Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-08-31

1t for such. ] merely wished to carry away
with me a remembrance of St. Rosalie.
The storm was past. Once more she was
a conventional woman of the world calm
and impressive. AS she spoke she glanced
up at the priest. He was motionlcss, as
though carved i'm stone. Slowly the color
died out of her face as she whispered in
crcdulously:
Benedict"
For supreme moment each locked into
tho others face The woman was trcm-
bling Violently and her features were lit
with yearning tenderness. The priest
lips moved, as though to speak, but no
sound came. To him the mention of her
name was sin. Had he not spent the best
part of his manhood in penancc and pray
cr, in trying to forget that beautiful face,
that form, that voice? Was she not yet
satisfied with his sacrhcc-with the fact
that, rather than be an impcdiment to her
brilliant marriage he had ceased to exist?
Why had she again broken in upon his
hearts solitude? When he spoke it was
with an effort and in stern tones:
why are you here alone? Where is st.
Croix?"
Dead" was the almost inaudiblc reply.
Dead" he repeated in husky tone,
adding involuntarily. Then you are
frcc?'
He could not look away from her. His
eyes fell on her fashionable attire, her
iewclcd fingers, her matured beauty. What
an insuperable gulf lay between thoml
To her the bitterness of all things had
come as his cold, unsympathctic tones fell
on her ear. While she had suffered he had
forgotten.
Il came here, she answered in her
calm, conventional tones, for rest and
peace, outside the world, not dreaming
/ you werc here.
She paused.
A momentary CLEAN touched the man.
/ Moved by impulse, he closed his fingers
over the small cold hand that grasped the
edge of the quantity carved seat and whis
pcred:
IF you had known, what them"
/ In an instant sho noted the change in
tho priests voice After all, he was not
quite dead to the world, and n glimmer Of
hope woke in her heart.
Then I must still have come" she re-
piled passionatcly, raising her eyes to his
face, which was rigid and incrcdulous
Il am free now and have never known
happiness since we parted. Wealth, posi-
ton, all possess j. worthless without you
to share them. Come back to the old
world again, Benedict. You are all l care
to live for" as she finished speaking,
carried away by her feelings, she sank at
his feet.
] The priests face was scarcely less agi-
tated than her own.
Il cannot. | dare not. Do l not sin
daily in remembering you? Have l not
longcd for the sound Of your voice, the
touch of your soft hand? DO 1 not live a
double Internationally a priest, inwardly
MANI Can VOWS, penances and prayers
change mans nature? Does it not rath
er kill tho soul? May, you have much to
answer for." As the last words died upon
his lips he stopped for an instant as though
in pity and touched her forehead with his
lips. Placing her arms around his neck,
she whispered his name and lowered his
head till their lips met. a moment seem
ed an eternity. Then, thrusting her aside
with a cry of anguish, he sprang away,
and she heard his swift footsteps pass
across the graveyard path.
A few days later Sir Alec Vavasour re-
ccivcd n not&at his club which bore the
Paris postmaIk, and he was missing from
the social whirlpool for week, announc
ing on his return his engagement to Mrs
St. Croix He declared he had met her in
Paris, looking positively wretched after
her travels, ard had strongly advised her
to remain there for a few weeks to dissi-
pate t..c y...., she Ia endured among the
hApn. ia llauHtain1 and to regain her good
looks b .o.c tAir wedding day.-Roy
Conn. u-ri1 q. .rh.