The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-01-14

elimination on his part, would 1t?
They have been formally engaged for,
/ think, three years-maybe four. They
were both very young at the time"
when is the marriage to take
placer"
Robert Macdonald, sick at heart, i
had heard nor more. The stunning
effect of such news had made him an
unwilling eavesdropper. He crept away
to his room-he could scarcely think.
Was this Christmas, the happy Christ
mas to which he had so looked for
ward? Was he the person who had
driven to Lindoris Court SO insanely
happy. of mood? Was it to him that
that deceitful little robin had sung
such encouragement?
He stared blankly out Of the win
dows How dull and fiat, how color
less and insipid everything was? Why
had he been such fool as not to have
seen before that life was one long
WEAKNESS? Why was he so wretched,
what did anything matter? Could any
thing matter? Yes, one thing mat
tered. And that was Esclairmonde.
She was the whole world. Surely the
whole world mattered. But she did
not matter to him. He must learn
that. Esclairmonde-ther was no
Esclairmonde-Mar Hamilton, then,
did not matter to him. She was no
concern of his. He must put her out
of his life. 1t was like having to learn
by heart difficult and unintelligible
words He felt like child again, at a
hard school.
Several days elapsed ere he could
recover his balance. Hitherto every
thing had been a strange delirium to
him He could not comprehend it all.
With the fuller realization came, how
ever, terrible keenness of bitter pain
and disappointment. He could scarcely
bear to look at Bernard. The very
thought of him was agony. Thank
God, the visit would be over in two
days time-he could scarcely leave
earlier without an excuse. Meanwhile
he chatted and laughed, sang and
joined in the games with a fevered
zest that made the more observant of
his neighbors wonder, knowing that
sudden changes are due to some cause.
A strange dream visited Robert
Macdonalds slumbers that last night
of their stay. He thought he was wan
dering alone in vast subterranean
chamber. A thousand lamps swinging
from the far-vaulted roof lent it a
weirdly illimitable appearance, and a
hot, drug-like atmosphere heightened
the effect of Oriental mystery. There
were passages hung over at the en-
trance with strangely worked curtains
of silk, passages, alternating with iron
studded doors, all around this hall.
While he was wondering what he
should do and whittier to go, lady
draped and yelled in white, with a
shining lamp in her hand, his Eschair-
monde, entered, reckoning him to fol
low She babe him burst open one OF
the great nail-studded doors and re.
lease her Bernard He fastened to
obey and a great dragon of incandes
cent heat came leaping forth to envol
op him in terrible, fiery embrace.
At this juncture Robert awoke. II
was not a moment too soon. The
room was full of smoke, the heat was
fearful. A cracking, frightful sound
all around, brilliant glow in the gar
den, hurrying steps and cries o.
"Fire!" left him without moments
doubt Hastily donning strong wraI
and sEatching few of the more val
ued of his possessions he left The
,, room and succeeded in effecting safe
! descent to the garden with a panic
stricken companion or two.
Here, in the large summer house
most of the household was congregat
ed. One had a good view of the burn
ing building from this place, and i
was a terrible spectacle. A large
square, old-fashioned house, compact
1y built, there was scarcely hop
> for it's escape from complete destruc
: ton The flames had enveloped on
= whole side in a sheet that blazed VI
!. into the dark, pitilessly dry sky witt
: hungry roaring and cracking tina
: made the onlookers shudder. A chill
! wind was blowing and this served bu
: to increase the work of destruction
\ tanning the fire and carrying it NOR
easily from point to point.
= Ever and anon, cruel, forke'
;. tongue of red leaped forth from ar
! other of the windows, joining its con
q panions as widened sheet of flame
. spreading it's baleful activities Away
), further. Leaping, dancing and run
: ming here, one steady frightful blaz
A there, the sound of crashing beam:
f of splintering wood and stoneworl
the horrible cracking of destructio
" proceeding apace-it was nightmare
a vision of horror. The house wa
doomed.
, They were busy counting the ref,
7. gees. One after another answered t
4 the roll-call or was satisfactorily a.
q counted for, there was no one missin,
= Stay! where was Bernard Codrington
s Had anyone seen him? Yes, the las
4 that had been seen of him was in tn
q burning house, he had wakened earl
2 and assisted many. But where was b
Y now! None could tell. Hurrie
searching to and fro revealed nothin
. and old Mr.. Anthony was in despai
r. for the boy was the apple of his ey
.. @ God! what had become of him?
Il Heavens! There at an upper vii
\ dow in that raging Inferno of flame
q the young man was clearly seel
:. There was simultaneous groan fro
the onlookers. 1t was too hot aroun
!, the house-how could anyone enter
= Tears streamed down old Mr.. Al
IL | u,c C+n To fo11 on I,