THE WEST SHORE.
173
She glanced round, startled, like a hunted creature, must ooour before the child brother and sister oould be
"Nothing, nothing. I don't know what I am Haying, grown-up roan and wifw; nn Miewns hnpr-v with a bright
On I let me go, and she sprang up, aud would have fled, happiness she had not known tor years.
He stood in her path and waved her back. " Not yet,"
he said. "I have something to say to you, Lise. Bit
down. Leave your hands in mine. Now look into my
eyes and listen. You and I are before God, Lise, to
getherapart from the world and here, if only for once,
we should be true. Lot us put aside subtorf ugo and pre
tence, and speak heart to heart, as we always did when
we were innocent children. Your happiness is my doar
est wiBli. and your happiness is at stake. Lise, I have
"My little dove has enjoyed her aftermxm at the
pastor's," said Horr Barmann, his face broadening with
satisfaction. "Aud she littlo knows the happiness in
store for her. I might tease you, Lisuhon, but God for
bid! I will not koen you in suspense. Ulrioh is horol"
It was well that it was dark. As ho said those throo
pregnant words Lise Boomed to shrink and collapse. Bhe
stood an instant as if paralyzed, thou some ono came out,
a voico that was Frana'a sounded cheerily, hor hand was
only two things to ask you: the first is that you will look clasped in the kind, close grasp sho know so woll,
straight into mv eves, and toll mo what vou road there." " We must toll Lise why I am here. We owe her an
She struggled faintly. " You are hard too hard upon explanation." Fran had seated himself on a gardon
me, Alexis."
Then she knew. " Look at mo, Lise," he Baid, deter
minedly. She raised her eyes to his, and stayed, as if
fascinated. Fate had mot her on the very threshold of
her life, storn, unrelenting and she had sucouiiiImhI
Alexis knew she was in his hands, at his mercy. Hor
eyos filled with tears, the oorners of hor mouth drooped
piteously.
ohair, and was striking a match to light his cigar. Lise's
fingers clenched upon the back of her father a ohair to
save herself from falling. She was giddy with emotion.
Thon Fran, iu his usual straight, stern fashion, told
Lise the oirouinstancos of his visit He was there, by
invitation, to draw up the count's will; after which Horr
Barmann expatiated upon the family affair of the noble
family, and related how tho whole hopos of both the
"Do not make me say it," she sobbod; then hor head count and oouutoss wore centred in their only son,
fell upon his breast, her arms stole round his neck, where
they were held by his, strong in triumph.
As the two, conqueror and conquored, sat still, the
emotional waves of love, foar, regret and rolief, beating
upon their young bouIs, stoadiod by unity a man who
had boon leaning motionloss against the trunk of a tree
" Which, it is to lx hoped, the young man will repay
in tho futuro," said Franz, drily.
" The oouut is far too shrewd to leave the door open
for jxiesible thieves," was Horr Barmann a remark.
" From what I hoard from tho gnftdige Frau, all will be
arranged that should Count Alexis take any serious Btep
,-n tl. hnoWnnnd. steocored awav into the shades as aoainst thoir wish he will be a Iwggar. This is only
one drunk or demented, following the footpath as if by right Alexis is young and impetuous. He baa a good
instinct till he came to an open glado, whore the length, hoart, but with his exoctations is naturally natiorou, ami
ening sunbeams quivered on the greon moss, whore a is a target for unscrupulous p-Miple. If he knows that
quiet pool mirrored the sky, and fair lilies lay peacefully the first filial disolmdionoe will I followed by disinherit
on its surface as kind thoughts on a pure, God-loving anoo, ho will think twice before he acts."
"True," assented frans. man ue sinrwxi up, a
white figure glided out of sight asd disappeared. " Lisa
has gone," he remarked
" Only to see about supor, my friend, 'd the In-
tendant " Lot us smoke."
Meanwhile poor Lise was going through hor first great
. . I t 11 11. I ! I Iff
agony, one was too intrinsically gow w unoeive unrsuii.
She realized the position. She knew that her duty was
plain: to give up Aloxis, at once, for always, and alter
wards to toll Franz what had passed between them and
soul It was Franz Ulrich.
"Ulrich is very remiss. At loast, he might have
written," thought Herr Barmann, disappointed when he
returned home to find no sign of his expected guost
Then he soothed his vexation by his usual resource his
pipe. He was pondering Lise's affairs in his mind as lis
smoked, leaning back in his chair on the grass plat, when
the door bell sounded, and Ulncb appeared.
After Herr Barmann's joyous weloome was over, he
said to his future son in-law: " I cannot congratulate you the true slate of hor feelings, leaving tho issue iu his
on your looks. But perhaps you are anxious alwut Lise? hands.
She is only spending the afternoon at the pastor's. I " I must write to Aloxis to-night" Her pnpor was
will send for her." ,H,'r6 ,l0r u,,r ln WIW in 'uk tl,on tween
"Pray do not," was on Ulrich's li-arrosted by a her and the blank jmgo came tho recollection of the
peal of the belL He woll know who it was. Projiaro bright, boyish face as sho had soon it last, glowing with
Lise to moot me," he said abruptly to her father, and dis- lovo and triumph. Tho jhmi was dashed down. " I can
appeared into the house. The white dress fluttered in not; it is too cruel!" sho nobbed. But with the relief of
the sunlight, and in a moment Lise's arms were round tears came tendr thoughts that cooled her passion as if
her fathor's neck, her warm kisses were on his cheok. it were fanned by angels' wing; thoughts of her dad
She was exalted in the first ecstasy of happy love. Alexis mother, whose pain had been lessened, whose death had
hail her promise that she would tell Ulrich tho truth, and been consol.d, by the countess. Should she repay her
would strive with him against the natural obstacles that mother's U1 frwiid by a cruel iujury-for such Lise'a