The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-08-07


was not to see him again until their re-
turn home, but as he said good-by and
whispered: when we meet again,
Helen, 1 shall have a story to tell you"
she had looked her willingness to lis
ten when he should be ready to tell,
and gone to her rest with the wild,
sweet dreams Of him. Then came the
sudden crash in the commercial world,
followed by the loss of both parents.
and when, alone and unprotected, she
turned to look for tine strong arm which
should be her shield, it had failed her.
One cousin, adopted by her father and
almost a brother to her, had been her
only stay, and he was powerless to nid
her; and so, with her young heart full
of desolate bitterness, she turned to
face the world. Then came Lima
Merle's offer, gladly. eagerly accepted,
and in the quiet Of her life she was
learning TO forget, until he crossed her
! path again, when there swept over her
the humiliating conviction that, spite
of treachery and deceit, she loved him
still, and that she must leave this
house T her secret broke it's bounds,
r he reaped his last full triumph.
In vain when she told Miss Merle of
her resolution, for which she would as
sign no reason, did she seek to alter it.
II must go" had been her answer. II
have so much to be thankful for. Do
not ask me to lessen the obligation by
trying to oppose me-"
When from Miss Merle's lips the fol-
lowing morning Lennox Marvin heard
this decision, he turned to her with
fierce inquiry:
How happens it that young and
beautiful Miss Gore stands thus alone?
Let me tell you a story, Miss Merle,
and ask your womanly sympathy.
Four years ago flowed this girl madly,
desperately. Heaven help me, l love
her yet" In his eagerness the speaker
failed to note how deathly white his
listeners face had grown at these
words from the lips of the man who
once had said he hoped she might Be
spared the knowledge suffering brings;
had fallen the cruel truth which had
taught her sorrows first lesson, but,
with woman's pride and the strength
given in her need, she gave no further
sign, as he continued: Zone night, the
last time / saw her ere we met under
your roof had almost told my secret.
1 thought my face had left me naught
to put in words. / thought she had
been glad to read therein the story.
After she left me and l still paced up
and down, thinking of the eyes which
had last looked into mine, and whose
wonderful violet depths 1 dreamed /
had penetrated, her father joined me.
Whether he, too, had read my secret
and wished to spare me further 1 know
not, but he told me his daughters
hand was promised to her cousin; that
the dearest wish Of his life was to see
them united. I asked him If it were
with her consent. She is but q child
he answered, but she has always loved
him, and has never opposed my desire
The next week / sailed for Europe. OF
all that followed / heard nothing for
months. OF her absolute marriage I
dreaded to learn the certainty, but you
may imagine my surprise when Hound
her under your roof on my return
found her regarding me with aversion
and hatred-even driven from the home
she had found with you, because at
times desecrated by my presence. Tell
e from me it shall not be so, but that
once again the wide sea shall roll be-
tween us, if she will but remain under
your protection. Good-by, Miss Merle.
Heaven bless you. I leave her in your
care"
Ere she could find words to answer
he had gone out into the clear, fresh air
with hasty strides; he put, as he hoped,
the past forever behind him, until a.
sound reached his cara sound which
made him stop as if turned to stone.
Only a horses hoofs dashing madly
down the avenuel Only a riderless
horse flying past him! Miss Merle had
told him Helen had gone to ride. He
had determined never to look on the
face which had caused him such agony
again, yet, with a great anguish at his
heart, he now fastened onward, pray
ing only that once more he might be-
hold her, free from scar or stain. On
and on, until by the roadside his quick
eye noted a something which made him,
strong man though he was, reel as If
intoxicated-a form which lay as it
had been thrown, in a ~disordered heap.
Gently, tenderly he lifted 1t in his arms
and looked at the fair, sweet face, with
its perfect beauty unmarried, but the
eyes yelled by lids which quivered not,
the mouth half apart, from which is
sued no breath. A great dread rose in
Lennox Marvin's heart. True, he
clasped the me woman he had loved
to his breast, but it was only her life
less form. He rained mad kisses upon
cheek, lip and brow, called her the thou
sand names his heart had so often ST.
lently uttered, implored for but one
little sign in answer, chafed the cold
hands, breathed his breath into the
parted mouth, until at last a futtering
sigh escaped the lips; the eyes, looking
like violets wet with dew, opened soft
ly and met the gaze of the man who held
her. eyes, Helen, you are lying power
lessinh his arms whomyouso hate. Spurn