The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-01-31

h arrival at the cottage, there
were, fortunately for him, no guests.
He and Lady Gertrude had eaten
their straw berries and watched the
sunset well-nigh in silence. 1t was a
glorious evening, the very faintest
zephyr stirring the foliage, and as at
last the orb OF day sank to rest in a
bed of purple and gold, while tloccu.
lent masses of vapor rising on all
sides heralded the almost impercept-
able approach of night, Clement
started up, "The air is sitting, l must
go for a stretch"
His words Jared or the harmony
of the silent rhapsody in which Lady
Gertrude had been dreaming some
what as Lisbeth dreamed at til cot
tage door.
She could not have told why they
awakened her to a sense of misery
and distrust, but she shivered ami
felt as if a cold blast of wind had
swooped athwart the stiffness of the
summer night.
He saw the shiver without knowing
its cause; he utilized it nevertheless.
"You seem to have a chill, love
do not come out to night-read the
novel you were talking of before
dinner. | will not be late, but l
want to go into Coleshill on a little
b~usiness.n
He brushed her forehead with his
lips as he spoke, for the slight con-
tact could scarcely be called a kiss,
then he lighted a cigar, went into the
hall for a hat, and in evening clothes,
just as he was, passed out of the
open dining-room window into the
dusk of the approaching night.
She watched him steadily the while,
but she spoke nc word to hinder him.
though a deep sigh, almost a moar
of pain, escaped her as soon as h.
was gone. Had she suspicion of a
rendt zvous? She scarcely knew, but
she felt that all wa not well either
with hin-or with her.
Sir Clement sauntered along yer,
quietly as long as he was within sight
of the house. He did not wish to at
tract any attention, and apparently
forgot that it was too dark for him
to be seen. Once away from the i'm
MEDIATE neighborhood of the Court
he considerably increased his pace
and strobe OF with the step Of a man
anxious to reach a goal.
Was he longing, as Lisbeth was, to
take her in his arms and caress her
as he had done of yore, to imprint on
her lips the lovers kiss and ''the
world forget of the world forgot" to
linger for a brief space surrounded
by a halo of happiness.
To Judge by Clement Duuraven's
features as they could be seen through
the gloom they were darkly set, anc
there was no love-light in his ers.
beaming eyes.
Worry and remorse had swept gen
iality and the power to enjoy from
the place they had once held in his
nature, and even now as he went
forth to meet Lisbeth after those
weary months of waiting it was but
as the shadow of his former self.
She heard the swift advance Of his
football long before he arrived, and
her heart beat 50 loudly and wildly
that she had t. hold it to prevent
herself from crying out from the pain
of the exquisite agony OF intense *
pectation.
At last the gate swung on its hinges
He was there. Clement Dunraven
the only man on earth for whom Lis
beth had a thought. What cared she
if everyone else were dead, so long
as he lived, and was well and happy,
She did not move to meet him, she
could not or she would have fallen al
r his feet.
But in another second HE arm wal
around her, and her rocking, culver
ing form was steadied.
81 sbeth-my own.n
Ay, there was love in the tone
The sight of her had awakened hi
slumb"ring passion, and for the none,
Lady Gertrude was forgotten.
"Cl, mental last. Oh, how hav,
longed and prayed for this hour
And, raising her head, which ha'
sunk on his shoulder, she looked III
into his face on which, as they stooC
at the door, the light from a lam p il
an inner room shone fully.
A cry such as some stricken Great
/ ure urters when death Unexpected,
overtakes a loved one, burst iron
? Lisbeth's lips, which, like the rest o
r her face, became ashen white.
/ "My pretty one, what is itP" h,
asked, thinking some sudden lines
r had overcome her. "Let me tax,
r YOU in and lay you down. Are 20,
3 faint?"
t mo, no. am well, Clement, bu
you, what has changed you 80? AR
Q you not happy, love? Is she crue
r to your And l, who thought it wa
Y for your happiness and well beinI
that l was sacrificing my all in life
8 "There is nothing the matter witt
me, Beta, sweet, only-well, perhap