Year: 1863

with loving intensity, and proposing meet
ing at a little cottage just out Of the tow


the next day-the evening of the town, tn


next day-the evening of the day following


that on which the discovery was made


She was frantic with the passion the dis


covery awakened. She patted her little foo


on the carpet, she crumpled the letter il


her hand, she cried like child. and woult


have screamed, probably, had she not beer


restrained by latent idea of the absurd ty


of such course. She cleuched her littl'


hands till the nails almost cut her palms


aud at length resolved, as any other woman


of spirit would have done. to be third party
| at the interview in the cottage, whose loca-
tion she we'll knew, from the fact that Mr.


Watkins had admired it once as they were


riding by it..


Mr. Watkins walk ed back to the store il


a mood of m ind the most complacent, little


dreaming of the tempest that was raging


round his pleasant home, smashing his


household goods into IRENE edable ruin


'Insatiste Watkins, would not one suficeH


Wilkins came back to the store. and after


idliog around for about an hour, said he had
an engagement, and went away again. The
afternoon passed. and Watkins left an hour
earlier than usual, giving the clerk to under
stand that he was going home. All, Wat
kins! perhaps if we were to look into that
heart throbbing beneath its eucasement oil
broadcloth, we should find it black duplcity
perhaps. Watkins. the vows and protesta-
tions thou hast made to that pretty little
vile at home may be at this time as far be-
low par as Pewabe shares or o. Osdensburg
second m ortgage bond--perhaps even now
the object nearest thy heart is this perfidi-
Gus meeting with yours a!one' in the little
cottage outside the town--and perhaps not.


Mr.. Watkins went out.


Towards the close of the afternoon, a little
woman, hooded and veiled, might have
been seen hastily walking through the street
OF the town where the house of Wilkins and
Watkins was located, and her steps were
evidently directed towards the outer limits
Of the town. Could the disguise which con
cealed her have been penetrated, and the
purposes which filled the brain of that
hooded little figure been read, certain
pretty cottage in the outskirts would have
been found to be its stimulant, and o GER
tain James ins, whose ears were to
ring with the voice of her reproaches. 1t
was Mrs. WaIkins-that much outraged
woman-and her indignation was earnest
and complete. The distance, however, from
her home-her ruined home, the scene of
her blasted hopes and expectations-to the
cottage was very long. and fatigue of body,
whatever noveliSts may say to the contrary,
exerts controlling influence over all feel
ings OF the human mind, except love.
which nothing can change. / have consult
ed proper auth critics on this point, and am
sustaine ed in saying that love-the real arti
Gle, | mean, as different from the spurious
sort as the bottled cider they sell at the
shops is from real apple juice-never
changes. Fatigue worked a change in the
temper of her anger, and by the time she
b ad arrived in sight Of the cottage, she felt
more like CRYING than scolding. and sitting
down upon stone in the gathering dusk,
she INDUCED in a few tears, deeming her
self at that moment about as wretched
little woman as could be imagined. She
felt very lonely, and any one seeing her
thus, who would not be disposed to cowhide
the peridious Watkins must be devoid OF
chivalry indeed.


A ligh; cleaned from the window of the
cottage for a moment. and beautiful figure
was seen to draw down the curtain. Mrs.
w dtk ins-the quassi widow, VINO felt as 1t
she had already embarked on her solitary
voyage over the stormy waves OF time, look
ing back to pleasant bay brm full of light
houses, from which her bark had been



nood--s'ar up. and felt new resolution
steal into her little heart as she gazed upon
he form of the one she was convinced was
her rival. She dried her tears with her re-
newing strength, and stood looking at the
nous eat the wipdow-where the light
Till shone upon the curtain. A moment
after a chase drove past where she stood
mi stopped before the door. She saw the
nan get out and secure the horse to post,
md, the door opening on the instant Hood
# light from within revealed to her gaze
he false man whose heart she had deemed
1er own exclusive property. All, Watkins.
She saw him trip up the steps that led to
he front door, and in a moment her ears
we're assaied by a volley OF sounds denoting
elcome more warm than platonic feeling
voulI prompt.


She was concealed from their view by
he shrubbery, and the surprise was snch
hat she was irresolute for a moment as to
low she should act. She had failed to
provide her self with dagger or any other
nurd erous weapon, and hence a tragedy
vas out of question. There was. amid the
1brl of emotion that filled her, strange to
Jay, no feeling of hatred for the false Wat
lins. The reproach intended tor him she
} ad already transferred to the WON an whom
The felt had drawn him from his allegiance,
but she could not be brought to hate the
nan she had loved so we'll, that she felt
'he still loved maugre all his duPlicity i
The closing door left her standing IN the
,hadow-iu mind as well as body.


Mrs. Watkins brought her body from out
he shadow, but she thought the shadow
rom her heart, like the beak OF ths raven
in Poe's poem. would be lifted nevermore'
AS she stood gazing upon the wlndo"
where she supposed her infamous lord was
sitting 10 guilty dalliance with his Deiiiao
4 white hand reached outside the curtain
and raised the sash. As the bee pounces
upon rose in June, as a hen-hawk dashes
among a flock of chickens, as horse-ty
1arts upon his prey, and as a m9sq nlto VIII