News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1904-03-23


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
By and by my attention began tC
wander There was a suggestion OF
music in the air; no more than that
could not say heard it. But | became
uneasy and glanced down toward the
lake shore to see if | could detect the
glow of a fire. The moon had now be-
come bright, and if the fire burned
upon the rocks it threw no visible
CLEAN upward. So | fingered awhile
apon the road until the thought that
might be wasting my best delight of
those days impelled me to make sure.
AS | passed the house, | caught Il
glimpse Of Lucy AIMS gray gown and
bonnet in the main porch. The girl
was leaning against post of the trel-
Ms, as if watchiIS the moon which
ghOne above the hin. Her face looked
so haggard, old and weary that l
halted suddenly when first | saw it
among the leaves. she had not no.
bced me till then, and she sprang back,
startled. Perhaps she thought | could
not see that she put up both hands to
her face, but l could well perceive the
gesture despite the screen of foliage,
Upon the instant | spoke her name,
but she pretended not to hear and hur-
tied into the house.
1t cut my heart to know that the
poor child suffered thus, and | felt
ashamed to have intruded upon her
grief. She bore ii So We'll when under
observation that it seemed doubly re.
grettable H. Lave surprised her in the
moment Of her confession TO the careSs-
ing night. i l,e gill OuSht to go away.
1t would be much better tor her to go
than for TlasE. | wondered, walking
would be possible to speak to Mrs.
WitherspOOn upon the subject with
sufficient dClcacy. Somehow she did
not figure in my mind as one who
would be easy to approach upon such
a matter, and my own years scarcely
fitted me for the role that l should
have to Play in the scene. 1t might be
possible for my father to sLg gest a
better way. He would surely pity her,
the more because it was Sibyl who had
won the love that poor little Lucy
AIMS heart starved for.
1t was incredible that Miss Jones'
should not have seen the pitiful TO-
nance so near her, so closely involved
with her own, but she was doubtless
busy with her own trouble, the dread
full peril that she might have to marry
me in order to pay the lifelong debt of
gratitude that she owed my father.
The thought made me laugh, espe-
cially because | was on my way TO
hear her sing, to play at love with
voice and pretend | did not know
whose it was. And that view Of the
matter brought me the recollection of
my talk with Derrin@er and his assaT.
ton that | was wholly in error.
prayed to the moon that DcrrinGer
mi@lt he r.. as | !OOsed the boat
trom he. .AUori.-,s aud ti0atyd Cut imtG
tie lake.
WNyn | came into the range Of the
ttiy, saw Il G:mmer than us!ai. yct
that H,gAt ip 10 more tiIan the effect
of the moonlight 1t the proper dis
tame, | naItr,I ana then sang the first
bar # the Swiss song. There WAS no
response. tried "Ieart's Delight"
with tap sGup result, and meanwhile
the 70 surely wantd.
looked at my watch and was sur
prisyd to find that it was nearly 10
O'Clock. The girl had giver me up and
returned to the apple tree lodge Given
me up? This was taking for granted
that she priced these evenings as did,
and had not the right to do it. Miss
Jones" could have 10 interest in sing
ing with me. 1t would be hardly fair
to Irask. Yet beyond Il doubt it was
the girl who sang, and Trasli had sent
lilies to her If she were not Miss
Jones'" why. that again was hardly
fair, and if the girl We're not Sibyl
there could be no explanation of any
thing.
At this point in my mental confusion
the boats bow Whirled round with
little gust and grated upon the ledge,
as once before. | glanced quickly at
the fire. 1t continued to glow. There
could be no one on the rocks.
Instantly l conceived deed of dar-
ing sweeter than all the petty larcenies
and depredationS of my youth in the
little village where we used to spend
our summers - the stealing of apples
from DVarS red tree to which the bull
dog was chained. the midnight alarm
rung by Deacon Hobarts horse tied by
his tail to the bell rope of the church,
the assortment of gravestones from the
E+JSgS