HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Sentinel, 1882-05-05, Page 2. •
Beery emend.
in every sound I think I hear her feet—
Ahd still I wend my altered way -alone,
still I say, " To -morrow we shall meet."
twat& the shadows in Cie eteweed_ street --
Bach passittgfaeo I follow; one by one—
In every sound 1 think I hear her feet.. •
And racinths go 1;1,y—bleak Marsh titict May -day
heat—.
• - Harvest is over—winter well-nigh done— • .
And still. 1 say, " To-inorrow we shell- ineef.it
Among. the city squares, when flowers:, are sweet
Witit every breath a sign, of her`aseems blOwn,
la every sound I think Lhear her feet. • '
Wittyand cloak the -unending hours repeat',
e'rcenre_elve twelve -ma still she 001:acola
no -
Ana stint say, " TO-more:kw-we snail meet.'
I
014 long-delearedto-thorrow hearts that beat
Measure the length of every Minute -gone --
In every souod. I think 1 hear her feet.
Meer the stilt rise., tardilyor fleet,
Andlight the letters (ma ekurelayard- stone— .
Ancl still V say, "To -morrow we shall meet."
And still frOni. out her unknown, 'far retreat
;she haunts me with her tender undertone—
• In- every- sound t.thivk I beareter feet--
.Auaetie I say, "To -morrow we shall meet!"
BOY AT LAST-.
A SOQIETY NOVEL.
•
By the anther of 'L. Edith feyle."_ Ideated
• • "Forrest. House," "Chateau. citer." etc.
• That was all she: said -all' that Middy
- ever knew of heit history, as it was never
• referred to again, .exeept that evening,-
* when Agnes said to her, '
"Neither Guy nor Jessie, eon any One;
need know vthat 1 hate told yen," •
"They shall not," Was Meady's reply;
And from that, moment the past, ea ter as
, Agnes was concerned, was a sealed page to
both-. With this bond of coefideitce: between
theta, Agnew felt herself strangely drawn
towards Maddy, while„' if it were possible,
escitnething of .her olden` love was revived
. for the helpless -Man who _clung to hernow
inetead of Middy, refusing to let her go;
• neither .had Aglies any dieposition to leave
him. .She shall& stay to the- test, she
e said .t •and she aid, 'teeing Maddyeeplace,
- and by her _faithfulness. and" Care winning
Olden laurels in the opinion of the neigh-
•- laces, who' marvelled at first to see so gay a
lady at Uncle Joseph's bedside., attributing
• it Miloher friendship for Middy, just as
they attributed his belling for"Sarah as a
• crazy freak. She did- resemble Sarah
Morris a Very little, they said and
. -in Muddy's presence they sometimes won-
' cleted where. Sarah .was, and if she was
• happy with the -old roah whom .she 'mar-
• ried., and who they had heard was na SG
rich after all, as most of. _themoney ; be-
longed to the sou, who ieherited.,it tram
hie mother ; but Maddy kept . the' secret
:fromeVery one, so that even Jessie never
• suspected, why her Mother stayed day after
darat the cottage, watching and waiting
until the last:day of: J.:3Eieplf a life:
•be was al *le with him when he died,
•
and Madcly never- knew whatpassed be-
tween them. . She had left them together.
• for an hour, while -she did sorns errands,
and when she returned Agnes met her at
the door, and wi tn. a blanched cheek whis-
pered:
"Ile is. dead ; he died in- iny-artias.
blessing youand. roe Surety iny sin is now
'forgiven?." - •
. CHAPTER XXIL
szroaz TUE EII'.tL.
.• There wee e fresh grave made in :the
churchyard; and another chairvacant at
- • the cottage, Where Maddfteas at lege alone.
Unfettered by care and anxiety for sick
' game her 'Aching heart was free to go to the
stately mansion she had heard: described, so
often, and wherenow two brideawore busy
with their preparations . for the bridal
harrying on so last, Since. the letter read
• in the le-al:less October woods; Maddy had
not heard from Gay directly, though Lucy
had. -written- a tett brief lines, telling how
happy she wee,' how Strong she was; grow:
lug,. and how muchlike himself Guy
wan becoming. Maddy hallteetteessthana
wentatt if the lest intelligence had failed
to affect., her unpleasantly.. She did not
wish Guy to regret his dpoisiqp e but to be
forgotten ea BUM after so- strong protests-.
,tierts of affection . was a little mortifying,
antl- Medd-tete heart throbbed painfully as
she Feed the letter, half. hoping it might
prove the last she Should receive from Lucy
--Athetetene. • • -
Guy had left no orders for any changes
to be reade!-itt Aikenside; Agnea, who
was largely intbeid with a love- of bustle
and repair, had insigted that at least the
suite of Moms intended for thee bride
should be thoroughly renovated with new
paper and- paint, darpets, and furni-
ture. This plan Mre.. Noah opposed, for
- she guessed traW_Iittle Guy would care for
the change-; but Agnes was resoleed, and
as she had great faith in, Maddy'a taste, she
Waisted that she should go to Aikenside
and page- her judgment epon the iraprove-
reehts. It wohld do her good she said-
_ .
• tittle- dreaming lio* muchit cost Maddy to
comply with her Wishes, or how fearfully
. the poor, crushed heart ached, as Maddy
wentthrduglithe handsome ronmeihtendecl
for Guy' e young bride; but Mrs. :Noah
guessed it all and pitied the white-faced
girl, whose deepmourning robes told the
loss • of dear ones ' by death; but gave no
token of that great legs, tenfoldworsethan.
"death.
.4 It waswicked:in her to fetch you here,"
she said to Maddy one day when in Lucy's
moth elle found her sitting upon the door,
withher head bowed down upon the Win-
dow sill. "But she's a • triflin.' thingeand_
didn't know 1 -would you, poor -child;
poor Maddy!" and Mrs. Noah laid her
hand kindly on Maddy's hair. ”- Maybe
you'd better go- home,'" she. continued, as.
Maddy made no reply; " it must be hard,
to be here in the .rooms and aniong the
things which by good rights should be
yours.': •
Na, Mrs, Neale:" andcetteddy's voice was
strangely unnatural, as she lifted up her
head', revealing a. face so haggard and
white that Mrs. Noah was frightened, and
&eked in much- alarm if anything ue* had
happened
No, nothing--; I Was going to say that
I'd rather stay a little longer Wherethere
are signsAnd soundsof life. ' I should die
tale alone at lionedale to -morrow. I may
may die here, I don't knew. Do YOU know
that to -morrow will be the bridal?" :
Yes, Mrs. Noah knew it.; but she hoped.
it -Mighthave escaped Maddy's mind.
"Poor -.child'," ' she said again„--"- poor
• ""7.' .
• ,.:, . e.
'child, I mistrust you did wrong to tell hini burn Oen now, as She -recalled his --Many
N0,1, ac ,i3. of tenderness and care.
"Oh, Mrs; Noah, ..donlisay that; don't . •, .aying the telegramon the. table she
make it harder for -me to bear. The went with. Mrs. *oh • through ' the rooms,
tettipter his been telling: Me se all. day, and wicrrned and made . ready - for the bride,
irty- heart -is so hard and Wicked,r cannot lingering . longest .in .141-ay's, - whieh -; the
"pray as I would: ' Oh, you don't know how bridal -decoration@ and the bright: fire
'wretched I am!" and Maddy hid her fetal': bIEziug iii the grate made ' singularly _nava-
in, the broad,. motherly lap,' Robbing so . ing. As yet there were no. flowers there,
Wildly that Mts. Noah was greatly per. an Maddy olaimedthe privilege °furling,
piexed _hew to act or what *pay. • ' ip I them for this room herself. - AMOS had
... Years ago, she ;would have spurned the -ahnost - stripped ' the nethiervatory ;::-.. but
thought -that the grandchild. or the Ad man .M ddy found enough to term -0„inciet taste.
who llad hawed to - his °Wu picture, -should th bouquet, whieli .. she 'placed tiPen -.a
be mistress of- Aikenside; - but now, could in rble dressing table; then. within .8; slip
she have had her Way, she would have of !paper'which . she folded across the top
. .
:stopped the marriage, and, bringing her sh ' meote: - ' - .., • .
. boy home, have given- hint to the young girl' Wetctinie to the bride."
i weeping se
t:bitterly in her lap. But Mrs. t'They.' both. will recognizerat,
e ltaedr
Seek could not have her wey. The bridal writine ; they'll know I've been here," she
'guests were, even then,nssembling.irt thet •:. th iughteas with oheleng,-last sad- look a,
Iname,beyond the sea: She could not .call tho rehm, she walked Slay.-
- Guy back, and go she pitied andtcareseed They were - laying the -table. for dinner
03,e. wretched Maddy, saying to her, at last:' now; and with a kind of dizzy, uncertain
.1141 tell, you what is impressed on my feeding,-Maddylvia.tohed the servants hurry -
mind; this Lucy's get the consumption, ing to and fib, bringing out the .choicest
without any kind of doubt, and,if you've Ph na, and glitteringeilver, in -honor of the
no objections to a widower, you may—" : bride. Comparatively. it was not bog
..
i_
She did not - finish the : sentence, for since( -a little, frightened, hoeiesickgirl„ she
Maddy started hi horror. To her there fir t sat down Withany at that table, from
was something murderous in the very idea, which the proud Agnes Would have banished
and She. 'thrust it ' quickly .-aside. Guy he; but . it seemed ta her age, 80 mnpli.
Remington Was not for licit lthe Said, and f. -happily* . And -main .., had ; 'come,
her wiehewserfor her to: fotgethim, If she to ' • her____ Since e 014. Titer° - was a
could get throughthe dreaded to;merrow -PI 'be. for her "there now, heat Guy; but
sheshould do better.-- There had been a s elitend not. fillet. She could. net stay;
load Upon her the whole day, a -nightmare ancf she astonished Agnes - and Jessie,: just
she could net shake off, ahd she had; come as Ibhey were . going to make thetr: dinner.
to Liters tooth, in the hope of leaving her tin et, by .anitouncipg her intention Of-go:46g
burden there, of . praying her painaway: ho . e. She Was not dressed to -Meet Mie.
'Would: Mrs. Noah leave her awhile, and see Remington, -she said, shuddering As for the
that. melee canto? . . : .. . - . fit t time she pronounced .a, , name Which-
,.. The good woman could- not -;refuse, and - the . servants had-- frequent/y...1*d, ,'attd,'
geitigouteshe left. Milady by the window, which jarred on her ear • every -tithe-elle
watching the ,eunas it Went .down, and -he ,rd it. -She was . not. '.dresged--. appeo.
then, watching the wintry: twilight deepen pri' tely. tented- in English lady. - Flora of
over the landseape, until. thiegi. Were -coursee would stay, she :said, - as; it was
Vended tagetheritt one great darkness, and natural she should, to greet her new mis-
Jessie, seeking for her, found . her ' at last •tre s ; but she ' must gct.;: and ..,fifidihg
feinting upon. the floor. . . Ch rlie Green she -;bade -hilivbrilig round
. Middy was giad of the racking headache the buggy. • . . . . .. : .: . -' .- • ...
:Which kept her An bed the Whole of the • Agnes was not particularly surprised, for
..,
next day, glad of any exanse to stay away 'a. v gee suspicion of : something like the
:from the family, taeking of Guy, and What trn h had gradually been creeping' into her
•
was - transpiring _ in England. . They had brain, as she -noted: MadclY's pallid faceand
:failed to remember the .difference in the .the cheeps which Passed over • it whenever
longitude of the : two placee_`; but Maddy Grp was Mentioned. -Agneis pitied Maddy,
. forgetnothing . and when the clock atm* for in her own- lipert there . was . a- little
a she celled..iles.. Noah to her and 'cviiis- buining:spot, when she teinintberect who
wed faintly: . '3. " .. . . . . ' , ' ' wa • to accompany Di. Holbrook, So- she
: "They were to. be ,married before 12, thd. net urge her to remain, and she tiled to
.you know, se it was over two 'le:mileage; huth iessie's lamentations when she heard
and. Guy is lost forever I", : . - .,--. . el ady:wae going. . - • ' . - -, - --
Mrs- -Noah had no consolation to offer; . -- One hiee, sad; wistful look at Guy's and
' and only pressed the hot, 'feverish hands, ;.Lucy's' home,. and Middy followed Charlie.
while Maddy turned her faee. to the wall, to the buggy waiting for her, and bade him
:and did not speak again, except to whisper dri a rapiclly,„!..0 there was every indication
incoherently, AS she half -sliiinhered, half of ii cogung..storni. . • - - - . : ... -
woke: .- . • - - . •• ' - ,. • . he gray, wintry afternoon was drawing
•
'-' Did Guy think of mewhen he proniised _to.- - 6100; and the becembee night: was
to love her, and does he, can he seelow sht.ttiiig down upon theeHeeddale hills in
miserable 1 am? t. e •' . -
. . -". sle4y rain„Whenthe cottage was reached,
Middy was indeed pegging -through -deep eat Maddy, pessipg up the narrow; slippery
waters, and the day and the_ night of the : wa k,entered the cold, dreary- room, weere.
fourth of December were! the .1oegesL th • a was neither fire- nor light, nor friendly
dreariest she ever -kuew, and 'could never voi e to greet her. No sound savethetioking
be forgotten. :Once. pest, - the woret-wee of he clock; no weleotne-sevothe-perrieg of
over, and as the rarest metalis purified by th house -cat, who: came .crawling at. her
.ffte,..sa •Maddy: Came. 'froth the dreadful fee as she knelt before the stove and tried
ordeal strengthened for what.was before; to kindle • the fire. T Ohs lie.,'Green .. had
Both Agnes and - Mrs-. Noah noticed the off )red to go.. in And do - this for her, as
strangely beautiful expression of her face ..in .eed he had offered tO -return and Stayall
tvitea sh,ecame down to -the breakfast- -ni t, but she decliped; Preferringto be.
roomewhile• Jessie, as the kissed her pale .alo e, -Said with stiffened fingershe laid
cheek, Whispered: . . . . •. -th 'kindlinge Flora had prepared, and then-
. "You look as if you had been with the ap lying the niatch, watched -the Wheal -eine
-angels.'' , • - -. • . . . • ,, - ' .: ••• as it gradually -.licked:Up the Brooke and
-
.. ,
Gay was not expected with his •beiele for
two or three Weeks, ahrl as thedays drag
ged on, Middy felt that the waiting for
bine was more intolerablethan the seeing
hint with Lucy -would- be. Restless afid,
_ inipatient,-ithecould not remain quietly . at
th.e.cottage- and when - at 'Aikenside, elle
longed -to returnagain to her own home;
and ia this Way the. time -wore on. until the .ve
,tueniverserynetbat day when she had &Mae
from .NeW York, and foutd ;Guy- waithigfor
her at the station. To stay that -day in the-
houseso rife with .paentoiles of - the dead
was impossible, -- and Flora was surprised
. and delighted to hoar that bothwere ping-.
up to Aikenside in the vehiele hired of Far.
neer Green, 'whose' pen officiated as driver.
It was nearly ileonvihenthey-ieacited their
destination, . :naeeting :et : • the gate. .witle
Flora's brother Tom, who said to thein: ..
' "-- We've beatd:from, Mr.:Guy; the. ship is.
in; . they'll be here to -night, and Krs..Noitti
is turniti' things ..upside down with. the
dinner,": - ‘
Leaning back in the buggy,_ 4.-aady felt
for e moment as she were atiege„ Never
until theh. had she realized hew, all .the
while, she had been elinglegto in indefin-
able hope, a:presientinient. that sotnething
might yet omit to spare her froth it long
lifetime of pain, such as lay beforEi her, if
Guy Were really lost-; : but she bubble had
burst, leaving her nothing to hope; nothing
to cling to, 'nothing but black despair ;.' and
half bewildered, she received - the noisy
greeting of Jessie, who Mather at the door,
and dragged her into the drawine-room,
decorated With &Were .from the hot -house,
and told h_er to guess whoWes. cothing.4t14.
, "1 know; Tom tom me.; Guy is Priming
with ,:Lucy," Maddy - answered, and re"
• lievieg herself trete- jereie, she turned to
Agnes, asking where Meg.: Noah was, and
if she, might go to her for a moment. .
. - "Oh, Maddy, child, I'm sorry you're
come. to. -day,'"! *Mrs. Noah said, as .she
chafed Maddy'scoldhands„ and leading her
t& the fire, made her sit -down, -while she
untied her hood, and removed her cloak
and fure. I - . -; . ' - . •
s - s' I did net kilo* it, or i should.not-liave
come,' Maddy replied; "I shall net stay;
as it is.. -I 'eantrot see them to -day. Charlie
will drive Me back before the train is due:
But what did he.aay ? And hew is Ludy ?"
"He did not mention her. There's the
despatch;'.' and Noalthended to Middy.
the telegram, received this morning, : and
which Was simply as follows: -, t .; ' • -
bu •st into a cheerful blaze, . .. . • .
• I shall feel better when it's warm,"
tet said, crouching over the fire; and shiver
in with more than bodily cola: ••
here ' was a kind of .nameless terror
ste ling over her as she sat thinking of the
ye nage when the inmates of three graves
4so4osEi the meadow Were there beneath that
roof Where she sat alone.
I'll strike alight," she said, rising to her
fee , and trying :not -to glance at the sha,-
,
do t vy corners filling her with fear. _
"The steamer if; in. Shall be at the
station at 5 Vela& p.
"Gur-ErmixoTos."
Twice Maddy read it over, ekperiencing
much the same feeling she would have
experienced halt been her death *arrant
she *as reading. . ' • 1:1.,
At 5 o�1ook 1 must go before that,"
she said, sighing as she remembered hew,
one year ago that day, she was travelling
over the very route where Guy was now,
travelling with his bride. Did he think of
it? think of his long waiting stile() depot,
or of that memorable ride to letonedale, the
events of 'were....find more
distinct' Nheeks
he lamp . wasfound, and ite ft-jot:idly
bealens)aton dispersed the darkness -,from
th - corners and the feat from - Maddr.s.
he rt, but it aid net drive from her mind
tb ughts of what might at that moment be
transpiring ee Aikenside. If the bride and
.gr om Mime -atall that e night, ,she knew'
thy must have, beentherefor an houror
more, and in . land* elle ea* the tired but
hEl, py_Ittioy,- as iti, her joleasent- room she
made her toilet for. dinner, withGuY staid.'
,in by and lookingen.....Tnd he entile approv-
nigly neou. his young.wife ? ..-Did his eye,.
-wl4in wrested-on:her, light up wititthesente
..ea ' teseion. she had seen -eo oftee when it
too ed at -het? Did he con.4mend her taste
'atcL.say his little Wife was beautiful, as he
kissed her fair white cheek; or Wasthere" a
clo -d on his handsome face,' a shadow ou
hisheart, heavy with , thoughts et her, and
.wouldhe.rather itwereAta4diy therein the
God, e
bri al ream? If . Ho, his burden - was hard.
indeed, but not so herd as hers, end: kneeling
on he floer, poor - Maddy. laid her head in
thchair, and; 'mid piteous meats, asked
G .
her Father, toteketheeboth to bear.
-help her and Guy -..-making the latter
lav as ought the gentle girl who had
left bomb and friends 'Olive:with hire in a'of your dead- _Lucy; ittid• I know she will
-far distant land; edgiest tee, that she might -help to lead you to that .bleppecehomeWhere
tear front her heart every sinfhlthought, korrow-Jiever. comes.' That Was the last
lov: ng any onlyasshe Might leve the hits- she , Over 'Spoke, and when-. the 'inn went
be, detanother; '. : e ., .. — ' - _down deathhadolaimed.thY.bride. $hectied
• 1"he prayer ended, .Maddystill sat upon in my arm, Maddy. I.felt the last flutter -
the! fleet; while over - her pale- :face :- the. ing-of her pulse, the liie-t beat of her heart
lan4plightfaintly fliekeredelliewieg the dark _I laid her back upen, her pillows.-. I wiped
lin s bbneath-her. eyei-apd. the.teer-stains . the bleed Iroinher lipearid frohilier'golden.
on her. cheek. Without the storm still was ..curls. .1 followed her to her eerlygrate. I
rag ng, and the teintry....taip, mingled with Sciv. her buried heti my sight,an.4 theieteade
sle t and enow,rbeit piteously .against the dy;.I started for home; thotigliteOf you and
cur aittedwindowseivelle the wind howled thoughts of Luoyehlehded :equally together -
mo refullyasit shook. the door, and stiteep- 114Q Aikenside was reached, - Italked with
the hill. -- But Maddy heard f nothing atthe Mrs. Noah; I: heard- ,'All of - you . there was
tur ult. She had brought a -pillow: from totell, and then I -talked with Agnes, Who
the bed -room, and placing it upon the chair, Was :not greatly 'surprised, and . aid net
tettdown again upon the floor -and:. rested oppose iny 'coming here AO -night.- I could
her head upon it. She did net even kite* not _remain there, ktioWing yoU were here,
the her pet cat 'had:Prep' up- beside) her, alone, even though tionie old fogiesthight say
pur lug 'Contentedly, andoccasionallylink. ; it:was:not preper--,GodithOWs whatism My:
ing ier halt, inueli boo did she hear -abase. heart. • In the bride tchaniber I. found. your •
thestorm the sWitt•Itread,ef.horse!kfeet as bouquet; with its , Welperlie.to the Bride.'
so14.
. e ene-eatne„dasbjng.AOwn the thad,the -Middy!) you -niust:be that bride: ... ;Lucy
ride pausiog. an elm:pant as he caught • a 'sanctioned it, and .the doctor, thee -fee.'
.glt pee .61 the Cottage , lamp; and then told 'him_ allo.',: 'Llifilla itititi: Wedding _ was, Of
her yieg on to the Viiblic-house beyond, course, catiree, deferred,aild he did not come home
where the hostler frowned ihoodtliat being ' With Mei-. but - het-eiLid;:i4"Tell ,lltliiddy not to
call dent to bare for th horse of a.strange_r,. wait..: Lite is' toe -.short to Waste anteintp-
wile went back on feet to where the. cottage piness. .She hisity-bleeking,'. i And, Maddy,
lani .shone a beacon light through the inky it Intuit be so. _ Aikenside needs a mistress;
darkness. . : . . - - . you are 'all alone. ••• You are minee-mine
_The stringer retro:the& the littlegate, and. -..forever l' - - ", • - . ' - -: , - - .- '.-.- -::: '
.. .
und6ing,l the fastening, wenthurrying up - -The storm had -died away, and the moen-.-
the- _alk, his step- upon the eraCkling snow. beams . ' stealing' theOugh the 'window tad:
oatcjiit
her wonder who could be 4:mm114C:fere eh
shah a night as. this.: It was probably_
Charlie Green, She td, and with a feeling
of impatience at beipgintruded upon- she
rose to her feet just as the door turned
upon its hinges, letting in. a, Potverful.
draught of wind which extinguished the
light, and left -her in total darkneas.
- But it did not matter i Maddy had caught
a sound, a peculiar cough,-whichlreie the
blood -inher veins, and made her quake
with terror quite as much as if the feotsteps-•
hurrying toward her hadbeenthe footstepti
ettlie, dead, instead el belongingeas she knew
they *did,- to Guy Eetithigtonwho; with-
earnientsAaturated With rain, felt for her
in the darkness, and -found her where from
faintness she had, orouehed again beside the.
chair, and drawing her clolielyto him in 6-
paseidhate, almost piettful embrace, said,
_so tenderly, so lovingly -
"Maddy, mydaihng, my own! We will
neVer be parted, agaiu."•
•
- -CHAPTER XXIII.
LITCY. - •
Hours went by, and the hands of . the
Clock pointed to twelve, ere Maddy Compel-
led herself to hearthe, story Guy had come
to tell. She had thrust hint -froth her at
Arid, speaking to him et Lucy, his wife, and
Guy had answered. her, "'I have nci wife -
1 never lied ,ene. Lncy .in leleavene"
and that was all Maddy. knew until the
great shack- had spent itself "in tears, and
sobs, which beeame earnest convulsions as
she tried .,te realize the feet that Lucy
.Atherstoia was dead t that the. bridal robe
about which she . had written with girlish
frankness preyed to be her Amid; one that
het head thate-tight,wae. not ipilloWed on
'Gay's arm, but resting under, the English '
turf and beneath an English sky. She-
could,listen.at het, but her breath came in
panting gasps; while Guy told her how,- on
therVery Morning .of the bridas. l'AileY had
greeted - him with her tigital bright stitile,
appearing and leaking better than he had
seen her look since reached -her mother's
home; and how for an honr. they sat
togetheraloneina little mein sacred to her,
because years' befere-it was there hecon,
fined his leve .•' -
Seated on a.low Ottoman, With her golden
head lying on . his lap, she had this-
niOrning,,told Win, in her artless way; how
intieh she loved hi* and how hatdit
some-
times wis-to make her love for the creature
second toherlove for the Preator; told hitn-
she was not feultless,-ena asked that When
.he found ho* erring and week she was, he
_would bearwithher frailties as she *Ulu
bear With his;• talked with :hint, too, of
Maddy Clyde, confessing; in it ;sat, low
tone, ho*Once or twice e pang of jealousy.
had wrung her hetet When she reedhis
praises of 'his Pepil. But shehae conquered
that; she had prayed eel &Way, and now,
nett to her own sister, she; loved Maddy
Clyde.
'
r words
,too, eto-O,• were spoken -words of
guileless pureelffectionetoo _sacred even for
Gull to breathe to Maddy;,and then Lucy
'had left him, her 'bounding -step echoing
through the hell and nu the winding- stairs,
down which .she eever pante again alive,
for when Guy next looked tiport her she
was lying - white and still, het neck and
dress- and -golcienhair stained with the pale
life -blood :Oozing . from her livid lips. A.
bleed -vessel had been. suddenly ruptured,
the physician Said, adding that it was what
he . had been 'eating :for some:time, and
now it had mime -and .there Was no hops.
Theyttold. her she.Must die, for the Mother
would have them tell her.. Once,- for a few
moments, there was en her face a fright-
ened look, such as:a harmless bird might
wear When suddenly caught in a -.snare.
But thatseen passed away as teeth beneath
e .
the etosed eyelid's .the greattearscarne
gushing, And the etained: lips whispered
• • :
"God :knows best -wilat--is right.- POot
'Guy!. Break it gently ' tobithe • •
. At this point in- .the story, d-uy :broke
down entirely, sobbing: only as strong.Men
pan 'sob: ' • • .
Middy" he said, -"I felt likea heartless
tereteh,a most 'consummate hYpocrite-..Les,
.6 -tandem by Lucy's . side, I Met the fend
-pitying gianceef lierthetieeyee, and suffered
the poor little hand to pert my; hair as she
tried to comfort !nee even ithough every.
.-word she 'littered. was -ehorteiiihg.her life;
tried to cdtefeet Mee the wretch who Wate-
there SO tinwhliegly, and - who at this pree,
peCt ef release hardlyknew at first Whether
he was more sorry than glad. You may well
start from in.e in horror,
Maddy,-.1 Was inlet-
. -the wretch desCribe; but 1 overcame :it, •
Maddy, and Heavert is my witeeisthat no
thought of :yeu-. intruded itself upon the
afterwards as I -stood t by my dying Lucy._
I_ saw how good, : how: sweet she was, end
-sereethieg of the old love came back to mop
as I held her in my.tirma,-where she wished
to be. I would have saved her. it Tomild::-
and,When I called her ,!.rny 'darling Lucy' -
they were net :idle. -words. I kissed her
Many times for myself; and once, Maddy„
for you. She told Meta de se. She whis-
pered. Itise rnee Guy for -.1Waddy., Clyde.
Tell her I'd -rather she ehatildtake my
place than anybody else---eathet my Guy
should call her Wife know. She
walla niit be jealous if you sometimes talked'
g Maddy' s ear at last and making that morning wag- breaking, but neither
:Guy nor Middy heeded the lapse of time.
.Theirs" was a sad kind of happiness as. they
.sat talking together, and .could. Lucy haye
listened to them- she would liave felt satis-
fied that she was not forgotten. 1 Otte long '
bright curl, cut from her headbyllis own -
hand, was all there Was. left ()flee to Guy-. -
save the hallowed memories of her purity
and goodness -memories which .Woultlyet
mould the prowl iiiiptilskee maninto the
earnest, consistent Christian, which. Ludy
iti her life - had desirlie. teat.he should he,
and which Maddy rsTiced to see him. —
CHAPTER.-X.XIV. ;
:It is-theclose of a 'dam Septeniber after-
noon; and the autumnal Sunlight falls softly -
Upon Aikettside, where a' gay party is new
aseenabled. For lout years -Maddy -Clyde
has been ,inistrese.-there; and in looking
back Upon them .she wonders how ea. much :
happiness as she has khown could be
etperiencedinso short a tetnee Never b27
Once bee the slightest ' ripple Of sorrow .
shadowed her heart and that Wae.. When.
her noble husband, - said to .1ter.• .a -
voice she -knOW Was earnest etie determined,
that he coulceee-lengerremain. deaf tohis
-country's' call -that Where the battle etorm
was ragieg- he was needed eed'hemest not '
,gtay'at_horite. Then for a brief season . her
-bright face was overcast, . and brown
eyes dim with weeping. -.Gent* him - -
the :_ war seemed like giving: him up to.
death. . But --women can he as true
heroes as ; and Milling her own grief,
Maddy sent him eWey with smiles%And
prayers and cheering words of- encourage-
ment, 'thrninglierself for consolation to the -
source from whichshe neeer shed forpeaCe.-.
invain.; and, save that she missed her
husband not 'lonely, .for -
her. beautiful "darkeyed boy;'.whoin they -
celled Guy, jun., kept her busy, While _not
.nietey tieees after her hnebeedet departure,
Gny read with tooistetied; eyes of e . little -
golden -haired daughter, whom Maddy had -
netted Luey..Atlierstoite, and gaied upon -a- .
pnil of heir she enclosed, aaking if it Were -
not like some . other hairnow ihouldering:
ha* to dust- Within. An English-- '
yard. " Maggio nye it is;" she wrote,
alluding to; the wife: of Dr. Holbrook, who .
had mime to, Ai ketaineete stay., whileh er htnie
heed alsedid his duty esenegeonin the army. -
Thatlittledaughter is -a: year-old :baby
andinher:ghort white drees and coral
bracelets -Siteneglected - oti the nursery
.floor," while her Mother and Jessie and
Maggie Holbrook hasten out into the yard
to • weleothe the returning -soldier, - .Major
Guy, whose arni is in- a gliegotbd 'whose
fame is very pale leone the effect's of wotitiee
received -at. Gettysburg, where. his _daring
-courage - heal well-nigh Won for iletadayea
widow's heritage For thepresent.- the -
-
ariri.ja disabled,eibled, and se he- has been a-
is-.
charged, and has ...Cotne 'back to the name
where werm•woitle of weleopie .greet him,.-
frarn.ther litivest .'servant_ Up -to„ his, darling'
wife, who nan only look her joy as he folds
her in his weh arte and kisses her
face. Only Margaret- Holbrook motes. '
a little T sad; - for :the -.. had • hoped herj
husbeed 'would ..edene with Guy, but
hiM
humanity would _ not vett* Juin to leave
_ -
the suffering beings who needed his care..
Liyiing'rueseages he senteer; aiid her tears .
were - dried whenehe :heard from Guy how
greatly he was beloved by the pale ocCrt- -
pants of the beds of pain, and hew renC,h
Was 'doing to relieve their i angina -h.'
•
* 'Jessie, giowe to be tnogt beautiful . girl
of. nearly 16, is still it child iii actions, and,l
wild with delight at seeing her brother
again., throws her ern:near:seed : his .neek,.
telling.; he -almost the 'seine breath, how _-
proud She is of hint, how innehrebe *idled
to Wito hige.itheia she heerehe was weutefe'e
ed;how--ehe wished She was a 'boy, i se She':
could enlist, how :nicely Fiera, is martied. :
and settledat--the cottage in lienedale; and _
then asks if he knows - anything, of • the
Confederate- Colonel towhomjiiit -before
-4-. .
the ivarhieke.odt :her mether watemarried, -
p,na whogiotooe was in Rioornorra. -
Guy knows nethieg Of him; fdet that
he is still fighting for the Confederacy, bet
from exchanged prisoners, who -bee come --
.in-froirteltichtno.nd, he has heard Of a been- e
Wilt laity; an _officer's -Wife; and, as ruiner
saik-allottliern-W.oMaii,.who visited them
in prisonespeekipg kind words of sympathy
to all, ..and enie-bindieg up a ,drnenteee
boy's aching -heed With: it . handkerchief, -
,ithiele he estill retained as a ineteente of
heti; and on whose center could be faintly
-
traced the haine of "Agues Ifeeningtone'
Jessieei eyes are lull of teereao she .says:
"Dear mamwa. It'll; menthe since
heard from her direct. 'Of .course it Was
she who was so good to -the -atninitterb0
She eatinot be..130...very bed," and -
glances triumphantly 'at :.:Mrs. Noah, Who; _
never having quiteovercome her dislike of
Agnes, heti sorely tried J-01sie by declaring .
:that her mother -‘5had- found her -level at
east, and was just Where elte wanted. to
. Good: Mrs.' Noah! The anetent men
whose name she bore would as soon have °-
thought of leaving the ark as She of, ,
log traitor to her. country, and tvhen.she
heard Of the tic:Oils Mob raised - against the
she talked --seriously of going in per -
San to New York ." togive 'em 4 piece of
her and for one whole day refused -
:to speak. to Flora's husband; because he
was:. a •‘•• dum ditneerat,". and she -pre-.,
. sunied Wanted the south.:.to" beat... With
the exception of Mainly,: no one Was more
pleased to obit ..Guy than :herself., He was
her boy, tbe one She brought up', and with A.
_mother's fervor ehe', kissed - hie- brOtie4e
cheek; and told him how .glad idle -Wise -tee •
have him back.
With his -boy- on his sow:1.61M; GUY
disengaged biteself from the noisy group
and Went w:ittiMaddy to .where the.child:7he
liadleeverieenWaS-.3iist beginning to show .
signs of resentment at being left -BO long .
"Lulu, sissy, papa's edine;' this is papa;"
the little cried, assuming the honor of
theintteduction. ,
•
Lulu, As they called her, was not afraid
of the tall : soldier, and '; rattetehieg • Out
her . fat, white hatids, went l . him
editallye jeltufeeyee and ,golden -haired,
she bore but little resemblance to -1.
either.father or mother,' but there was a .-
-sweet;:higutifOt f ace, of Which 'MAW -had
Often. dreamed, but seen, and :Whether
it *ere -- fancy tete not, -Guy thought it
been:led upon him'Againin the l infantile.
features Otitis little gide' Parting lovingly 7
her yellow burls and kiesing her fair. cheek,:
h. saidto-Maddyettiftly.Ljust as he always
spoke Of, that aeadone.; - • - I .
"Tee •darling, Margaret 'Holbrook is --
!right -our baby daughter is very much -
like our dear Lucy ,Atherstotie."
. . . • .
• TRE,
. • "