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Show MAY'S SEW YEAR. New Year's Eve. And the fire light rules king of the gaslight. It U in his ruddy glow that tho hollies and evegreena glisten, while the wierd eyea of the portraits on the wall look into eyes that look again steadfastly. But the fiii ret. t pictureof all this is the face of the fair girl upon which his red light falU and flickers. "May Igleheart, I nsk you for the last time, do you love me? Will you be my wife?" The tall form of the young man swung fiercely around in he dpoke thus passionately, his own face darkening its he waited, sternly looking look-ing into the girl's face for an answer. "Ross Newton," returned May Igleheart, reproachfully, yet in a tone softened by pity, "why will you pain my own heart and yours by again nsking that question, which I have already answered, for wore I to reply thousands and thousands of times, it must ever he the same? You could not feel it more than I do, Ross." "Then you do not will never love me?" "As a friend." he began; but before be-fore she could fiuish the sentence his harsh voice stopped her. "Friend,!" ue exclaimed contemptuously. contempt-uously. ' 'No, by heaven I Never your friend. I ask for your love, your life, or nothing ! " She sat motionless; with eyes bent upon the tiny, folded hands resting on her lap, while his fierce passion swept on in a torrent of bitter words. "I see it all. I knew it. It does not require keen - sighted eyea to penetrate your secret. May. You did care for me; you might have been mine had not Philip Stanley stepped between us ! " "We cannot control our love, Rosa," said May, sadly. "You speak well, May; but ycu know next to nothing of the bitterness of love like mine, the love that borders bord-ers on hate in ita intensity," and by a quick movement he clutched the hands of the girl in his, and held her powerless aa a child, as he hissed forth hiB parting threat and was gone. "Women change their minda, thank heaven. And I swear, May Igleheart, you Bhall yet be the bride of Ross Newton 1 " Truly there was much in the passion pas-sion and pain in this interview to oppress op-press May Isleheart's soul. The very depths of this man's love and hate, so openly displayed, were in themselves them-selves a shadowy form of coming evil. His parting threat cast a shade of depression de-pression upon her which she found it impossible to banish, until a light footstep resounded upon the hall floor, and a bright voice cried, "Many happy returns to you, May! " Suddenly all the joy and gladness of her fair youne face returned aa Bhe sprang forward to meet the newcomer. new-comer. "Welcome him, Birdie," she Baid playfully to tho petdog curled at her feet, who had lain there a grim and select watcher, while tho other remained re-mained ; and in obedience to her voice the little shaggy - coated animal bounded up, wagged his tail, and whined a low, pleased greeting. There could not be a more striking contrast than was presented between the lover who had just left her Bide in angry scorn and he who now came forward to grasp her extended hand. The one as dark and stern as the summer storm cloud, the other with all the beauty and brightness of everyday every-day sunshine beaming from the eyes, about the mouth, and playing upon each feature of his handsome face and figure. Moments sweet to each passed thus unheeded by them in happy conversation, conver-sation, until imperceptibly a touch of sadness crept even into his light-hearted light-hearted tones as he said seriously: "It is so sweet to be hero with you thus, that there is something I cannot can-not bear to tell you, and yet I might have known there must be an end to this pleasant companionship. I have corner I have come." be answered, "to say good-by." "Good-by ? she asked tremulously. "Yes," he went on, "to my regret 1 1 shall not have the pleasure of leading lead-ing you out in the dance to-morrow night. I shall have to resign that pleasure to some happier man. Byrd Kirby telegraphs me to join her here at the train to-night, and proceed with her to New York tomorrow, to-morrow, and I shall have to go." And as ho spoke his hand wandered into his bosom, from whence he brought a picture, which he placed silently before May for inspection. It was a handsome, high-bred girl face that lay there quietly in May Ig!e-heart's Ig!e-heart's lap unmoved, until raised mechanically me-chanically with the question: "And who is this Byrd Kirby ? " "Is it possible I have never told you of her ? The woman to whom I am engaged," he replied, with a forced laugh. " The woman whose wealth retrieves our fallen fortunes; the woman whose great beauty consoles con-soles me for the loss of such as you, May, he said bitterly. For a moment whole waves of anguished an-guished emotion dash over the face of the girl beside bim, threatening to overthrow Jail composure ; seeing which, his own face deepens with pain; yet a mighty effort of self-repression self-repression calms tho accents of her voice as she asks, lightly enough: "But we shall meet again?" A little while and May Igleheart's bosom heaves hotly as she stands behind be-hind the curtain watching the dim outline of his retreating figure as it disappears down the lump-lighted street and into the distance. This then, was the ending the hitter, pittiless ending! Ihis the New Year leto for which she must school her heart on the morrow ! After months of such intimacy as ouly lovers know, she had all her ; love for him to be thrust aside thus, but a toy in the play that had amused bim I Ah, well! let the morrow dawn, and though smiles might fail to come at her bidding, she could still wear an armor of womanly reserve, too deep for curious eyes to penetrate and discover dis-cover tho lacerated heart beating beneath. It had been but a few brief months since Philip Stanley had sought out and known May Igleheart. Yet, as she stood there alone and "at bay," what years of joy and trust and splendor eeemed the life of those months to her. And yot day alter day had ho sought and lingered in her society as a pastime. How slinging to her pride! i Day after day, and no word to her of that woman to whom his honor and faith wer6 plighted. Truly, her heart was atung to defiance de-fiance perhaps revenge.. New Year's Kve. The city Btrceta ablaze with light and alive with human beings, hurrying to and fro in pursuit of pleasure or in search ot some gift for those dearest and ncar-eit ncar-eit on the morrow. "And I bring my loved one a gift to-night!" was the joyous thought hugged close in the bre-wt f a young man, as he sped lightly over the new fallen buow. "I wonder will she look so sweeL and lovely as ahe did this night one year ago, when I was forced to leave her in pain, if not resentment? Ah, yes! her smile was ever brightest for me, find Byrd Kirby might have apitred herft-lf that long tirade with which she set me free, had bIic known it was freedom I craved ns the bird whose pinions are scorched ! " And this busy thought impels onward on-ward llying feet, until before he knows it quite he stands on tho hearth rug where ho stood just one year ago, waiting the entrance of her to whom ho brings his New Year's gift. The door opens quietly, and May Igleheart glides in with all the self-possession self-possession and grace of a queen. Her cheeks crimson fitfully as she recognizes recog-nizes the face of her visitor. There is a perceptible start of surprise, and then she sweeps forward gracefully, ns she murmured in tones marred neither by excessive grief, nor joy: "Ah, well ! You have come then to redeem your engagement for the dance, so abruptly broken last year? I am quite glad to see you, Mr. Stanley, Stan-ley, even at so late an hour. Pray, be seated." He goes toward her, and takes hfr hand in both of his own. She left it to him find he kissed it again and again. Still, something in the complote calmness of her manner, the strange glitter in her bright blue eyes, daunts the young man for an instant, causing caus-ing him to flinch and falter ere he frames a reply. "O, May 1 can you ask why I came, knowing of my old devotion to you ?" She did not apeak, however, and her cold fingers returned no pressure to bis. "No, May; I have come for something some-thing better still. I have coma to bring you a token of my faith and loyalty to you. I have come lo bring you a New Year's gift which I have been keeping for you only you." "Is it not too late?" she asked coolly. ' 'It rests with you entirely. I trust not." "To-morrow, then, we Bhall see." "No, to-night." Bayer hearted as aboy, his thoughts burn with longing to ask the question nenrest his soul, but, fenced in by the shield of this woman's graceful ease, he finda it impossible. Kver and anon bright flashes of the girl, whose eye once trembled and fell beneath his gaze, beautifies the calm face before him: yet with it all there is some change, something lost or gained, something new to him, a womanly reserve which he cannot fathom. And thus hour is added to hoar in light conventional talk, and he ia not nearer making good his gift to her than whon he first entered. "But before we part to-night, Slay, you will tell me whether or not you will take this gift I bring you! " "Is it quite nice, then? Pretty as this ? " she inquires, coquettisbly toying with a heavy gold locket suspended sus-pended from her throat. "It is myself my own love," he replies paasionately, as he stoops and kisses her cheek quickly, opening the locket in the act, and in a confused way asking: ' 'And whose picture is thiB ? " The girl trembles from head to foot at his etiress, yet withdraws herself proudly, as she icily responds: "The man to whom I am engaged!" Stabbed to the heart, Philip Stanley cries only, "Ross Newton ? " " Yes, he whose wealth restores our fallen fortunes; he who consoles me for the loss of such as you, Phillip." His own words thrown cruelly back upon him to rankle in his heart for-evermore. for-evermore. Their hands clasp coldly. A smile, a bow, and Phillip Stanley is out in the street, a grief-burdened man. Day dawns ere his weary feet seek a place of repose. " The mills of the gods grind slowly." slow-ly." New Year's eve. A night as sweet and soft and balmy as Juno's own. In the sky bright stars sing songs together. to-gether. On the earth light, warmth and merry-making reign. Seated by an open window May Igleheart's head is dropped upon one hand dejectedly. Time has not stolen one trace of beauty from the face in all save sadness the same. It is lovely love-ly still, though sad aa her thoughts which wnuder thus: " New Year's Eve. No lover tonight. to-night. Twico wooed and twice cast aside for some one richer in the world's wealth. " May Ingleheart, your heart must be a pitiful thing !" " Why do I wander here ?" is the question that intrudes itself upon the reflections of a young man as he idly paces a street near the home of her he has once loved. " Now Year's Eye; but I have no love to-night. Twice rejected 1 Phillip Stanley, think of that aud of love if you dare I" And hia feet keep pace 1 with- his thoughts, and they are wending whpre ? May Ingleheart still sits by the window, the longing yet in her eyes. All ot a sudden a toostep grates on the floorwithout; a shadow falls across the book on her lap. "May!" "O, Phillip 1" And heart meets heart as hand clasps hand. Before the New Year season was over May and Phillip were married. Their wedding day was the brightest, heralded in its it had been by one ot the most perfect New Year's eves. |