The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-12-27

beforef Surely, have seen-ah, remem- |
Der, now The old chateau, tho Warehouses
and the ball that evening"
Like flash, the scene appeared before |
her, with the clearness Of inspiration. Again |
she saw Lydia at the foot of the staircase,
the young American standing dejectedly be-
sidc her, his head bent down, listening TO
her conversation; again she saw his look Of
surprise and flush of embarrassment, when
he caught sight Of her, US she came slowly
down the steps with the old Marquis.
A horrible suspicion arose in her mind.
Could this apparently innocent, noble-heart-
ed fellow whom, for the first time, she now
and loose with herl Acting the role Of
hypocritei 1t could not, must not be true
Yet, sick at heart, faint under the burden
of the suspicion, she stepped forward, with
the eagerness Of despair that knows the
hour of doom is at hand, but seeks to fiatter
itself into belief to the contrary. Clasp
ing her hands and gazing earnestly into his
face, she exclaimed:
"You are not Mons. Fairfax whom saw
at the ball that evenings Oh! say that you
are not the man who has done this. Tell
me that you ere what believed you-hon-
orable, truein
Fairfax slowly lifted up his head All the
light was gone out of his eyes; shame and
self-conviction had taken its place. Quietly
he replied:
81 can not lie to you.n
She sank back into chair end put her
hands before her face to conceal her tears
and lock of bitter disappointment and re-
proach; and with such ineffable sadness
that Fairfax was completely overwhelmed
with remorse. She said, between the sobs
that she bravely tried to stifle;
"And trusted you sop
Suddenly she arose, flung aside her tears
and disappointment and stood erect
naughty, cold and commanding Any other
but Fairfax would have finched under the
keen, contemptuous gaze.
''T'his must cease!n and, as she spoke,
the words fell in hard, unnatural metallic
tones.
Her cheeks flushed with indignation, her
lip curled in scorn and command, her eyes
CLEANED with fire, and she looked every
inch the child of a royal race.
Fairfax forgot every thing totally, and
gazed in wrapt admiration at this glorious
being
"This must cease! You stand confessed
that you are the man through whose arts |
am here. command you to release and re-
turn me.h
"Whatr' she continued, as Fairfax stood
silently devouring her as it were with his
eyes, ''you refuse to heeds Know you not
that the word of tho Princess Radziwill, even
with her peers, is law; and do you, an infe-
rior, dare to hold her prisonerl Col" she
said, imperiously, her face now pallid with
the strong emotion that rent her. $50!
Tomorrow you will provide way for my
return"
Fairfax, regaining his composure, with q
GOODNESS, Representatives, and gentleman
| ly courtesy, by which even Natalie could not
help being affected, replied in those slow,
calculating, colo-less, measured tones that
he could adopt at will:
''The Princess Natalie forgcts that she is
entirely in my CONTROL that she has given
me her written promise even to mediate nc
escape, while freedom is allowed her. ! dc
not deny that abducted you; stole you from
your home, that imperiled your life, my
life, your happiness, my own happiness and
that of your family; that risked all; threw
every thing into the balance, including my
own moral perceptions of right and wrong,
my training as the son Of Christian gen
tleman, overbore my conscientious scruples
all to succeed in my plans. That / love
you, you know. But that have loved you
ever since that blessed hour when first
beheld you at the waysde pool in Brittany
/ you do not know. 1t was who found and
returned your lost knife. ], too, am the
guilty author and executor of the abduc
ton. YOU know how well have succeeded
Can you deny that you feel an interest ir
met Will you soy that 1 am nothing to you
have never loved you more than do now
have mover felt your worthiness and my
own unworthiness, villainy and hypocrisy
more than do now my wickedness in i'm
posing upon the confidence and innocence o.
one SO far above me in purity and nobleness
Of life. You know what / am. l make nc
excuse, no apology. My offcnse is too gros.
even to allow Of an apology. All say is
loved you and knew well that no piebeisr
could dream Of winning your affections
much less, your hand. On the eve Of my
departure to America, this plan suggested
itself to me, hung about me like Q night
mare, until, unable to rid myself Of 1t,
yielded, with this result"
But" continued he, .'you, yourself, mus
acknowledge that you have been treatet
kindly; that your time has passed pleasant
ly and that YOU never were happier How
ever, am no cruel jailer and will prove IN,
love by giving up all my hopes forever
since that Is your wish Tomorrow yor
shall go. You may blame me, but never a,
severely as shall myself. leave you ant
shall trouble you no moro"
So saying, before she could prevent him
he quickly took her hand In his and bending
forward, touched 1t lightly to his lips.
Slight as it was, the act sent the bloot
tingling through Natalie's veins. No maj
had ever taken, or ever dared to take
even that respectful and gallant liberty
with her person.
While Fairfax had been talking with her
his face lost its expression of shame and
gradually, assumed look Of dignity witt
which WIS intcrmingled that refined. sor
rowful look that had attracted her atten
ton, when she first saw him weary, We
calm resignation TO fate; sublime endur
ance, His franllness and every thing abou
him was, for the nonce, at seast. all spon
taneitv ITSELF and, therefore doubly effect
i've.
The girl could not but listen and look. A,
he proceeded, her anger began TO grow coo
and her hasty resolves to melt. She felt
yelling up in her breast, the strong love TO
this man that. unknown to herself. hat
been silently but rapidly growing up within
her.
When he released her hand, and with
low bow and barely audible, "Addiol =
walled away, she would have been veal
enough to run after him or to call him back
had not n sharp ring from the door hall mr.,