The record-union., 1895-08-02
AN EPISODE.

already the twilight has fallen and the
electric lights on the street corners CLEAN
| like dull, yellow eyes through the sur
rounding gloom. Down a quiet, de-
serted street girl walked briskly. look
ing neither to the right nor left. She is
not pretty girl, her face is too strongly
marked for mere beauty, and there are
certain lines about her mouth and chin
indicative of a strong will and quick,
uncertain temper. She wears a red dress
| which throws vivid spot of color upon
the chill. gray atmospheric tints;
short sealsk;n jacket, and big black hat
with dash in it OF the same bright hue
as her dress. From behind comes the
| sound of heavy footsteps which gain
upon her every moment; even then she
does not turn heI head, and ii is not until
an old familiar voice speaks her name III
low thrilling accents that she turns
quickly.
~ on ~ she cries, and then stops. The
| thought Of seeing one whom she thought
far away across the waters is too great.
! She cannot realize all at once that he is
here close beside her and speaking her
name. She wants time to think, to col
lect her thoughts. Something OF all this
the man cannot help but road IN her OK
pressIve face as she pauses in her walk
! and gaZes upon him with wide, fright
ened eyes.
You do not seem glad to see me-" he
says presently. Il am neither :; ghost or
an apparltlon. Ever since my return
have boon waiting just such an oppor-
tunity as this. To-day when you left the
| house | followed you. l have been be-
hind you all the way. l liked 10 watch
you walking down these familiar streets;
1t reminded me OF old times"
He pauses as though expecting some
reply. The girl is shaking IN every limb;
dare she trust herself TO Speak? She
| makes u desperate effort to rally and par
italy succeeds, though her voice is low
and tremulous.
well, and now that you are here, what
have we in common to talk about?" She
turns upon him tiercely and resumes her
walk, while the man falls into step be-
side ner. He does not heed her anger;
on the contrary, it seems to please him,
! to crafty some innate vanity OF his that
even after the lapse OF years he is still
able to arouse in her one spark OF interest,
one sudden CLEAN Of Indignation.
There is always one subject we have
in common" he says in answer TO her
question, land that is our love-"
"Our love-" she repeats with little,
! shrill laugh which echoes and re-echoes
down the quiet. deserted street. Say,
rather, your love and mine died three
! years ago"
The man watches her narrowly, look
ing down upon her slight, petite form,
while an amused smile plays about the
corners OF his handsome mouth. The
GRIPS statement does not seem 10 affect
him; he looks confident, eXpectant.
triumphant fire burns in his coal black
eyes.
Look at me-" he says, suddenly, turn
ing toward her. Look into my Dyes,
and repeat ii you dare that you do not
| love me-"
He seizes both her hands by swift
movement, and they invoiuntarily pause.
| The girl makea violent but Intellectual
attempt to release herself. Failing in this
she gives vent to little sobbing, shlv-
ering moan, and turns away her head.
FOR an instant the man gazes upon her
while lurid fire CLEANS in his eyes.
Then he drops her hands and they resume
| the walk.
You see," he says, you are not as
strong as you thought you we're; you love
NE still: you cannot look at me and tell
| me a falsehood. Your love did not die
| three years ago. 1t is merely sleeping.
1t is as much alive to-day as it was then;
it is merely waiting for a word, touch
from me to spring into living, passionate
| life once more"
The girl shivers in her furs, and q dry
sob escapes her lips. The man hears 1t,
| but goes on remOrselessly:
DO you remember how many times
| you and l wandered down these very
streets together, your little warm hand
held in mine, my arm about your slender
waist, my kiss resting upon your lips.
How many times have [ whispered in
those old dead dsys that l loved you?
How many times have listened breath
iessly for your low reply? How many
times have we wandered on and on heed
less where we strayed, the very joy and
hope and love We felt singing in our
hearts. converting our surroundings into
Elysian fields of blissful delight"
Don't, DON'T" implores the girl
piteously, letting her hand rest for a mo-
lnent upon his arm. You hurt me.
Don't recall those days; you are killing
me-" but the man hurrleS on, unheeding
her cry. 1t is as though he were talking
to himself and had lost consciousness of
her very presence.
''Everything is the same to-day as it
was then. The leaves are falling from the
trees as they fell them He thrusts his
cane into heap of yellow. whitening
leaves and gazes upon their decay con-
| templatively. lie sighed, but whether Of
regret or not the girl does not know.
| Suddenly the sound OF vesper bell
rings out clear and sharp upon the
murky air, its deep, resonant voice call
ing the worshipers to prayer.
DO you hear that bell ?" cries the man.
| How many times have we listened to it;
| how many times have we gaZed upon
these old gray church walls; how many
| times have we watched these people, the
same to-day as they were in those long
past yesterdays. 1t is only you and l
that have changed"
| He pauses, but the girl does not reply;
she is pale and white and rigid, and
walks beside MIN mechanically. She
dare not trust herself to speak, and her
heart beats as though it would sutfocale
her, every peal of the bell sounding
death kneil into her listening ears.
| For a few moments there is silence be-
tween them, the girl busy with her own
unhappy thoughts, her mind teeining
with dead memories. which had been SD
suddenly, so ruthlessiy torn from their
grave ami their rafting bones exposed to
the light OF day; and the man-ah! who
can tell what his thoughts were as he
watched his companions white, set face
! her eyes cleaning with IL fire and passion
/ born of the past which momeutarily
threatened overwhelming disaster?
Look at me now" cries the man in a
voice OF lhe couqueror. with the past
! brought before you, walking these
dearly familiar streets with me by your
side. the SOUND OF that bell in your ears
| aud Tell me ii your love Is dead"
He waits. it may be an eternity, it may
! he only Il few moments. Win Il sudden
inartculate cry, the cry OF long inn
prisoned soul, who after years o; weary
toll and patient waiting sees freedom
ahoad, the girl cries out:
~ DO love you; oh, 1 do love you, I
! have never ceased loving you all these
long weary years. Even when l thought
my love for you was dead, 1t would rise
ND and assert itself in the long watches of
the lonely night, III the hours OF The
never ending days; go where l would, it
| has been always with me. L could not