Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-10-10
engaged TO Inc olvln1ty at mis- s,oe.

restrained, but her eyes had in them the
flicker of snloldering fire. They seemed
to project interior flames. Her complex
ion was without color unless olive may
be so considered. Her abundant mass of
hair was SO black as to show blue in its
shadows and at the corners of her lips
was the faintest trace Of down Her
gown was brilliant, and about her bare
arms were coils of silver. She looked as
barbaric as Mrs. Page looked divine.
During the meal the major held forth,
as majors sometimes do, on the subject
of nothing at all, and when the meal
was done the little group reunited for
several hours in the gallery, exchanged
the usual commonplaces During that
interchange Everard kept as near as he
could to Mrs. Page, and when at last
the party broke up and he found him
self alone i'll his own room he drew a
breath strangely like one of relief
Through the open window came the
heavy scented night air. Beyond some
magnolias masked cluster of stars, but
from above the radiance from other
worlds rained down. In the distance
was the heavy lap of the river. Beneath,
in the underbrush. fireflies glittered,
avoiding each other in abrupt zigzags
and sudden loops of flame. There was no
moon, but the sky was still visibly blue
Furman threw his coat aside and gazed
at the stars. In his ears the hum Of in
sects still sounded, the water seemed to
call and the night to wait. The air was
alive with caresses, redolent with the
balm of the pine and the odors Of many
flowers
'I must go tomorrow" he told him
self, and as he tried to think of his de-
parture the tinkle of football across
the hall routed and distubed his
thoughts. Unsummoned, there visited
him melody, the accompaniment of a
love song heard long ago. With ges-
ture he forced it back and remembered
that there would be no boat for several
days, but he could drive to the nearest
station and take southward train.
Yes, he could do that.
Meditatively he continued to disrobe,
and in spite of the light of the stars and
heavy warmth of the night he lighted
his lamp, talking to himself the while
And as his monologue continued he was
aware of that lettering, overmastering
force which visits youth but once-the
abnegation of self before that which is.
And now, as he flung himself on the
bed, he sighed. He hoped for nothing,
but it was bliss to be conquered and en-
chained The contest was done. During
the coming week his captor would move
before him living melody; then he
would go, leaving tho melody undis-
turbed.
For a moment that might have out
lasted an hour he dreamed that he was
goat herd of the fabulous days who
had fallen in love with goddess, and
in his dream he caught the rhythm of
tinkling feet, and as the measures sank
him into deeper sleep monstrous beetle
shot through the window and extin-
guished his light. The persistent hum
Of insects and the whir of the beetles
wings disturbed him ever so little. For
moment he was bending over Mrs.
Pages wrist; then all was blank.
At the noon luncheon the major was
absent. ''It is usually so, =" his daughter
explained. "He works harder than the
overseers in his employ. 1t is very fool
ish Of him to exhaust himself, as he so
often does, (" and she shook her peerless
head disapprovingly. During the morn
ing Furman idled on the white sandy
highroad and explored the grounds. He
had lost himself in the ferny depths of
sparkling wood, and green bank be-
meath dense cedars had invited him to
rest, and then. languidly tired, he had
found his way back to the house for
luncheon.
In the pauses Of his stroll he had half
promised himself that during the after
noon he would find an opportunity to
say something of that which was on his
mind. but fate was against him. Mrs.
Page excused herself Immediately after
lunch, and he was left alone with Miss
Leith on the gallery.
''You are from New York, are you
notf" asked the young lady. She pro-
nounced the first syllable of the name in
a manner that sounded curious to Fur
mans unaccustomed ears It not so
much an accent as an intonation, as
though the word were spelled Meow. "
All her gowns, she told him, came from
that enchanted city, but she herself had
never been there "She had seen New
Orleans" and again he noted the Pc
euliar expression. And was New York
grander than the Crescent City? When
she married, most likely she would visit
it on her wedding tour. She seemed less
reserved and less languid sitting in the
soft scented shade of the gallery and
rid Of the restraint of her future step
mothers presence. 1t had occurred to
Furman that the relations between the
majors daughter and his bride elect
were a trife strained. Yet his admira.
tion wavered between the charm Of the
one and the daring beauty of the other
They were sheerly dissimilar, but it
was in the eyes they differed most
Those Of the widow were moist as some
blue flower plucked at dawn. The dew
seemed still upon them. Those Of the
young girl were sidereal, not white, not
cobalt, but something that combined the
two. To the imaginative they would
have suggested gems
That evening the major was still alb
sent, and the three dined alone. Fur
man and the bride elect were in very
fine spirits, but Miss Leith seemed more
absorbed than usual. In the middle of
gay story servant offered Furman
some sweets He would have let them
pass, but Mrs Page interposed.
TRY some, ;" she insisted. Belinda
prepared them She will be offended if
YOU She glanced at the girl, who
arched her brows
Furman took small portion of the
candied fruit and ate it slowly
1T is excellent, " he said. MAY
have another?''
Belinda left the room, excusing her
self on the pretext of some household
duty
"She is exquisite, confded the guest
to Mrs. Page in half whisper. The
lady assented. But you are''- He
hesitated and stopped short
Let us go to the piazza 1t is cooler
there. -
Mrs. Page led the way, and Furman,
hesitating still, followed She found a
seat and he another