonplace face was
close to him.
Murray, you must be i'll. You've been
dreaming crying out as if some one
were hurting you. Wake up. Don't
stare SO, man. Wake up"
Staring, trembling, his tongue thick,
Tom sprang up. The sense Of utter loss,
the tragedy of Virginia's last kiss, were
still with him. He looked around, star
tied, dumb. Yonder in the crimson circle
cast by the lamp stood Delatole smiling.
Just beyond him were the gaunt form
end lonely eyes of Felix Dawson. Both
were waiting.
"My dear Murray, 1 am here under
protest" said Plunket, wringing his fat
hands in loose, soft, helpless way as he
stood with his head on one side. This
mans story is absurd-now be quiet,
don't get angry, but-but-he says your
last play was one he sent you and which
ere er appropriated. He
hasn't shadow of proof. How could
he? Why, it's preposterous! AS if l
wouldn't know your style anywhere! l
poohpoohed him, but Mr.. Delatole per-
suaded me to let him face you with his
story. That is all, my dear Murray;
that is ALL"
Tom regarded him vacantly while he
spoke. He started blindly forward and
paused midway in the room, leaning
upon a chair.
He was not dreaming still2 No; these
were men, not shades. This was his IA
miliar Virginia was not far away.
All was not over. The living moment
was still his. Considerations so i'm
portant but little while ago were lost
sight of; his tortured sensibilities over
leaped them all in a maddening thirst to
redeem himself in his own eyes while he
could, to purge the soilure from his soul,
so that never-oh, never-might he
really know that Sense of awful, final
condemnation revealed to him in a
dream.
"Speak up, Murray. Throw the lie
in his teeth" cried Plunket.
A pallor suddenly struck Toms face
from brow 10 chin; pale smile came
and went upon I lips. Wretched and
wild though lis face was, there was
something of inexplicable triumph in
that smile-a light above a wreck.
He looked straight at Plunket:
"The lie? Mol The lie was mine. Do
you hear? The horrid, damnable lie
was mine. The play was his. Istole it.
1 called it In the Name of the Gar,
and when he came to me wouldn't give
it up. Wouldn't do it. But now-oh,
take it-and with it remove the curse
that has followed meG'
A groan of agony came with the words.
His eyes looked past the amazed and
startled group to the open doorway.
Was Virginia's gray, drawn face as he
had seen it in his dream still before his
fancyp He looked again. Then he saw
she was really upon the threshold, hel
eyes mirroring the pity and horror her
trembling lips could not speak. She had