Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-04-28

Zoritsa glanced quickly at the still
girlish figure bending over her work.
Was that flush softly creeping over
the fair, youthful face? She caught
her breath. Did her mother care?
She had not thought Of that-but
ther-why not? Was not the Csc
norita" the belle of the village? And
yet the thought had never come to
her that 1T was still possible for a
man like the captain to win her moth
er's love. Why, even the idea was alb
surd. Did she really care for Capt.
Newcombe? Surely his interest, at
least was no more than friendship.
When he hears that she is not bound
to Lieut.. Hope viii he not show her it
Is she whom he loves?
Great excitement seemed to prevail
IN the village next morning. At every
other door groups of people were
standing, the men angrily gesticulat-
ing, the women crying. In front of
the cottage were two or three viii
layers talking to Irish" as he was
tamlliarly known in camp.
1ls," he was saying, ''thim sphal-
poems up there" jerking his thumb to-
ward the barracks, ''were too busy
enjoyin' av thimsilves to be bothered
wild the thrubles av a handful av poor
diviis. But yen niver be afther catch
ing Capt. Newcombe a-nappin', and
ez soon ez he heard the fuss offered
himself and his men to go and help
| thin"
'Yis, we whit, but bow many hev
come back agin? The dirty sphal-
poems made ragged edge of our COM
pany-the finest yen see anyvvheres
and the captain himself has been
killed entoirly. Ahl twas sorry day
that brought Paddy Malone to this
uod-forsaken counthryl"
| The two women within, so dear to
each other, and yet each seeming to
stand in the others happiness,
strained their ears to listen. Almost
unconscious of the others presence,
they both ran out at the mans words
and stood there with drawn faces,
deathlike in their awful pallor. while
he repeated the news that made DESC
late many q happy fireside and yelled
with tears the light in loving eyes.
The widows 1.-THE form swayed and
trembled, and she would have fallen
had not Zoritsa suddenly seemed to
realize that her mother was there.
With quick catching of the breath
and dry, choking sob in her throat,
she reached out her arm and caught
her.
Each read with anguish the truth in
the others eyes, and in each heart
was a momentary struggle for the
victory. The painful quietness OF de-
spair seemed to envelop the young
girl, and, with eyes heavy with un-
shed tears, she half-blindly led her
mother into the house.
This, then, was why Zoritsa had
claimed her freedom. Oh, why had
she not told Zoritsa before that the
captain had already confessed his love
for her? And it was only last night
they were to have told her of their
happiness. To-day he is dead-deadi
Unable to control herself, she broke
into passionate weeping.
Dearest" the girl said, drawing
the golden head TO her breast, ibid
you, then, love him so much ?"
Love him? Better than life!"
There may be-there must be some
dreadful mistake" She did not know
her mother had seen the love light
in her eyes and had rightly interpre-
ted 1T. Though there was not a CULVER
OF an eyelid, her heart was breaking.
Already her light had gone out. Her
world was a world of darkness.
Night came on. One by one the
| stars .nDnnarn6 l.
over all. Even the camp seemed de-
serted, and naught save the OCCASION
al screech of whip-poor-will broke
the dread silence.
Yearning for the sympathetic still
ness Of the night and the companion
ship of the broad, calm sky, dotted
with it's myriads of stars, Zoritsa
drew her shawl about her, and with
heavy heart went out into the dark
ness.
What was that? Sounds of reioic-
ing? How they grated upon her nowl
But what were they saying? Hushl
Captain = alive - prisoner es-
capped"
Could it be truep Her heart gave
a great leap. Yes! there was a loud
~ was QC3 110 was not
killed after all, then, and perhaps not
even woundedi Ah-but she was not
to think of herself. Yet why should
she give up the hope hidden in her
heart so long and make the little
mother unhappy? With moan more
heartrending than sobs she threw
herself upon the ground.
"Godi God! Thou who didst teach
us to love! Why, oh, why didst thou
give me this chalice, only to withdraw
it as ] stopped to drink"
In an agony of soul she wrestled
with her own desires-her own love-
and it seemed to her very life-and
conquered.
Quiet, resigned and calm, she found
her way home, softly unattached the
door, and went in.
The bright moonlight streamed in a
silver bar through the long, low win
how and fhara IN