Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-04-11
CHAPTER X.

80. ms repeat the happy experiment of
,... srtumn." said the Duchess Of Rose
- 10 Sir Arthur. Come with US TO
10 | do not remember ever to have
a,;ored anything more than your visit. l
ill ask Sir Basil to come, and the two
Io1ers will be happy-that is. il such un-
reasonable beings as lovers are ever hap
nv They seem TO me more often discon-
tented
August found them at Dene. well and
happy. without the faintest knowledge
Of the doom that was fast drawing nigh.
Partly on account of its bracing air and
partly because he at times had a few en-
gagements in the neighboring towns.
Martin Ray had for some years made
this place his home.
These were the days of Martin Rays
decadcnce. and he could not perhaps have
chosen any spot on earth where he could
have been more secluded or more forgot
ten.
Ii was a strange chance that brought
these two sisters so near together, yet
placed them so far apart. The steep
green bill that stood between Dene Abbey
and SOuthwOOd was typical of the great
barrier OF caste which parted them. There
were times when both at the same mo-
ment watched the same seas, the same
skies, yet neither had the least notion
Of the others presence in that part Of
the country.
The summer had been hot and oppres-
sive. Martin Ray had suffered much,
and il was some relief when the cool
y breeZes Of autumn came. They heard
casually that Dcae Abbey was filled with
visitors. but that any of the visitors con-
cerned them never occurred to them.
Father and daughter would not have sat
so quietly watching the heaving waters
had they known that Leah was SO near
them.
The occupants of Dene Abbey seldom
attended the pretty old Norman church
ut Southwood, where Hettie sang so
sweetly and so clearly. There was
church nearer TO them called st. Bar
hlulds. which stood in the center Of
little village near the sea. But Sir Ba-
sil liked Southwood best. He admired
the quaint old Norman church, with its
square tower and fine arches. So, one
Sunday morning. when the whole party
went over to St. Barboulds. Sir Basil
went through the woods, climbed the
steep hill and descended the beautiful
grassy slopes. until he reached the Old
Norman church where his fate awaited
him.
The rector read the prayers. and said
a few words to the people-simple. hon
est words that went home to every heart
and left an impression there. When the
clear, earnest voice ceased, there was
slight stir in the organ loft. and then
dead silence.
What broke it? A clear, sweet voice
which Sir Basil never forgot, singing
solo in a grand old anthem, every word
of which was distinct and audible-beau-
tiful words, well matched with the hne
music and the angelic voice. be listened
in wonder; he had heard some Of the mn
est singers in Italy and some OF the
grandest music in the world, but nothing
like this. He was not sentimental anu
fattered himself that he took practical
view of most thinks; but as ne hsteheu
he thought to himself:
That must be how the angels sing.
He looked up into the organ loft from
which the sound came, and there he saw
a picture that was photographed on MS
brain for evermore. A tall, slender giFi
stood in the midst Of the choir, in dress
of pale blue-a girl with a race so iair' 50
rapt. SO seraphic. that it awed and be
wildered him. She was singing-not 10
the people, who listened with bated
breath-not to him, whose eyes never
moved from her face.
Her thoughts had pierced the oid sroil-
ed roof and the blue ether that lay De-
yond, and had gone to the land where an-
yels dwell. Her golden hair made halo
round her head, and he couio nave
thought that an angel had descended
~ N
d,wned upon him slowly that this girl
had been the original of the picture, The
First Glimpse Of Morning" and he re-
membered what he had said to Leah,
THAT face has what yours lacks-tender-
moss" II am destined to know her
tbrorph the arts" he said to himself
she dawned upon me in painting, l see
her etherealized by music-yet what is
she to meT =,
She was nothing to him, yet during the
whole OF the day that rapt spiritual race
seemed always before him. he would
have asked who she was, but he knew
no one there, and when the anthem was
finished she vanished. He fingered IN the
old churchyard where the tall elm trees
cast graceful shadows on the grass, Dut
ba canght no glimpse of her. He went
homo to Done Abbey with the clear, rich
voice ringing in his ears. There was
IirtIe rivulet that ran through the Dene
woods. he bent over it, and. 10! the sweet
face smiled at him from its clear depths!
Ua launched at himself. No womans S
face had ever haunted him before. With
all its brilliant beauty, even Leans had
NOT haunted him as this one did.
The week that passed before SUNDAY
came again was a long one to Sir Basil.
Nf
beinp. even in thought. untrue to Lean.
If ho had dreamed that there was any
aa,aar in seeing the beautiful singer
~ ba would have avoided her. What
horm could there be in going to South
rrnod Church to hear a grand old anthem
haantifully sung? He did not speak to
nab about it. He had one definite mo
tive for silence, and he had twenty rea-
sons that were not quite definite.
ON that bright Sunday morning no
warming came to Sir Basil that he had
better not see the young singer AGAIN
He went. She sang more sweetly than
ever. and looked to his enchanted eyes
fairer than before.
When the people went out Of church,
he contriyed to be among the nrst' anu
rben he saw the blue dress trailing over
the grass; and he noticed that every
movement and action Of the girl was AZ
ruN Of grace as her singing was fuii OF
music.
He found the old sexton. Sir Bash dis-
covered in a moment the way TO n's
heart; it was suggested by the almost pa.
thetic manner in which the man said thae
it was a dry day. He was SO completeiy
overwhelmed when Sir Basil dropped
something in his hand with which to
make the day more comfortable that ne