THE WEST SHORE.
.125
day for one day; bat what a day it bad been! I
picked Borne white flowers and placed them in her
dead hands, and the sad procession started.
It was Georgia's mother who met us at the door
of the little inn, where we had been so happy, and
where we now laid the body gently down. She
seemed to have a right to fold those beautiful hands
to their rest the hands which had saved her boy. I
moved as in a dream, bat my one overmastering feel
ing was that the lady's work mast be done. I asked
directions for the road, took up the box, and, refusing
all offers of company, set off on my way.
It was getting late in the evening now, bat my
sole longing was for night and loneliness. I seemed
to feel no fatigue, and was so engrossed with my er
rand that the shock of what had happened seomed
hardly to find place in my brain. I tried not to think
of how we had gone up the hill together; I tried to
forget where we had tamed to look at the view and
she had said: "This mast be the last, the very last,
the night will overtake as." And the night had over
taken her nay, rather, the eternal day had found
her.
There was a strange calm upon me. The shadows
were deepening, but I hardly noticed them, for my
road was at present straight and direct, till a wild
rash of wind whistling around the crags told me that
a storm was near and thunder shook the hills a mo
ment later. Then flash after flash of lightning lit op
the mountains, and the rain fell heavily. I was so
afraid that the box and its contents might snfTor, that
for a few minutes I remained in the shelter of a rock.
It was where two roads met, and I was in doubt
which to take, when a brilliant flash of lightning sud
donly showed me the figure of a wayfarer taking the
road to the right It was a woman. "What an even
ing for her to be out," I said to myself; and then I
called out loudly to her, but she took no notice. " I
will follow her," I said, "if she can face the storm I
can."
I had taken off a light waterproof ooat I wore and
fastened op the box In it, so that it could not be in
j'ared by the rain, and then I followed the solitary
woman. Quickly as I walked, I was unable to over
take her, but I persevered in the road she had taken,
till I came to the river which the lady had told me I
must cross. To my dismay, as I reached it, I saw the
ruins of a small foot bridge being washed helplewly
away down the stream. The river was much swollen
by recent storms and seemed far too deep and rapid
for fording at this place. It was all strange to me.
How was I to cross it? The evening ligbrwas ut
fading, What was I to do? To my great utoobb.
ment, the soliUry woman, I had seen paused
the edge of the stream,' then swiftly turning to Us
left, walked along a narrow path among the reeds and
rushes by the side of the river. I followed, feeling
sure she must have some knowledge of the locality
and that she was perhaps acquainted with some other
crossing place. The woman sped on over the narrow
path beside the swollen stream. At last she paused
and I was able to come up to her.
" Can you toll me?" I began, and then an Inde
finable awe swept over me and I began to tremble.
When I attempted to speak again my tongue refused
to move, for the shadowy figure turned its face toward
me, and it was the face of the lady who was dead.
She pointed across the stream, and I noticed that
there were large stepping stones which she seemed to
bid me croos, but she then paasod on swiftly amongit
the reeds by the river side into the twilight gtoom.
I watched her form till it fadtvl away, then croaied
the stream and wont op the road on the other side as
directed. About two miles farther on 1 came in sight
of the turrets of Tredegar Hall. It stood on a hill,
and there was a broad stone terrace In front on which
the windows opened, and a lawn planted with trees
and shrubs sloped down to the road on which I was
walking. I saw a pleasant path loading across the
lawn and at once turned into it
To my consternation, however, I found that In
stead of leading either to the front or back of the
bouse it came out on the terrace exactly under the
large windows, which were open. The lights were
burning inside. Two gentlemen were sitting by one
of the windows smoking. As I drew near I was con
cealod by the shadow, and their voices, raised In dia
pute, came clearly to me through the still, evening
air
M You see, the promised proofs of your innocence
have not come to hand; I must stick to my word and
rrfaae consent till they do," said the rider man.
I can not understand It," rejoined the younger.
" Your elder daughter promised they should be hers
by this time. She loved her sister Margaret and
knew her happiness was bound np In mine."
M Hat yoa will see I can not permit an engage,
ment with my daughter while a shad of suiplclon
rests on your character."
M I quite see, and were it not for the certainty of
tbe proofs I should despair. Hark I Did yoa not
hear a step?"
M I can't say that I did; but she will Dot come
bow. No, Hector, my boy, Uks my advle. forget
this cWld of mine, go out to India and live It down."
Hector shook Lis bead sadly as ha tamed his face
to the window. Bodily his face light! op with
glow of bop
" Sir, there Is your elder daughter crowing the
terrace. I can see her. dlatlnctly. Look, she Las