The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-11-18
FRIDAY MORNING, NOV. 18, 1898

wearing what 1 called her tragic
gown. loose tea gown Of emerald
green satin. with golden dragons vom-
iting scarlet peoples all over 1t, and she
gossiped casually while l stroked the
glossy dragons.
Peter" she said suddenly. "a certain
person lis beginning to occupy my
thoughts more than is quite cool or
comfortable"
Dorothy, don't talk rot" said with
CHASTITY juntiness. You're only trying
to make me miserable"
He wears red ties, dear, and says:
Amt you coming? What? How can
one help caring?"
For a moment my fears were sooth-
ed. Then the doorbell rang and Lynd-
hurst was shown In. wonder II a
man will ever look at me as he looked
at her? 1t would be something worth
living and dying fer, think. turned
to her, and the light behind her eyes
as they rested on him shriveled my
soul within me.
|. Soon "the beginning came OF the
ending" One morning as l sat at
breakfast with my brothers, came a
little note to me addressed simply to
Peter" as was her quaint fashion.
Come to me-" was all it said l flew.
and coming found her on her divan.
She was clad in her tragic gown, and
her face was heaven-lit like lustrous
sunset, and happier than had ever
seen it. I knew at once what was
to face. l knelt down and kissed her
and kissed her again; and then, being
weak fool, l cried all over her face
and her lovely gown.
1--WE are going tonight, Peter" she
croned in a golden voice.
mo, no, Dorothy. darllng-never,
never! You shall not CO."
I'VE are going tonight, DEAR" and
she stroked my hair; going together
to find those Islands of the Blest."
mo, Dorothy, mol" l moaned.
"Maynt have little .happiness?"
she asked fiercely. What has my life
been, Peter?" Then, relapsing into an
infinite tenderness! you see, Peter,
he cannot do without me-we cannot
do without each other"
Later, when l was stonily calm, she
told me their plans. They were going
to take horses that night and ride for
INITIAL, getting fresh horses there and
cart to take them to Beira-and then
straight home. Once out of the coun-
try they were safe.
"But Kniven?" l asked. "He will fol-
low you, and you are not good rider,
Dorothy"
20, l will ride--I'll ride like the
devil" with little laugh. "And shall
be with him, Peter. Kniven will be
away at billiard match, and we shall
get good start-and he may not fol-
low u.s."
thought | knew him better.
In the twilight l saw them off She
went in her riding habit, taking moth
ing with her, and for the last time /
Strengthened her skirt for her and gave
her the reins. Then l took Lyndhurst
by the hands, and looking into his eyes
cried him to be good to her, to love her
all his life, never to let her regret, and
he promised with voice deep with
love. They say dark men are as true
as men can be. Then when l had kiss
ed her little stockinged ankles, and she
had said. BLESS you, little Peter, if a
wicked woman's blessing can do any
good, and goodbye" they rode away
into the night, ard lay down on my
face in the grass with my heart full of
the tragedies of life. After a while l
stumbled blindly homewards, a wild
wish struggling within me that some
one would come and take me away too
and that we four-Dorothy, Lewis, the
other and Knight all go together and
find the Islands of the BEST As
neared the house man came into view
under a lamp some few yards off. He
had white fury-lashed face, with a
mouth set hard and cruel. Then
tainted.
1t was only horse against horse, and
we came upon them at farmhouse be-
fore they had even got halfway.
rode out with my brothers, who
had loved her too, and the clergyman
who buried them. When l had hidden
the ugly mark on her forhead with
flowers there was nothing to revolt IL
the sweet calm of her face; but we Gov
cred his face all over with them.
And believe they are forgiven and
have found the Islands Of the Blest.