Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-08-13
CHAPTER XIV.-(Continued.


| pierce your heart.
The one moment of rapture had fed.
| The Paradise that had been about me for
| IN instant, with no hint of pain, faded
| put Of my sight But Olivia remained,
| and her face grew sad. and her voice low
| and sorrOwful, as she leaned forward to
| speak to me.
u have been so grieved for you" she
| said. "Your mother came to see me once,
and promised TO be my friend"
We said no more for some minutes, and
the splash of the oars in the water was
the only sound. Olivia's air continued
| cad, and her eyes were downcast, as II
nhe shrank from looking ME in the face
Pardon me, doctor" said Tardif in our
own dialect. which Olivia could not IN
derstand, Il have made you sorry when
| you were having a little gladness. Is
your mother very illE'
There is no hope, Tardif," I answered,
looking round at his honest and hand
some face, full of concern for me.
May l speak to you as an old friendf"
he asked. You love mam'Zelie, and you
are come to tell her so?"
What makes you think that:" l said.
81 see it in your face" he answered.
lowering his voice, though he knew Olivia
could not tell what we were saying.
Your marriage with mademOiselle your
cousin was broken off-why? Do you
suppose | did not guess? | knew it from
the first week you stayed with us. No
| body could see nam zelle as we see her
without loving her"
| The SaTk folks say you are in love
| with her yourself Tardif," l said, almost
| against my will.
| His lips contracted and his face sad
| dened, but he met my eyes frankly.
1T is true" he answered; but what
| then? If it had only pleased God to
! make me like you, or that she should be
of my class, / would have done my ut
most to win her. But that is impossible.
| See, | am nothing else than a servant in
| her eyes. | do not know how TO be any
| thing else, and l am content. She is as
| far above my reach as one of the white
| clouds up yonder. To think of myself as
anything but her servant would be ire
| ligious."
You are a good fellow. Tardif," l ex-
claimed
God is the judge of that" he said
with a sigh. Mann lle thinks of me
only as her servant. My good Tardif, do
| this, or do that like it. | do not
know any happier moment than when
hold her little boots in my hand and
brush them. You see she is as helpless
and tender as my little wife was; but
she is very much higher than lny poor
little wife Yes, | love her as l love the
blue sky, and the white clouds, and the
Stars shining in the night. But it will
be quite different between her and you.
Il hope So" | thought to myself.
You do not feel like a servant he
continued, his oars dipping little too
deeply and setting the boat a-rocking.
"By-and-by, when you are married, she
will look up to you and obey you. L do
not understand altogether why the good
God has made this difference between us
two; but | see it and feel it. 1t would
be fitting for you to be her husband; it
would be a shame to her to become my
| wife"
Are you grieved about it, Tardif?' l
| asked.
NO. no." he answered; I'VE have al
ways been good friends, you and l, doe
tor No, you shall marry her, and | will |
be happy. l will come to visit you some |
times, and she will call me her good Tar
diff. That is enough for me-"
At last we gained one of the entrances /
to the caves, but we could not pull the |
boat quite up TO the strand. \ few PAGES /
of shallow water, clear as glass, with |
pebbles sparkling like gems beneath 1t,
lay between us and the caves.
"Tardif." | said, you need not wait /
for us. We will return by the cliffs
You know the caves as well as l do?"
he replied. though in doubtful tone.
All right!' | said as | swung over the /
side Of the boat into the water. when | .
found myself knee-deep. Olivia looked .
from me TO Tardif with 4 flushed face
an augury that made my pulses leap. /
Why should her face never change when /
he carried her in his arms: Why should .
she shrink from me?
Are you as strong as Tardif?" she
asked, lingering, and heSitating before
she would trust herself TO me.
Almost, if not altogether" | answer
ed gaily. I'm strong enough to under
take to carry you without wetting the
Soles Of your feet. Come il is not more
than half dozen yards"
She was standing on the bench I had
just left. looking down at me with the
same vivid flush upon her cheeks and
forehead. and with an uneasy expression
In her eyes Before she could speak
again put my arms round her, and lift
cd her down.
You are quite as light as a feather"
l said, laughing, as | carried her to the
strip Of moist and humid strand under
the archway in the rocks. As | put her
down l looked back to TardiC. and saw
him regarding Us with grave and sorrow
tul eyes
"Adieur' he cried; Il am going to look
after my lobster pots. God bless yor
BOTH
He spoke the last words heartily; and
we stood watching him as long as he was
in sight. Then We went on into the
caves.
I had known the caves wen when
was boy. but il was many years since
had been there. Now l was alone il
them with Olivia. no other human being
In sight or sound Of US. l had scarcely
eyes for any sight but that Of her face,
which had grown shy and downcast, and
was generally turned away from me. She
would be frightened. thought. If l spoke
10 her in that lonesome place. l would
wait till we We're on the cliffs, in the
open eye Of day.
She left my side for one moment whilst
| was pOking under q stone Tor 4 young
p;euvre. which had darkened the little
POOL Of water round It with its inSy fluid
| heard her after an exclamation Of de-
light. aud | gave up my pursuit instant
~ % learn what was giving her pleasure
She was stopping down 10 look beneath 4
low arch, not more than two feet high.
and I knelt beside her. Beyond lay a
straight. marrow channel Of Transparent
water. blue from . faint rejected light,
with smooth Sculptured walls Of rOc6.
clear from mOlluSCa. rising On each side
OF u, Level lines Of mimic waves rip
pied uouot0neusly upon Il. as II it WAS
stirred by some soft Wind alhich We could
nor feel Nol could have pcop.s4 IL with
tiny boats ditting across 1t. or SHINING
lightly down il. Tears Shone in olivia's
YES.