Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-08

III rage
She shrugged her shoulders. 1 sat there
sulien; the scOrnful words were whirling
through my brain. Somewhat forward
for his statiOn!'' 1t was a hard Judgment
on one who had striven to serve her. In
what had 1 shown presumption? Had she
not protested to forgive all offense? She
KEPT the truth for others, and it came out
when my back was turned
Poor Simon" said Nell. softly. Indeed
wonder any lady should speak so of YOU.
her. ~
Silence fell on us for a while. Nell was
oy me now Her hand rested lightly on my
shoulder, and, looking up l saw her eyes
ON my face in mingled pensiveness and
challenge
Indeed, you are not forward" she muir
INJURED, with little laugh, and set one
hand over her eyes.
sat and looked at her, yet, though ]
seemed to look at her only, the whole of the
room, with its furnishings, is stamped clear
and clean on my memory. Nell moved a
little away and stood facing me-
~ grows late, she said, softly, land we
must be early on the road. Ill bid you
good night and go to my bed
She came to me, holding out her hand I
did not take it, but she laid it for a moment
on mine. Then she drew it away and
moved toward the door. / rose anu fol-
lowed her.
low voice She met my gaze for a mo-
ment, but made no answer in words We
were in the corridor now and she led the
way. Once she turned her head and again
looked at me. 1t was Sullen face she
saw, but still | followed.
Tread lightly she whispered. There's
her door; We pass it, and she would not
love to know that you escorted me. She
Scorns you herself, and yet when another
- The sentence went unended
In a tumult of feeling still followed. l
was nall mad with resentment against Bar
bara, swearing to myself that her scorn
IN Tt,l,v
to prove to my own mind the lie that my
heart would not receive.
THE door, whispered Nell, going deli
cately on her toes with uplifted forefnger
L cannot tell why. but at the word | came
to a stand. Nell, looking over her shoulder
and seeing me stand, turned to front me-
She smiled merrily, then frowned, then
smiled again with raised eyebrows. l stood
there as though pinned to the spot For
now l had heard sound from within. 1t
came very softly There was stir as of
some one moving then a line of some soft
sad song, falling in careless half conscious
ness from saddened lips. The sound fell
clear and plain on my ears, though l paid
no heed to the words and have them not in
my memory. 1 think that in them a maid
spoke to her lover who left her, but 1 am
not sure. listened The snatch died away
and the movement in the room ceased All
was still again, and Nell's eyes were fixed
on mine. l met them squarely and thus
for a while we stood. Then came the I'M
were on mine in a thousand tones | could
trace the play of her face but dimly by the
light of the smoky lamp, but her eyes /
seemed to see plain and clear. L had looked
for scorn there, and, it might be, amuse-
ment seemed to see perhaps the imper-
feet light played tricks, besides lure and
raillery, reproach, sorrow, and, most
strange of all, sort Of envy. Then came
smile. and ever so lightly her finger
moved in reckoning. The song came no
more through the closed door, my ears
We're empty of it, but not my heart. There
it sounded still in it's soft, pleading cadence.
Poor maid whose lover left her! Poor maid,
poor maid! l looked full at Nell, but she
did not move. The lids dropped over her
eyes and their lights went out She turned
and walked slowly and alone along the cor
ridor. watcher her going, yet wistfully
l watched. But l did not follow, for the
snatch Of song rose in my heart There
opened it and passed through. For a mo-
ment 1t stood open, then hand stole back
and slowly drew 1t close. 1t was shut The
click of the lock rang clear and charm
through the silent house.