The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-06-22
TESTERS LOVERS.

Leighton raised her clear, soft eyes
TO her lovers handsome face. .@
q She was hardly a pretty girl, this
Hester Leighton, but she gave promise
OF being more than pretty in the flu
ture, for as yet she was barely seven
teen, shy, pale girl, whose principal
charm lay in her girlish innocence and
tender eyes. 5.
When do you expect her?' Roy Bel
don said, this unknown sister, Hes
ter, for whom you are preparing such
welcome .a5 a'
To-day-any time To think that
papa had wife before mammal
wife who only lived one short year
little daughter before me, whose
tace he never saw"
He cannot have been gifted with
very strong parental affection" Roy
said. t.s
ooh! you don't understand. He
thought the baby died with its mother.
1t seems her sister lost q baby, and
took papa's little one in it's stead. and
kept the secret I'D till papa was dying
and So 5
so You have a new sister, when
you least expected it. 1t was in sunny
Spain your fathers romance
oh, Roy, there is some one coming.
1t is she, and it is only kindness i'm me
to meet her" g
AS she crossed the room, a faint tap
sounded ON the door, and opening it
she smiled a welcome to the new
conner
AS the stranger came forward she
threw back the veil that shaded her
race, and Hester almost started at the
Wondrons beauty her eyes rested upon.
You are my sister9'' Hester said.
putting her soft, white arms around
the strangers neck and laying her pure,
g1rllsh lips to the vivid crimson curves
OF the others beautiful, smiling mouth.
welcome to :Sunclife, welcome h0me'
Then Roy came forward and bent
with naughty grace over Inez' slender
hand, while his very soul seemed to
drink in her beauty.
While they were standing there an
other gentleman crossed the piazza,
and Hester flew to the window.
come In here, Deane. My sister has
come, and L want you to welcome her"
Inc next moment Deane STANLEY was
welcoming the newcomer. .,'1
One hour later Inez stood before the
mirror i'm the rooms allotted to her,
looking at her own beautiful face, her
thoughts reverting to Roy Belden and
bis look Of passionate admiration.
AND ne is the promised husband of
mat little doWdy pale-face; well''-
with a faint laugh-'if ever he did
love her, which I rather doubt I can
lure him from her, chain him to nv
sac 81 by the power of my beauty, and
If Fate is kind, I will vet be mistress
of his stately home" .-0O~. -
II ne ever loved her? This was q
question Roy asked himself when he
thought OF Hester, as the days rolled
on ana he felt the power of Inez' mid
night eyes and curving lips Turing him
on to madness. He had no thought
at first of being false to Hester. but as
the summer passed, he felt the power
OF Inez' siren loneliness, holding, him
IN thrall he could not break. Not
that ne tried very hard, for self-loye
was q gift the gods had not deprived
him Of, and so -,
"Red lips smiling, lured him on.
Br1ght eyes'beaming, held his soul,
Iii languorous, dreamy spell
Bound his heart beyond control:
Illl faith, and truth, and honor gone.
TIL conque1ing passion stood alone
Where love had smiled before"
hester watched it all with strange.
dul, aching pain at her tender heart
tnat slowly turned to wonder and con-
Tempt. Was this her Bayard-her
Knlgnt without fear or reproach-this
Wavering lover who had proved false
to his troth?
She struggled bravely against the
thought, and then-ah, then she could
doubt no longer after the fatal day
she stood beneath the dropping syrin-
gas lin the old-fashioned garden below
the western gable of the homestead.
She saw them together, Inez and
Roy-saw him pleading for her love,
almost kneeling before her in the
passion OF the moment and then-nay,
she was not mad nor dreaming-Roy
mad taken lnez in his arms, kissing
the creamy palor Of her face, the
curving crimson of her lips, and call
/. Ing her his darling, his beautiful one
White as death, with strange, dead
~ faintness stealing over her, Hester
turned away. She had loved Roy
Beldon, If not with womans deepest
love, with all girls shy. sweet ten
derness, and she had trusted him en-
tirely-would have ~staked her veIy life
ON his honor and truth.
sShe turned up the pathway again.
Suddenly strange darkness seemed
TO envelop her, and dimly she saw
,Deane STANLEY coming toward her
tDeane STANLEY who had been as son
ito her ifather-a brother to herself.
a His face paled as he saw her.
Hester! Chilli! What is it,"
She made him mo answer only held
out her hands like a tired child, and
then, ere The could lreach her swaying
form, she sunk white and ,senseless
lat his feet.
He lifted her in his arms.
'.My darling! MY darling! oh! the
coward, but his punishment will be
deep enough, or my name is mot Deane
Stanley"
The strange deadly faintness was
only 'momentary, and coming to her
self, Hester heard the passionate .'dar-.
ling" and felt the kisses that fell upon
her hands, and realizing with feel
ing of pain, pain that vet thrilled her
strangely, that not as friend or brother
Deane Stanley loved her, but as man
loves the one fair woman in all the
world for him