The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-06-03


A capped him.
:. She looked up in amazcmcnt.
lie was standing with his hand presse
!. over his heart, and his face perfectly hu,
}. less.
: "You are ill., she exclaimed, in alarm
Let me call assistance"
"No-no!" he said, in suppressed tone
ut will be over in a moment"
: She stood gazing at him anxiously.
. In few moments he had regained hi
calmness.
: Only his face was very pale, and hi
eyes had darker and more wistful hu
than usual.
They resumed their walk.
: The twilight had now fallen, and sh
gould not see his face distinctly; but sh,
knew, from his voice that he was suffer
ing.
at was sudden and terrible pain al
my heart, which seized me while you were
speaking" he said, calmly, in reply tc
her questions. do not mind it. 1t is
better now"
He eonYersed with her calmly upon
what she had told him.
He learned that she was to be married
in few months.
As he left her, he took her hand, and
said, earnestly
Il glad you have made so good, a choice.
You both deserve to be happy. 1t is my
tervent prayer that you may be-"
She did not see Fairfax again until the
aext morning, as he remained in his
room during the evening.
When he met the family at breakfast,
they noticed that lie was very pale, and
s;ngularly distracted; but he was calm
and selEpossessed.
Thus matters continued until the last
day of his stay at Fairview
1t was late in the afternoon, and he
was standing on the piazza, leaning
against one of the broad pillars, gazing
off at the country which stretched out
before him,
! Bat It was evident from the troubled
expression of his face, that his thoughts
were far away, and he did not notice the
presence of anyone until Miss Gregory
stood by him.
Dreaming again?" she said smiling.
He made no reply, but stood gazing at
her in silence, with halfmQurniul smile.
And you age going away tomorrow"
she continued. Il am very sorry"
$50 am l." He spoke absently. Then
he added. at is lovely evening. Let
us walk down to the spring. 1t will be
my last visit there"
She readily assented, and they left the
house.
Following a winding path towards the
river, they soon entered natural bower,
formed by sudden bend i'll the cliff, and
the ovcr-arching boughs and vines.
At one side of the bower, spring
gushed out of the hill, sending its..limpid
waters leaping and dashing towards the
river.
Several rustic seats were arranged
within the shelter, and the place was
screened from the observation of anyone
on the shore, but the river was in full
view.
Miss Gregory took one of the seats,
and Fairfax threw himself down upon
the roots of a gnarled and fantastic old
oak that grew up through the bower.
Both were silent. Fairfax felt no in
clination to speak, and Miss Gregory
was conscious of all embarrassment for
which she could not account.
AT last, wishing to put an end to the
silence, she said
"What lovely spot this isl
eyes, replied Fairfax. Indeed, every
thing here seems dearer and more beauti-
full now that l am going away"
He said this in low, hesitating tone,
and, as he spoke, glanced at her wistful-
ly.
She was not looking at him, but she
felt his gaze, and her color deepened.
II think that oak upon which you are
sitting one Of principal attractions"
she said, nervously.
do you know its history" he asked.
"No. was not aware that it had
one"
Then you have lived at Fairview to
little purpose" he said, with a smile. 81
had heen here only three days before l
knew it. How strange that should be
telling it to you in this place."
why is it strange ?" she asked
because the story concerns two per-
sons whose names we bear--one a rela-
tive of mine, Guy Fairfax; the other a
relative of yours, Margaret Gregory.
But let HE tell you he history of the oak.
Guy Fairfax came to Fairview to
hunt and fish with its owner.
HE was a Young man, of a wild, i'm
pulsive nature, rather reckless and impa-
tient of restraint
"While here, he fell in love with Mar
garct Gregory, the daughter of his host,
who must have been a woman of extra
ordinary beauty, if the portrait in the
old Hall yondcr does not exaggeratc her
charms.
"She was a coqucttc, also. She was
pleased with the attentions of the hand
some guest, and led him on deeper and
deeper, until she herself was alarmed by
the mighty passion she had created.
"At last Guy Fairfax avowed his love
for her, she sitting just where you are
now, and he leaning against this old oak.
Ellis avowal was what might have
been expected from such man. 1t WAS
fierce, impetuous outpouring of pas
sionatc, burning heart.
"Margaret Gregory listened to it calm
", even as calmly as you listen to me
now, and when he had told her all, said
she was sorry. very sorry-but she did
not love him, and could not bid him
hope.
"He had not expected this, and the