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Delivered From Evil

Delivered From Evil image
Parent Issue
Day
7
Month
April
Year
1871
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The twilight of mid July was full of tender, opal briglitness ; the scont of nsw mown hay, coming down from far off breezy slopes, floated in tho air, and just beyond the ebns in the hollow the full moon was rising uj - a gre&t globe of pearl, and froni her low seu.t beneath the overh&oging honeysuekles Berthu Wyman saw and feit all this summer beauty with the faint, blissful languor of a trojiie dream. " Borthu : " Paul Fordham crossed the broad ribbon of moonlight that fluttored over the piazza, and camc to sit down at Lis fiuncee's feet. " Ton are like a picture to-night, Bortha ; do you know it P ' " Am I 't" Miss Wyman was accustomed to adulat ii ui mul took it very coolly, with only a toral gmile flung down to her admirer. She was like a picture - fair and gracious, with liluu eyes, and groat coils of golden hair bound about hor hcad ; while even in the uncertain twiliglit, you could see that the color on her ehteks was softcr and more tenderly tinted than the blossoms of the great oleandor at her side. " Hush - who is that 'i " she said, with a little start, as a light footstep souuded on ihr matted hall beyond. "Only your aunt's companion, Mrs. lJayinond. By the way, Bertha, what a very interesting little thing she is - such a child widow, with those big black eyes, and the heavy lashes that senm actuaUy to weigh down her eyelids ! She malas me think of one of those esquíate little South Amtiiean birds, all grace and sparkle." " 1 ncver could account tor tüo taste 01 you men," said Bortha, half contemptuousljt " Xo, but she is a beairty, by Jove ! I bl y to you, long before I ever saw Mrs. llaymond, thcre's no telling what might have happened." He spoke jetíngly, but Bertha draw away the hand he had taken rathex ooolly. " It is not yet too late, Paul, if you really admire Zaidee Raymond so enth usiitötically." "Bertha!" Miss Wyman laughed a strange, unimtural sort of a laugh. Up to this moment her lips had never tasted the bittor cup of jealousy ; now it seenied as if the draught was maddening. How dared Paul Fordham, her betrothed lover, to sprak in tenns of commendation of any woman save herself 't Bertha was one of those unfortunate creatures whohave what is termed " a high temper," and all her life it had been unbridlud. She had never leamed the leeson of self-control, and it was too late to begin now. Miss Wyman wtmtup to her own apartment earlior than usual that evening, not because she wantod to punish Paul Fordham, who was fond of moonlight, and sentiment, and delicious July evenings, for his unwarrantable notice of her aunt's dark-cved oompanion. As sïie sat at her window, brushing out the wiivy, feathery gold of hei magnificent hair, the sound of voices on the piazza below Ctrrestod her attention. She listened a moment, holding the golden masses away from her head, with her carlet lips half apart. It was Paul Fordham and Zaidee liaymond. " I thought so," she uiurmured uuder her Ineath. " It would be no bad speculation for the poverty-stricken widow to wilo Paul Fordham and his wealth into her nets. I knew she was aitful, despite her innocent, childish wuys ; but if she dares to como in collision with me, slic shall be crushcd - ci-ushed as I would strike a noisome insect to the ground." She sat there, silent and motionless, for wcll nigh half an hour ; then thcre came a soft tap at her chamber door. " Come in," said Bertha Wyman. And Mrs. llaymond entered. " 1 beg your pardon for disturbing you, Miss Wyman, but were you aware that you had left your bracelet on the piazza noor ? Here it is." " Tt. fakes vou and Mr. Fordham some time to discover the loss of a bracelet," said Bertha, tauntingly. "I am really : sorry to have given you the trouble of so lengthened a search." Zaideo llayinoud's check flushed painfully. " If you would but allow me to confidc in you, Miss Wyiuan," shc faltored, drawing a step or two nearer to the haughty Saxon beauty. " Mr. Fordham has told me - " " I do not wish to become the repository of your confidence," said Bertha, with ehilling abruptness ; " nor do I care what Mr. i'ordham chooses to teil you. Good night." " I should have struck her in another second," she murmured to herself, toaiing the tiny lace frill away froin her throbbing throat, as if its slight pressuro impcded her free respiration. " I have seen the nurses shrink away from ïno, as a child, when my temper rose. ïhere WW murdcr in my eyes, they said. I think murder camo into my heart, when I stood there facing that treacherous black-eyed woman. Let her beware how she ventures to come between me and mine !" Unconscious Paul Fordham ! If he could ouly have known, as he paced up and down the dewy lawn, smoking lus cigar, the thoughts that wcre passing through the mind of his lovely betrothed! " Bertha," he said, the next aftemoon, as they stood together by the great, spicy sweetbrier bush, " do you know I had quite a chat with Mrs. liaymond last night 'r" " I am aware of it," answered Bertha, indifferently, stooping to gather a scented spray. " And by Jovc, Bertha, the littlo creaturc has had the ïaost romantic life, to " "I daré say," said Bortha, turning abruptly away. ' Tlie broozo is too strong out hore. I think I would ratlier go back to tho library." Paul starod at Lis coinpanion in uttcr bewildormont. " I supposo that means sho doesn't want to talk any more about Zaidee Raymond. Wcll, of all incomprehensible croatuivs, a woman is tho most incomprehensible ' Tlu-y aro leagues umi leagues beyond my penetration, the whole race ofthtui. 'l Bnpposed sho would bo interestod ; and Lera Bhe snaps ruy head off bcforo I got out a dozen words." And Paul followed Bertha to the Ubrary, confused, and not altogother pleteed, at the arbitrary dooisivenoss of the bcautiful blonde. It mi ü out a weck afterward that Bertha Wj jian was coming homo from a long walk to a distunt farm-house, whoro an old schiiolniato of hors resided. She had refuse Paul Fordhurus's escort, probably beosuse sho had sean him walking op and down the long hall with Mis. ïlaytnond at his side, that very moruing ; and now sho fult a little wearied, somewhat loncly, and very cross. The sun had boen down about half an liour, but the west was still LÜumined with a belt of orange brightnen, and the winding river, tangled along the shore with Btarry water lilies, reñeoted the wurm glow oi" the sky likc a second firmament. As Bertha descended into a little wooded hollow, fr.igrant with wild roses - for she had avoided the tlioroughfare, unfrequented though it was, and choson intead a shaded by-path - slie bocaine oonuious tli.it two other persons wero strollng along the road itsolf, from whom sho vas only divided by a tangled mass of vild grape-viues festooned from the Lender brunches of a few silver birchos - wo other persons - Paul Fordham and aidiH' liaymond. The color died away from Bertha's omewhat fluslic_d cheeks, as she pausod o listen, for they, too, had pauscd where two roads sepanited. " We must uot walk any fm-ther togother," said Paul Fordham's voice. " Nobody is to suspect anything yot, you know. We'11 sui"priso theni." And then oame Zaidoo's soft, hositating laugh. " It sccuis liko a dream. Mr. Fordham." " Bttt you will flnd it, I hope, a happy reality," he said, looking tenderly down opon hor bowed head. " You do not regret trusting in me F " " Oh ! " she murcnurcd, " I never droamed that carth had so much of happiness in store for me yot ! And I owc it all to you ! " And then Bortha could hear his footsteps dying away in the distancc ; sho could see Mrs. Kayniond standing motionless for a moment, with hor tiny hands dasped, and thc-n gliding on, lier scarlet scari' gliiwnering tliruugh the dusk like the wing of a Ccylon bird. "Falae! fuithless!" niunnurod Bertha ander her breath, with her white teeth set closoly together. " And she ! how dare sli.' f " Tho storm of hot, unreasoning fury that raged in her breast seemed to shake her slight frame as a leaf is shaken bv tho cqumoctial galo ; and her eyes litërally blazed with blue, baleful firV. At that iSStotibSÏ was murder in Uurtha Kt She lrarried down the twilight glade, the thorns tearing her dress, the briers wouuding her delicate flesh, but sho feit them uo more than if they had been rose petals blown towards her by the evening brceze. Somo strong, savage purpose was muturiug in her inind - somo overmastèring passion held her whole being in its grasp. She knew that, to strike into the right road, Zaidce must ere long take the secluded path she hen) U' was treading. Her solo aim was to rcach the tiny foot-bridgc whio.h crossed the narrow river first. And she succeeded. It was quite dark - the fragrant, starry darkness of a midsunmior night - when sho hurriod down the stecp, shelving bank. "The planks are old and ruinous," slic munuured. " Thoy shook and rattled irader my feet as I passed over to-day. Zaidee Kaymond shall come between nie and my plighted lover no more ! " As she crosscd, she deliberately stooped, tearing up plank after plank behind her, and throwing them into the river with a dull mlashi&g found. They were not Itirge, but had they been twiee, nay, three times their size, Bertha AVyman would have toiii tliem awuy from the mouldering boams, so supernatural seemed her Btrengtb in that instant. " There," she said, half aloud, paushig to look down into the peaceful atream wliere the planks floatcd aniid the faint reflectiou of innumerable stars. " Long ago when I was a child, a man was drowned here. The water is deep and the spot very lonely." The next moment sho was gone, lmrrying madly iway, as if somo unxc en jncsence were following close upon her footsteps. " You're late to-night, Bertha f" Paul was looking out for her from the piazza steps, and caine plcasantly to meet her. "I know it," she said, putting the hair away from her forehead, where the cold dew stood in beads. It's a long way l'iüin Eedcote Farm, and I - I did not walk very fast." " Como and sit by me, Bertha," said Paul ; ". I'vc a long story to teil you." " What is it 't " she asked mechanically. "It's about little Zaidce Eaymond. She's not a widow after all." " JN ot a witlow r " No ; and liow do you supposo I found it out ? Cliilbrd, my cousin Clift'ord, wrote to me from [ndia, and !ie is hor husband. You sco therc was sorac niisundcrstanding, some absurd quarrel betwoon thom boforo tho honcyiiioon was over. He was a jcalous fooi, and sho was passionatc, and sho ran away and left him. He somchow heard Ühftt she was in this part ot' the country, and wrote to mo. Of courso, the minute I got a chanco to spoak to her I know it was Zttideo. And sne is the happiest little creature in the world to think he really lovcs her, and next week sho's going out to him. I'vo managed it all. Don't you think I'm a pretty good diploniatist '(" His face wu fairly radiant with honest pleasure as he looked down into Bertha's face. She did not see the gaze ; her v s wide opon and dilated, were fixed on vacaney, and her face was doadly white. Mcrciful God of Hcavon ! What had sho done, in the wild, unreasoniiifi madness of her jealousy ! Was she a murdercss ? Was tho blot of Cain upon her brow ? Alas ! for tho wild remorse that gnawcd at her heart all the slow creeping hours ofthai dresdful night ! Had the wealth of a hundred worlda been licrs, slic would have choefully given it all to undo tho work of those few moments on the lonely bridge ! Nay, shc would have died herself, in all the bloom of her youth and hope and beauty, to wipe out that brief kalf hour of her life ! When she rose tho next morning she looked as if an illness of months had passed over her head. " How ill you look, dear ! " said her aunt. " I am afraid that walk was too muchfor you yesterday. And it's so stimige that Zaidee did not como home i last night. " " Strange ! " As Bertha closcd her heavy eyes sho almost scemed to sou the dead face turned npwaxd .-niiong the wator lilies, witU its wealth of jotty hair tanglod aiuid their wreathed sterns. Oh, God ! as long its she lived that white face would haunt her waking orsleeping houw. Would it bo long before they found tinc"r]isc p Woold they bociag it up tho flowery lawn, with the long hair dripping or would it float thore for days, perhaps, in the lonely spot'i And " Why Zaidee ! where have you been all this time F " Bertha started up, with a wild, hysterie seream. It was her aunt's voice, and Zaidee Eaymond stood in the. midst of theni, with blooming cheeks, aud soft, dimpling sniiles. JS.t r armer tjeary s, to bo sure. It wus so dark when I passed there last night that the kind soul.s insistod on my staying therc with tkem ïmtil moruing. And it was a very lueky thing I did, tbr when we got to tho bridge this morning wo found tliat the thunder-shower in the Dight had raised the stream and washed away halt' tliose ruinous old planks ! " Bertha Wjunan rose and camo toward Zaidee, taking her to her bosom with a strong, tender pressuro that tho young creaturo searce understood. " Oh, Zaidee, we wcro so frightened ! Tliank Heaven yon ure gafe once moro ! Dearest Zaidee, Paul has told me all, and I am so glad ! " It' (iver woinan spoke f.iom the bottom of her heart Bertha did at that moment. The next vc;uk Mis. Raymond went out to join her husband in India ; and a month afterwai-d Paul Fordham was married to Bertha, whose unwonted gentleness and sweetness of demeanor rather astonislied the household. "Something has changed her very much, " said the good old aunt. But no ono ever know what the " somothing " was that had wrought such an alteration in Bertha's character.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus