OCR Text |
Show At first my only anxiety was lest she should fall from the siwldlo, but soon the nppalling sound of the cataract, wet my ears, while at the same ffiStan a wild cry from Louise assurred ine that she, too, was aware of her danger. I urged my horse forward. I was at her side; to save her now required scarcely scarce-ly an exertion, when, like a flash of lightning, the Prince of Darkness whispered whis-pered in my ear, "If she dies there is none between you and Harry Vane's love." With a sudden jerk I reined in my horse, and LouiHe dashed on. A new sound greeted me. I turned and saw Harry Vane tearing madly along the road. He passed me, and as his eye met mine I saw tliat he had witnessed wit-nessed and understood my murderous act. Never shall I forget that scene. Louise swaying wildly in her saddle on the mad animal, dashing frantically on to destruction. Harry Vane, badly mounted, yet by almost snperhtimnn ex-ertion ex-ertion gaining on her, and I gazed spellbound spell-bound after both. Scarcely an instant had passed when the enormity of my crime sent a shudder through my frame. "I am better mounted than either and can save her yet," I mnttered, as I urged my horse forward. I passed Harry, reached once more the side of Louise and had my arm extended ex-tended to save her, when suddenly my horse stumbled, slipped and fell headlong head-long to the earth. I started to my feet, saw Vane go by, grasp wildly at Louise already on the edge of the chasm, saw his horse stumble and all go over the brink into the fearful abyss below. Hazel Brown in Atlanta Constitution. winds of December were howling when we met again. Louise had come to New York to spend a few weeks .with me. We hated each other hotly, had always done so, and yet our interchange of visits was frequent. Nor was there any hypocrisy in this; each understood the feelings of the other thoroughly; there was not the slightest deception; but each understood that for convenience sake the outward appearance of civility must be maintained. I had not seen Harry since summer, but shortly after Louise's arrival he, too, came to New York. The next day he came to dinner and spent the evening. Louise at his request had played and 6nng. She had done her best, and done well. And this brings me to the opening scene of this sketch. All the time I had been sitting with crossed hands, gazing vacantly into the fire and thinking with throbbing heart and glowing cheek that the moment of my triumph was at hand. He loved music, and what was Her talent to mine? She had not heard me for years, for in my misanthropy I had refused to play for any one, and .only practiced when entirely alone. Had she known the truth she would never have touched a piano in my presence. pres-ence. But she grew weary of playing and he, starting from a dreamy trance, arose and set a chair for her by his "Would you favor us, Martha?" she asked, in a half triumphant, half insolent inso-lent tone. . " He gave her an impatient glance; it was provoking to have the charm of her musio broken by any ordinary perforni- Is'aw at a glance and understood it perfectly; but without a word I arose and seated myself at the instrument. I saw them exchange smiles; then ho threw back his head and closed his eyes, aa if rasiening himself to what could not napplness. in this state of mind I one day asked her if she would like to see Harry Vane. The flushed cheek and quick glance told how grateful was the question, and made me reproach myself for not mentioning the subject before. He came of course at my request; my slightest wish had become his law, bnt his stay was very brief. A few days passed and then I, knowing know-ing the pleasure his visit had afforded, desired him to see her again. He had scarcely entered the room when I was summoned away and they were left alone. Precisely what passed in that strange interview I never knew, but enough I gleaned to assure me that Louise made him believe that her illness and approaching death she told him she was dying were caused by his indifference. in-difference. Such statements could but make a powerful impression on his highly sensitive sensi-tive nature. He was bound by no promise to -me, and possibly not knowing the madness of my love pledged himself to her. I do not think her sickness had been entirely feigned. Pride and chagrin had so preyed on her mind as to produce a slight illness, of which she had availed hersslf to the utmost. Day by day she grew stronger. In a little while she was able to leave her room, and soon, the weather becoming milder, to take a short drive. Harry was her constant companion. I do not believe he loved her. I do not believe it now; but a feeling of chivalry prompted him to devote himself to the woman who, for his sake, had ventured on the doubtful borders of the grave. I did not learn all at once. It was some time before the full conviction dawned on me, and then I hated her. All my fine theories were blown to the wind. I felt and knew that the love for which she pined with the wantonness of a spoiled child was to me life itself. She left ns. Spring came, and with :i fvnm T.nniRft fLKlrinor me to sne ten us. rjjuiug it a letter from Louise asking me to come to her home and be her bridesmaid. brides-maid. She was to be married early in May. I went, of course. I found Louise just as I had expected to find her proud of her conquest, and yet half dreading the man who, in the intercourse of married life, would soon fathom her worthless heart.. We rode out one bright, sunny morning morn-ing to enjoy the pure air and visit the cataract, which the recent rains had swollen to a miniature Niagara. My bright morning bad a fearful ending- After half an honr'a rapid nding we reined our horses in on the edge of a steep bank overlooking a beautiful rivu-it rivu-it The seen below was delightful. JlY VENGEANCE. f s at last. We were in the libra-rated libra-rated before tiie grate, gazing f into the fire; be in an armchair t. and she at the piano. I months before I had met Harry I the out-of-the-way country vil-lfre vil-lfre chance had thrown us both. o child; twenty-three summers pta had passed over my head I me a wearied, unsatisfied worn- h numerous acquaintances but Inds, much wealth but no happi-pny happi-pny lovers but no one to love. f ane was seven years my sen-loducated, sen-loducated, traveled, polished man f orld in its best sense. We were pettier. Our tastes were similar, on many, perhaps most, points Inions were diametrically oppo- I admired, then loved him. I months of unalloyed happiness I loved him with an intensity r I myself almost shuddered, I Perhaps because he bad nothing Fj0. loved me. How did I know I loved me? I never could explain, f'ght sneer at the foundation on FT belief rested, and possibly you e right. I Louise Damerton, having wear-jharatoga wear-jharatoga and Newport, and hav-pme hav-pme chance discovered my hid-ri hid-ri came too. Fas vary beautiful. Even I, who Pwn her from childhood, and Ifcow false was her heart and how I worthless her character, was E to admit that a more peerlessly f woman I had never seen. I three days had passed I felt Pas losing the only human being I had ever cared, and ere a F gone I knew that for the time P 1 had lost him. Her beautiful F tasteful dress and her innocent, n mnner had completely en-I en-I the man for whom I would have I my soul. f tllat we were stopping at an out-pay out-pay village. The resident them-raia them-raia that it had not grown any in Prs, and this statement was read-r!T read-r!T by the chance visitors, who r in the whol place there was FnSw piano. This was an nnfail-prcs nnfail-prcs of annoyance to Harry Vane, Vs Passionately fond of music, and fn learned that Louise was pro-I pro-I to the art. r summer passed away, autumn ptur party brok np. " The cold be avoided. Before I struck a down notes, however, how-ever, his head was raised, and in less than five minutes he was at my side. For an hour or mora I played, and he, enraptured with the strains, never left m After that he called almost daily, and with a triumphant swelling of my heart I saw how completely Louise had lost her influence aud how my own was reestablished. re-established. Once more I felt that he loved me and this time not because I happened to be the only woman near buttecausefromahost of competitors he had chosen me of his own good will Louise saw that her almost certam conquest had becomea most defeat It cut her to th quick that I, Ser avowed enemy, should depnve her laaae4b?tSvS on a desperate expedient. She became ill. For several days she was confined to her room, bought it only a temporary disorder til the physician phy-sician gravely informed me that IDss Damerton's friends ought to be notified. I was greatly startled. My heart rat ve me for the part I had acted toward har, and thinking she waa dymg I beyan to rkison howmuch better it would have been if I had made no effort to regain En Vane's love, I thonght how much wSd str.ngrlwaa than rhts fra, flower; how much easier it would be for me to go through life thf?t weak cbild-vai. and trifling as I know "te-who had never for a single depended on herelfjor pieasuror The sparkling water, the white pebbles, ! the green moss and sweet violets made a picture never to be forgotten. ! "We must have some of those flowers as souvenirs of our ride," Harry remarked, re-marked, as he directed his horse down . the declivity. He had reached the margin of the brook, dismounted, and was abont to gather the violets, when a loud shriek from Louise caused both him and me to turn our eyes toward her. From some cans her horse had become be-come restiv and she not being able to control him bad darted off at a rapid pace along the road. The animal dashed along like the wind, and, although having a surer horse and being better rider, I was obliged to nee every exertion in order to ourtalr kts |