The Hope pioneer., 1894-02-23
CHAPTER ".

The inspiration did not desert him. All
day and far into each night he wrote
with felicitous ease. No hint of his love
passed his lips to Virginia. Pride, with
promise of ultimate victory in it's warn
ing voice, bade passion wait.
"You are nothing, you have nothing
now, but some day you will. Some day
you may dare ask her to add her love-
the richest jewel-to q measure already
full"
And so the time went by with an out
ward seeming of eventful quietude, and
October came. "a
Virginia sat alone one bright after
noon. She was painting panel for a
fashionable shop that was pleased to &C.
cept her work and pay as little as was
possible for it. Her head was bent low,
and loosened strand Of hair swept her
cheek. Her figure in its inclined posi-
tion revealed a supple strength and COM
plete repose.
The little maid who helped her about
the house had departed, and the room
was quiet, save that tiny white kitten
purred before the stove and the clock
licked upon the mantel. And how a
clock can tick in silent roornl Cues
tion it; it answers you. Sit mute, and
it voices your thoughts. Virginia laid
her brush down and listened to it. There
was something pathetically childish
about her as she sat there, her chin upon
her open hand, her dilated eyes couched
under the delicate brows, mirroring the
passionate regret that of late had poi
soned all her days.
She was not in Toms confidence now.
She did not share his walks. The gay
familiar companionship so unutterably
dear was ended. He did not know-he
never must know-how often she had
crept to his door late at night to listen to
the scratch of his impetuous pen.
Perhaps her words had stung him to
such violent activity he would soon leave
them to fight fortune in o wider field. A
startled breath broke upon her lips.
What wnrld this place be without him?
What would her life be? The clock an
swered with cynical, knowing tick.
A shadowy wave of desolation rushed
over her, and the room grew dark. Her
hands fell down helplessly. The clock
licked louder, like a garrulous crone
foretelling disaster.
"Virginia!'' fell upon her ears with a
soft suddenness that startled her. The
panel slipped from her knees, and grasp
ing the arms of the chair she turned her
head to find Tom staading above her.
II have been watching you for full
minute" he said, throwing his hat down
and drawing over low stool, so that he
faced her.
In the hushed, ,nasterful whisper she
recognized something unusual. Some
thing unusual in his face too. Repres-
sion was there, exoitem,ent, joy:
II didn't hear you come In" Virginia
answered, her voice sounding thick and
far away in her own ears.
She half stopped to draw back the
piece of satin on which bunch of daisies
was still wet. He caught her hand and
with gentle fingers that brooked no re-
eistance took the thing away and placed
it gut Of her reach.
"Dear little handp and his voice was
heavy with love, "dear, faithful little
hand! Let it rest awhile here, Virginia. :"
The girl shivered as one does who
1ushes from cold vault into the sun
light.
'Look at mel" she heard him saying
in half suppressed voice of intense cx-
pltatiop, II am the happiest fellow in
New York. You told Inc yeu believed
in me. You told me that. Oh, Virginia,
how those words have staid with me-!
And you were right. I have succeeded.
My last play was accepted and by the
man who rejected all the Others"
A boyish laugh of pure delight left his
lips, and he sank on his knees beside her.
'"Td like to set all the bells IN the
chapel pealing, call out the fellows and
tell them the exchange was not 80 bad
after all. Not SO bad, eh, Virginia." he
asked, thinking how lovely were the
velvety deeps Of her eyes.
'tIt is SO sudden, SO strange. But, oh,
there is such gladness and light in my
heart for you, Tom! Tell me more, tell
me about itg-'