Connecticut western news., 1895-05-16
REPENTANCE.

"You have my decision, sir." Miriam Gray spoke in sharp, quick tone, her dark eyes flashing, her queen ly head set to one side, her gestures nervous. yet graceful. A pallor swept across Bruce Ventnor's 8 face, and he lifted his hand to his mouth to hide the twitohing of the muscles. There was nothing ambiguous about her reply. It was an unmistak- able rejection. It was useless either to plead or argue. He was at loss to ao- count for her repressed agitation. He watched her through the mellow twi- light and became more conscious than ever of her exceeding loveliness and the hard blow which she had dealt him.
 He had been paying her attention for some time and was sure that she loved him. That was why his bewilderment keen. Knowing that his character was beyond reproach, and that he had in nowise offended her, he felt justified in demanding the reason for her strange conduct. He knew her too well to fancy for moment that she was trifiing with him. She was neither variable in her moods nor fickle in her friendships.
 Miriam" Bruce Ventnor said, his voice husky, his manner agitated, 1T have the right to ask your reason for this rejection. D
 "No, you have not, she replied, the color coming and going in her face. "Still I'll tell you. I am prompted by revenge"
 "By revenge?" repeated he in dazed tone.
 "Yes," was her measured reply. "I want you to suffer"
 ''And you enjoy it:' he said bitterly. "Then you know how much love you it seems. I always knew you did not question that''
 They had been seated upon bench standing. She was suffering more than she would have cared to let him know and was impatient to get away.
 Pray, in what way have wronged you?" he asked. Mot in thought, word nor act. I consider myself the soul of honor.
 ''Oh, you do?" and she laughed mock ingly. Instead, you are a man with out principle.
 He groaned aloud in his powerful ef- fort to repress his angry indignation.
 II am not averaging myself, but an- other, she said, speaking with rapid ity. Did you ever know Blanche Car rol? Oh, it is not necessary for me to remind you of your basenessp'
 She turned abruptly from him and walked rapidly toward the hotel He watched her until she had disappeared in the gloom of the gathering twilight, one hand pressed against his forehead, a hurt, baffled, mystified expression in along a awild ledge of rocks, as if to find solace in the loneliness of the hour. When Miriam Gray reached her room at the hotel. reaction set in, and her great grief showed how devotedly she loved the man whom she had insulted. She flung herself upon the bed and cried as if her heart were broken. "Oh, Blanche" she exclaimed aloud between her hysterical sobs, ''you are avenged, but you will never know what 1 it has cost mel Oh, why was to love him so passionately before heard about | his perfidy?'
 Early though it was she retired to | bed, but it was almost dawn before she | fell asleep, so intense was her suffering. | Three years later again found Miriam Gray at the seashore. She had not met Bruce Ventnor during that interval, nor had she heard from him. She was as handsome as ever and more royal in her manners, but her face and conversation lacked briliancy. She was more quiet and reserved, more .chary in her friendships, ready to sus | pect and heartily tired of the hollow ness of fashionable life. | Her love affair with Bruce Ventno1 had caused the change. In punishint him for his perfdy to her Cousin Blanche she had sacrificed herself. She could never love another man as she had loved him.
 As she was one day walking on tn, promenade with her cousin Blanche they suddenly came upon Bruce Vent nor. He was alone and stood still for l, ! to him.
 He lifted his hat, looked mournfull, and responsibility at Miriam, as if hal inclined to speak, and then strode to ward the nearest pavilion.
 Miriam recognized him and wa touched at the look he had bestowed upon her.
 "Who was that gentleman" aske, her Cousin Blanche. Did he bow t, you or to me?'
 Receiving no reply, she looked up in to her companion 8 face. ..
 "Why, Miriam, how pale you are. she exclaimed, land how agitatedp'
 Blanche, do you mean to say tha you do not know that man?" Miriam asked, her voice 0 mere whisper.
 'I never saw him until today" wa her cousins reply.
 "Ohr" cried Miriam, catching he breath, one hand unconsciously clinch ed, lis he not the man who trifed wit
 you?"
 Bruce Ventnor?' replied, Blanche
 "Why, no, childP'
 The blood receded from Miriam's lips and low moan escaped from them. Sh grew so weak for little while that sh was forced to lean heavily upo Blanche, who conducted her to ore C
 the rustic benches. She famed her, rul bed her hands and spoke to her in sootl
 ing tones When her cousin had su ficiently recovered, she asked: Miriam, what is this mystery?"
 "Oh, I am so afraid that I ha' wronged that-man and-myseh. Iw; so cruel to him, for I supposed that