The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-04

| your hospitality. May rest mere az"
| fish and enjoy your beautiful scenery
| During the two days the Count was
| with us he spent most Of his time with
| Lucy After breakfast he would ask
| her 10 show him the pretticst walks in
! the mountains; and when they returned,
| laden with mountain arbutus and ber-
| ries. II would only be for luncheon, and
| until the Count could get "A row-boat for
| afternoon. when Lucy would find Tor
| him the prettiest inlcts OF the coast ana
| the shadest spot TO fish.
| Harold could hardly restrain his impa-
thence these days. and once he remon-
strated with Lucy. but Lucy had eyes
and ears for no one but the handsome
Count.
The Count left after his two days Of
rest. but IL was TO ride over again and
again, until even Miss Hassen. dear. UNI
suspicious lady. noticed her nieces affec-
ton for him and his continued attention
to her and looked anxious about it. And
Harold. poor fellow After one vain re-
| monstrance he said nothing, but spent
| long hours in the turret of the inn,
where he could see the two wandering
over the hills and at other times he
went out for long. lonely rows upon the
river. Sometimes 1 went with him.
But poor lad. l could not shake him
out of his sadness IF only / were pos
day to me.
one afternoon as I was about to go to
my room Lucy called TO me. Her face
was flushed and she looked as If she had
been crying. but there was happw, tri-
umphant look in her eyes. Come out
I'm the little arbor." she said, Il have
something TO tell you"
When we were seated she said: II am
going away tomorrow, dear Miss Alice.
a I n tn knnu-
$3.50, you tan tell Aunty when-she
misses me / am going toto be mar
ried."
Lucy" / exclaimed, you are going
to elope with the Count
mo. not exactly" said Lucy. hest
tatng and bursting into tears. but he
loves me so and | love him and-Aunty
would never consent to our marriage
So we are going away quietly to be
married. And then Aunty will forgive
us both. Lionel says she will not refuse
then. And she shall go home with us 10
France. But we mus. not tell her now.
I Lionel is so afraid Of opposition. lie
says 1t would kill him to be separated
from me now And he is $3.50 sensi-
tive. Why. he wept at the very thought
OF losing me-
"And when your Aunt finds you are
gone? Suppose she weepsi"
"Oh, tell her. dear Miss Alice about
the lovely home across the sea and that
/ will return for her soon. Tell her she
shall have a little home of her own all
covered with jassemine and edelweiss
and pomegranates and grapes. Lionel
has told me all about it in our walks
over the mountains
and what shall l say to Harold?" l
queried.
For a minute Lucy faltered. Oh. he
isis such dear fellow" said she with
trembling lip. but he shall live with us
too. And Lionel viii assist him to be-
come the great doctor he has planned
TO be-"
Every nice for Harold" l said dryly.
Lucy put up little hand to my lips and
started to say something. but there was
a crashing in the bushes and a hurried
rustlng. as though some one were has
tening away.
We looked but could see no one.
"Only a squirrel said Lucy. but you
will do all you can for me, viii you not,
dear Miss Alice?'
Eyes" said |, seeing that it would be
useless to interfere. for her love was of
the quiet persistent type that thrves on
opposition, but you must promise me
one thing. When you go TO the station
tomorrow night to meet your-your
Count. you must allow Harold and me
TO accompany you as far as the train.
You must promise me this, Lucy. or l
cannot promise you 10 keep your Sc
crets."
After much demurring on account of
Lionols fears and sensitiveness Lucy
cor sented; but we were to go quietly
and not betray the slightest hint to Aunt
. Hassen.
That night. after I had sought my
rcom and sat bordering upon the reve-
lations of the day. there came a knock
ITon my door. Looking out, | saw one
OF the maids. Her hair was dishevellci
and her face was red and swollen with
crying. Il must tell you something
whispered she. looking hastily around.
"come out here min this alcove win
dow with me. You will not be sorryl'
| followed the girl fearfuly. for she
looked wild. But until the stars had
burned themselves out in the morning
/ sat In the little alcove listening TO the
strange tale she hsd TO tell.
Next morning dawned the brightest of
the season. At daybreak / heard Lucy
singing in her rose garden. and when
she came in TO breakfast IL was with a
flush i'm her face and a happy look IN
her eyes that told me she had recOnciled
her conscience to what she was about 10
do.
Harold had clinched his hands in a
frenzy Of love and hatred when l told
him the story; for Lucy could not get
the heart TO break IL 10 him. And all
that day his moody face and my anX-
ious one. with Lucy's beaming smiles
(were a course OF wonderment to Miss
Hassen, who sought in her gentle way 10
find out the cause Finally she asked
Lucy outright what made her so happy,
but greatly TO her dismay the girl sud
denly broke down ana wcpt
That night at s Lucy knocked at my
door She was dressed in her modest
Sunday suit Of gray and she carried a
little handbag Lionel says | will not
want much she said, hiding her fac.
upon my shoulder. I'VE will buy things
I'm the city-and come back in a Few
days for aunty."
Then before / could answer Lucy knelt
down by the wide-open window and.
with the moon shining on her hair ana
the river ripping below us, prayed: ron,
God, make aunty forgive me. And do
not let her gricve for me- And make
Lionel and me very happy. And Har-
old'-but Lucy got no further, for Har-
old's step was at the door
>Down. the mountain path we crept.
TIE moon was bright at times, but now
and then went under a cloud. once
Lucy shipped upon "A loose stone. and
Harold put his arm around her and held
her close. as we hold those we are going
10 lose forever. | followed after them.
could not trust myself to speak. The
SINGLE trusting girl, The honest-hearted
boy, And how about my part In the
nights work? Was | doing right? A
al l,.