The west shore., June 01, 1885, Page 171, Image 11

THE WEST SHORE.
171
The next morning Lise was herself. Her brief im
prisonment was over. She went singing about the house,
nnd after tho miJJuy moJ was over, dressed herself care
fully in a fresh white dress, trimmed with ribbons whose
color matched her blue eyes, and taking hor work-bag,
weut to the pastor's.
At the end of the village the simple little church, with
the tall, sharp spire, Btood in the graveyard Close by
was the pastor's house, a white cottage half hidden by
foliage. As Lise approaohed, some little girls who were
playing in the garden ran to the low fence and woloomed
her, clapping their hands.
"Here's Lischen!" they oriod, and thoir mother, a
thin, little woman with kind eyes, dressod as simply as
any peasant in a colored ootton gown, came out of the
house, not pausing for a momont in hor busy knitting.
"That is right," she said, and mother, children and
Lise went and sat on the benches undor the Blonder,
waving trees at the end of the garden.
After yesterday's montal turmoil it soothed the giil
to be in that quiet spot Sitting there on tho bench, the
flickering shadows playing quietly upon tho turf at hor
feet, the quiet, round-eyed children gravoly watching her
as Bhe showed them the new stitch, Lise folt softened and
inolined to justify the elders for separating hor from
Alexis.
"Perhaps it is as well," she thought; thon she blushed.
She had recognized in that instant that they loved each
other that she was false to Franz!
" Why are you so red, LiHe?" asked little Elizabeth,
quaintly. Mother, why is Lise so red?"
"The sun, I suppose," said the Frau Pastorin, and
Bhe asked af tor Herr Ulrioh.
Lise turned pale. " I have not heard from him for
some days," was her reply.
"There is nothing wrong, I hope, my child?"
Lise shook her head. " Not with Aim," she said, sig
nificantly. "With you, then, Lise?"
Lise glanced upward. This disoovory of her own
feelings, coming suddenly, as a shock, had unhinged hor.
She felt almost dolirious. She spoke, and l.ardly knew
what she said, but her last words were an apeal for ad
vice. She found herself begging the Frau Pastorin to
tell ber whether a girl would be justified in breaking an
engagement should she find out she oould not love the
man to whom she was betrothed, as a woman should love
her husband.
The Frau Pastorin was aghast. In her experience
girls were gonerally only too glad to be betrothed to a
good, kind man.
" You Ind better ask the pastor," she said, and hurried
away into the house to get his coffee, for she saw him
coming.
"Ah, Lise!" said the pastor, coming toward them.
"It is hot," and he took off his hat and sank into gar
den chair.
The Frau Pastorin felt the confidence a responsibility;
and presently, when the Mutor settled to smoke afWr
drinking his coffee, she sout the children away and told
hor husband Lise had something to ask him. But Lise
oould not speak, so tho good woman, with delicate tact,
proposed the question Lise had asked. The pastor
smoked in Bilonoe, and Lise bent low over hor work.
Then he said:
'.'You ask mo whethor a woman's whim should bo
allowed to break a good man's heart? A ourious ques
tion, Lise."
Sho looked up, startled.
" I am not using extravagant expressions. A betrothal
is a solomn contract A man does not ask a woman to be
his wifo unless he fools that bo loves her as his wifo; and
no truo Oorman girl places her hand in his and vows her
self to him without a reciprocal feeling. With othors,
volatile and frivolous, who do not rooognixe tho sanctity
of marriage, I havo nothing t do. They should apply
to oitixona of the world for advice."
" You are severe, Herr Pastor," said Liso. She oould
hardly speak, and presently she pleaded home work, said
good-bye, ami left them.
Littlo Elizabeth ran to the garden fence ami poeed
wistfully after her young godmother, watching tho white
figure growing smaller and BinaHer, as the girl walked
quickly across tho fields, till it quivered against the dark
forest shades like a nodding daisy, and disappeared.
Then the child started back.
"Hulloa, little one," said a man's voice, and a tall
figure seemed to tower aUve her like a giant " Fraulein
Lise is here, is she not?"
" No, Count Alexis," quavered the shy, childish voice.
" Liso wont away iu a hurry, and she Is in the forest"
"Thank you, little one."
And before little Elixatath hail recovered her fright
and oouf usion, Alexis seemed growing smaller and smaller
as he strode rapidly after Liso.
" lie does go quick," thought the pastor's daughter,
bobbing her whito-oappod littlo head over the fence, and
watching the tall, military figure till it too disappeared.
Then she had a fresh surprise. She saw a grave young
man, with a Mack (ward ooming along the road. He
stopped opposite Elizalielh, and fixing his serious black
eyes Uxn her, lifted his cap, and asked her " which was
Herr liarmann'a house?"
The child stared fascinated Her thoughts traveling
those mysterious and misunderstood mental paths of
childhood she said " Do you want Liso, too, like Count
Alexis?"
A strange expression crossed the man's face. He ad
justed a strap that pressed his shoulder too tightly, then
he said with a sad smile, "Then you know Fraulein Lise 7'
" She Is my godmother."
"She is here?"
" No; there there," and Elizalwth pointed gravely to
tho forest The dark young man hesitated, looked round
then almently raising his cap, took the same road as tho
others.
The pastor's words had been as Kwerful words often
are to the mentally letlmrifio - tliey had suddenly ami