Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-01-24
CHAPTER Nj.

eani VI moonlight coming through
! me open window puts the lamp to
sname, and compels Vera's attention.
Row sweet, how heavenly fair the gar
len seems, wrapped in those pale, cold
| beams! She can see it from where she
sits on the deep, cushioned seat of tin.
'id-fashioned window. and a longing To
'ise and go into it, to feel the tender
night-wind beating on her burning fore
| aead, takes possession of her
Catching up light shawl to cover the
evening gown she wears, she steals. care
FULLY as might a guilty soul, by Griselda's
bed, along the dusky corridor, down the
staircase, and past the servants quar-
| ters, where light under Mrs. Grunch's
door warns her that that remorseless foe
| has as yet refused to surrender herself
| to slumber
small door leading into the garden
Is close to this, and moving swiftly up
me narrow stone passage that brings her
to 1t she opens the door, and SO closing
t after her that she can regain the house
! at any moment, she turns to find herself
alone in the exquisite perfumed silence
| of the night
How long she thus gives herself I'D to
the sweet new enjoyment of life she
hardly knows until she hears the ancient
| belfry clock telling the midnight hour
1t startles her. Has she indeed been
here so long? What if Griselda should
wake and be alarmed for her? She
moves quickly in the direction of the
| house, and at last, regaining the inner
| garden, begins to think her pleasant So
Iourn at an end.
She has neared the strawberries and in
walu nfo -,tx II, ~.
| they lie upon her left; involuntarily, too,
| she seeks to pierce the darkness that en-
1 velops them, when she stops, and presses
her hand convulsively to her breast Who
| IS it-what is it, moving there, in the
| mysterious gloom?
Don't be frightened. 1t is l, Seaton," :"
| says a most unwelcome voice.
"Aho' she says. She is angry beyond
| 1oubt, and still further angered by the
knowledge that there is more of relief
| han coldness in the simple exclamation
Il had no idea you were here at all"
she says, family, after a pause that has
| grown sufficiently long to be awkward.
Il am afraid l have startled you. If
| aad known l should not, of course, have
| You make it very hard FOR me- she
| says, with a touch of passionate impa-
| :ience.
That is unjust" says he. reused in
turn. ITO make your life easier Is my
| hearts desire"
Are you succeeding, do you think :?
Does it," with gathering scorn, 'make
ny part smoother, when you compel me
% see that you stay away, or only come
, here at hours inconvenient to you. be
| ,ause-because of meT'
-I,,
| step or two away from him. Somehow
| at this instant, the growing chill of the
| ,arly night seems to strike more sharply
| IN her senses. and shiver not to be
| suppressed stirs her whole frame.
You are cold" he exclaims. coming
Up to her with a hasty stride. What
| madness 1t is, your being out at this
| lour! Come, come back to the house"
She agrees silently to this proposition
\ and follows him across the grass to the
| small oaken door that had given heI
egress-only to find it barred against her!
Seaton, having tried it, glances at her
! IN mute dismay.
Crunch must have fastened it, on her
| way to bed. The bolt is drawn" says
ne, slowly.
DO you mean that 1 can't get in -
asks she, as if unable to credit so terri
Die an announcement.
, "Oh, l dare say it can't be SO bad as
hat" hastily. Only" hesitating, as if
hardly knowing how to explain, the
front door is of course locked and chain
ID, and the servants, with the exception
IF Crunch, all asleep at the top of the
house; a late arrangement of my fathers,
,s the original servants quarters lie be-
low. l am afraid, therefore, that if we
shocked forever, it would have no effect.
However, l can try to do something, but
IL the meantime you must not stay out
here in the cold
You may feel it cold. l don't" re-
turns she .perverseIy. Not so long as
the moonlight lasts, shall l find it lonely
either l." raising her unfriendly, beau
tiful eyes to his-''I assure you shall be
uuite happy out here, even though l stay
tiIl the day dawns and the doors are
open again"
Happy" As he repeats her word
he looks at her with a keen scrutiny. "A
word out of place, surely; given the best
conditions, l hardly dare to believe you
could ever be happy at Greycourt.'
Happy or unhappy" says she. with
nuick resentment, her mind being dis
tressed by this awkward fear Of having
70 pass the night from under any roof,
surely it can be nothing to you! Why
ffect an interest in one who Is as hate
IN, TO Won rs | amp A little fire has
fallen into her tone, and there is ill-sup
pressed contempt in the eyes she lifts to
| his. Perhaps he is driven by it into an
anger that leads to his betrayal.
Hateful to me! Do you think you are
that, Vera?' says he. in low tone, but
one full of fierce and sudden passion
ossion long suppressed. do you hon
cstly believe that?" His manner is al
most violent, and as he speaks he catches
ho. her hands in his, and crushes them
rcbemently against his breast. Il would
70 heaven" he says, miserably, that
| that were SOL!
! As II stupefed by surprise, Vera stanos
motionless, her hands lying passively ID
| his She is aware that he is looking a.
her. with a new, wild. strange expression
in his ewes. but a horrible sense OF beins
powerless to resist him numbs all nef
being. And suddenly, as she strugsFs
| with herself he bends over her' ahS
| without warning lifts her hands ana
presses warm fervent kisses on the
small. cold hands.
: Then she is aroused indeed from nei
odd Ietbargy. and by q sharp movement
wrenches herself free.
"Don't." she cries, family; 1T is IN
mfferabIe! I cannot bear it! Have you
no sense of honor leftE
| Her tone calms him, but soine'nins :
within him revolts against the iuea ". ~
apology. He loves her-iet ner Ano" H.
He will not go back from that tnousn