Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-04-26
|H]3R HEARTS SECRET;
--~ 49, --''~' Or, UNDER A SPELL
BY JEAN WARNER. =.
Or, UNDER A SPELL.


tial vow had been already spoken be-
fore God and man. -
All through the summer day the Win
DAVIS of Fannie Gives boudoir re-
n.ained closed, and the well-trained
servants passed the door noiselessly.
Evening came. and still Sybil seemed
TO sleep, until DR.. Bonds carriage
! drove through. the gate, and it was ne
cessary that he, ut least, should see
her.
Then. very softly, Fannie stole into
the darlened and perfumed room;
very. gently drew aside the snowy cur
tains.
The pillows still bore the impression
Of SYPHILIS head; her handkerchief and
the sofa; but. With Il low cry of dis
may. Fannie recognized the fact that
Sybil herself was gone!
l. General excitement and surprise en-
sued. The open side door, leading to a
and even DR., Bonds usually impcrtu-
rable countenance betrayed signs of
anxiety. =. ..,.
"Quick!" he said, in an undertOne, to
Herbert. TO the river, where you
saw her last night! l fear she has
gone there. And-and the opiate has
not vet ceased to act! Hurry, for
Gods sake: for she knows not what
she is doing-she is still in a uream.'
The doctors tone and look, even
/ more than his words. added wings to
Herberts steps. He sped down the
river path, spurred on by thousand
! fears
| Down the steep declivity, through
P! the shadowy grove, the young man
| sped, scarcely knowing how he passed
over the ground. Hope seemed to
| have taken new life in his heat.
! Love. that he had believed crushed
and despairing. sprang up in immortal
| Strength Syhil, in deadly peril, seemed
all the world to him again.
| =. The doctors suggestion proved cor
rect. On the narrow stretch of silvery
sand that formed the river beach, Her
bert found the wanderer
She was seated on a huge rock, that
had fallen. ages past, from the sleeps
above. and had been washed by the
WAGES until it was slnoothed and pol
ished as if by 4 masters hand.
Her beautiful hair fell about her
shoulders, unbound by the usual fillet;
her cheeks were flushed unnaturally,
! and the soft gray eyes had Il strange.
PARKWAY look in their limpid depths,
I that showed Sybl was, indeed, in Il
/, dream. = al
|. Sky and water glowed with the rich
beauty of the summer sunset, and the
| fair girl, seated by the rose-hued
waves seemed different being from
| the pale wrath who had glided
| through the moonlight the night be-
fore. For there was smile upon
SYPHILIS lips, tender radiance in her
! far-off gaze. She was happy in her
dream.
''Syhil!' cried Herbert, delighted to
| find his treasure safe-"Sybil, you
! have frightened us SO! Why did you
| fly away? Will you not come home
| with me?''
Home" she repeated. scftly-"home.
! All. how sweet a word! Have I. i'll
| deed. Il homer
poor child-poor little homeless
dove!" said Herbert. pityingly.
| He loves me!' repeated Sybil, soft
ly. To herself-"he loves ne! His voice
| is low and sweet. like distant music
so sweet to ears that have heard only
the bitter. jarring notes of hate and re-
venge. Love. love! The word is SO
strange and sweet-so~ strange and
J sweet! Why must shut out the beau
| tiful sound? Why cannot l. too, love
: and be loved? Father. father, take
from me my cruel heritage! Give me
womans sweetest, dearest, hottest
right-the right to love! /. who.:llaye
never loved-I. who have never hoped
to love- Herbert, Herbert! All, there
4 is music in the very name"
Herbert held his breath and listened
She seemed unconscious Of Ills pres
ence, or conscious only as it suggested
or accorded with her train Of thought
:. Was it wrong to take her thus at dis
Neutrality-suspicious. to steal from hel
the secret she guarded SO jealously-
4 wrong to read a blissful hope in bel
: tender smile. her beaming eye? What
lover. even be he chiyalrous and hon
orable as Herbert Give, could stop tt
reason here?
sit is so sweet to love-" she contin
ued, softly-"so sweet to know that ar
eye Erightens and a lip smiles, and {
voice breathes low music for vol
alone! Fannie's love was precious tt
me: but this-this would seem God:
own priceless gift-Heayen upon earth
All, 1 might believe, I might hope, if
had the blessed right to lover
.'syhil, Sybil"' Herbert sprang for
ward to her feet. forgetful of all othe
things but the rapturous conviction
her words conveyed. "Sybil, is it true
or am 1, too, dreaming? Oh, my love
then let ns dream forever-let tn
. waking never come"
But. alas! with his very words, tn
dream was DER. She started up wit
n frightened cry; looked around her j.
bewilderment The flush faded fro'1
her cheek, the dreamy light from he
eye. u Ii. :.
hand over her brow. 81 have bee;
asleep so long. Where am ~
"Ah. here is my lost patient" sal
!, the voice OIL q, The old doctor.s asshe cam =
! .pii1 All
s}:aaIh You APE. s;sssv nwakeanaw; T see
, You did not know you had fallen int
. the hands Of such grim OIL wizard
You gave me quite fright. my dea1
had no idea my little pills would hol
, YOU in so potent a spell"