The Elbert County tribune., 1907-03-07

! in the distance, and when had de-
scended the mountain | again looked
upward and searched with my eyea
among the deepening shadows OF the
pines. but they had gone-goDe into
the night to hide their grief
| 1t is impossible to describe the
scenes which followed my return to
the De Tavenier mansion.
AS / entered the yard l saw Marie
standing near the fountain. where
she had so often stood in those hale
| yon days when we two alone had pre-
sided over that old home. where the
flowers bloomed always and the birds
never ceased to sing-where she had
stood when l first saw her. where my
heart had been resurrected by one
glimpse of those matchless eyes.
And now there was an eager, ex-
pectant look upon her face, terror
of anticipation in her eyes-was she
reading my thoughts? | tried to smile
as I drew near her, my heart on fire
with passion and my soul filled with
the horror of the message I had to
deliver. | would sooner die than say
these awful words, but with a great
effort | hurried forward
For a moment her face lighted and
her greeting was full of solicitude-
| full of love. I expected to see her
swoon away, but Marie was as brave
as she was beautiful, and 1t seemed
that she was In a measure prepared
for the worst, for her manner. though
under wonderful control, plainly indi-
Gated to my watchful eyes the tense
strain of her nerves.
Speak" she said. 81 know what
you win say. but speak-speak, i'm
plore you. l know you would spare
me. can read it in your eyes"
Her face had become livid, and her
entreatlng voice was full OF eager
despair.
told her with as much delicacy as
possible what had to tell. and knew
that the cruel words pierced her heart
like a keen-edged knife. l was amazed
at her wonderful self-command, for
when had done speaking she placed
her hand in mine and together we
entered the house without a word;
but as we reached the parlor she
threw her hands wildly above her and
abandoned herself to the overwhelm-
ing sorrow of her devoted heart, cry
ing out, 20 dear God. IL knew it-I
dreamed that of all who entered that
cave only you would return-only
you, my love," and her tender white
arms were about me. In that ecstatic
moment / forgot the fires of that
awful night. forgot the roaring wa
ters that deluged those dark passages.
l forgot the staring eyes of the second
member, | forgot the Death Commit
tee, and God forgive mel even for
got the words of NJ De Tavenier. 1t
seemed that | had left He'll behind
me, and, by sudden, inexplicable
transition. had walked into the realms
of Paradise.
Then | kissed her face and led her
to the great chair in the recess of the
window and there by her side told
her all that had previously omitted.
l told her how I had held the hand
OF her dying father for he only had
been father to her-howshe had
blessed her in his last prayer. told
q,
that it was the joy of his last mo-
ments, and he died with a smile upon
his lips, mingled with prayer that l
might escape and come to her. and
"Oh," she cried. land that prayer
has been answered, and now we can
never, never part-you will never
leave me now. will you-never?"
And her eyes were upon mine. and as
| kissed away the tears | cried out in
the infinite joy of my heart, "Never,"
And there in the cleaning our
spirits grew calm. Out among the
magnolias the birds twittered their
evening vespers. the great bell in the
cathedral pealed forth. the hounds
bayed in the rear yards, the world was
aglow with a golden light.
Above the easements hung a wreath
of snowwhite roses, and Marie plucked
the fairest of these. and. kissing it,
she pressed 1t to her heart And then,
as by an inspiration, | reached far out
and plucked a little pink flower from
verdant tree. She blushed. and as
she pinned the flower above her heart
looked again-it was an orange bios
som,
Standing side by side we looked
afar into the sunset sky, and as |
searched with a lovers eyes the shift
ing clouds, | fancied | saw an army
OF goldenhaired cupids with their ar
rows pointed at my heart. and thus
we watched another sun die in the
west.
THE END.