PRETTY ROSE HALL 
 
 OR 
 
 The Power of Love 
 BY 
 
 LAURA JEAN LIBBEY 
 
 HART SERIES No, 39 
 
 COPYRIGHT 1885 BY GEO. MUNRO. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK COMPANY 
 CLEVELAND, U. S. A. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Chapter I 5 
 
 Chapter II 33 
 
 Chapter III 21 
 
 Chapter IV 31 
 
 Chapter V 36 
 
 Chapter VI 43 
 
 Chapter VII 50 
 
 Chapter VIII 57 
 
 Chapter IX (53 
 
 Chapter X 70 
 
 Chapter XI 76 
 
 Chapter XII 82 
 
 Chapter XIII 88 
 
 Chapter XIV , 94 
 
 Chapter XV. . . . .. . . : 100 
 
 Chapter XVf -.-. *! 106 
 
 Chapter XVII 4 . 112 
 
 Chapter XYHI : ;.";,. :..,....::., 119 
 
 Chapter* XIX .;/.*..... : . :.*.:. ..: 125 
 
 Chapter XX 130 
 
 Chapter XXI 137 
 
 Chapter XXTT 143 
 
 Chapter XXIII 150 
 
 Chapter XXJV 156 
 
 Chapter XXV 162 
 
 Chapter XXVI 1 70 
 
 Chapter XXVIT 174 
 
 Chapter XXVIII . 180 
 
 Chapter XXIX 186 
 
 Chapter XXX 1 03 
 
 Chapter XXXI 199 
 
 Chapter XXXTT 505 
 
 Chapter XXXTTT 211 
 
 Chapter XXXIV 217 
 
 Chapter XXV 223 
 
 Chapter XXXVI ?29 
 
 Chapter XXXVTT 
 
 Chapter XXXVIII 
 
 Ohapter XXXIX - .24? 
 
 Chapter XL 252 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL 
 
 OR 
 
 The Power of Lpve 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 " Rose Rose! where can she be? Aunt Hulda will 
 be so very angry with her when she discovers what 
 she has done." 
 
 The words were uttered in a sweet anxious voice, 
 by a fair-haired young girl in a blue sailor suit, with 
 a sailor hat crushed down over her fair curls, who ran 
 lightly down the narrow strip of beach to the water s 
 edge, and shading her tear-swollen blue eyes with her 
 little white hands, looked eagerly over the vast expanse 
 of wave rippling and dancing under the golden light 
 of the June sunshine. 
 
 " It is almost noon and Rose has been gone since 
 early morning; what could have detained her? what 
 if anything has happened to her> our beautiful, daring, 
 willful Rose! " 
 
 Lillian Hall s heart gave a quick terrified throb at 
 the bare thought. 
 
 Vv ith a thoughtful face she turned and retraced her 
 stens to the old light-house, that stood like a monu- 
 
 970400 
 
6 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 ment in gray stone on this little island on the Maine 
 coast. 
 
 Lillian and Rose Hall were the nieces of Abel Martin, 
 the old light-house keeper. A strange mystery 
 shrouded their presence here. Why two young and 
 startlingly Ipvejy gjrljs were forced to dwell within 
 the citeary wV-lls b f: the isolated old light-house, where 
 no Jiurna.n ,ey, ; r,av : e t that .of Abel Martin and his wife 
 Kvikla; ever. dwek- : up 6ri their wondrous beauty, is the 
 story we have to tell. 
 
 Lillian was seventeen ; Rose a year younger. 
 
 Lillian was sweet and good with the fair beauty of 
 an angel, but Rose ah, how shall I find words to de 
 scribe the dark, passionate, glowing beauty of Rose 
 Hall the young girl whose life held so tragic a story. 
 A dark, piquant, dimpled face ; cheeks and lips as crim 
 son as the glowing heart of the flowers whose name 
 she -bore; great, dark, velvety. Oriental eyes shaded 
 by the longest and silkiest of lashes, a low, broad brow 
 crowned with rings of curling love-locks, darker than 
 a raven s plume, and a saucy smiling mouth that 
 seemed made only for love s sweet kisses, and rippling 
 taughter. 
 
 Lillian was gentle and good. Rose, gay, dashing, 
 
 restless Rose, was full of faults; at once the torment 
 
 and darling of the light-house. With all her faults, 
 
 imperious, willful, beautiful Rose, was the best loved 
 
 "and most carefully guarded. 
 
 On this June morning a strange event shrouded in 
 the deepest mystery happened, which was to break up 
 Jbrever the peace and quiet of the inmates of the light 
 house on the isolated island. 
 
 Late that morning a stranger had visited the island, 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 placing in Abel Martin s hands a thick square package 
 in a large official envelope, bearing a foreign post 
 mark The moment the old light-house keeper s eyes 
 fell upon it even before he took it in his shaking 
 hands, he knew but too well what it contained, that 
 which he most dreaded had happened atjast. . 
 
 Neither Lillian or Rose saw the stranger come or 
 saw him depart. Together, with ,b?ted breath, Abel 
 Martin and his wife, Hulda, scanned the folded slip of 
 paper which bore their names, slowly reading the 
 command written there. 
 
 "Oh, my God! " cried Hulda, pale as death, with in 
 tense excitement, " it is too late to think of such a 
 thing after all these years. It must not, it shall not be. 
 I would rather see them both dead and buried," she 
 cried out, bitterly, covering her head with her gingham 
 apron, and rocking herself to and fro in utter abandon. 
 " Abel, she cried, creeping up to him and laying her 
 trembling hand on his arm, " I am strongly tempted to 
 throw this letter into the sea, oh, so bitterly, cruelly 
 tempted. It would be better for both Lillian and 
 Rose/ she added, hoarsely. " No one could prove that 
 we received it, despite what the messenger may say. 
 It is for us to deny it." 
 
 " Duty is duty, Hulda," replied the old light-house 
 keeper, in a voice equally as husky as her own. " Re 
 member, the choice is left with the girls. I will stake 
 my life upon it neither of them will decide " 
 
 He did not finish the sentence, a light step sounded 
 on the gravel walk outside the door, and Lillian 
 entered. 
 
 She had quite expected to hear the question from 
 
8 PRETTY ROSE HALT,. 
 
 her aunt s lips, " Where is Rose?" and she knew that 
 she must answer truthfully. 
 
 " Rose has disobeyed you, Aunt Httlda, she has 
 taken the little boat and gone out upon the water 
 some hours -since." 
 
 Tliefi:stie w0ul<J 4 jjHt lier arms around Aunt Hulda s 
 neck, an d with tears" in her eyes plead for pardon for 
 
 To her great surprise the question was not asked, 
 instead a startling announcement fell from her aunt s 
 lips. 
 
 " Lillian," she said, caressing- the girl s fair hair, and 
 striving to choke back her bitter j.obs and speak calmly, 
 " I have a a little surprise in store for you and 
 Rose. You must both dress yourselves as quickly as 
 possible, we are to start within the hour for Rocky 
 Point. We may be gone a week, perhaps a fortnight." 
 
 Lillian looked up aghast. All her life both she and 
 Rose had pleaded for the privilege of accompanying 
 their aunt or uncle when they made their periodical 
 trips to Rocky Point, and it had been sl-ric:ly denied 
 them. What prompted her aunt to propose it; now she 
 could not even conjecture. 
 
 " We can not start within the hour, aunt/ she fal 
 tered, " Rose is not here," and in her gentle way she 
 confessed what Rose had done. 
 
 She expected a torrent of rage, instead her aunt stood 
 looking at her with a look in her eyes she could not 
 fathom. 
 
 There was a terrible war raging just then in Hulda 
 Martin s bosom. Had Providence a hand in absent 
 ing Rose from the island on this fatal day when all her 
 future was at stake? Had fate a hand in it? 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 9 
 
 A >\viit and terrible temptation occurred to rer. 
 Why not leave Rose behind and spare her? Not but 
 what she loved Lillian ; but, ah ! she loved Rose best. 
 If Rose could but be spared ! 
 
 Fiercely the battle between right and wrong 1 waged 
 in the woman s soul. It was over at last wrong had 
 triumphed over right. For weal or for woe, she had 
 shaped Rose s fate. 
 
 " Then you and I will go, Lillian," she said, steadily. 
 "Rose shall stop at home; we must start within the 
 hour." 
 
 " Oh, no ; let us wait for Rose ! " cried gentle Lillian, 
 in dismay. " How could I remain away from her a 
 whole week I, who have never been separated from 
 her an hour in her life? " 
 
 Despite Lillian s anxious pleading, Hulda Martin 
 was inexorable. If Rose was not on hand they would go 
 without her. 
 
 Half an hour later they had left the island. 
 
 "By not taking Rose I have spared her," was the 
 exultant thought that filled Hulda Martin s heart. 
 
 The boat containing Hulda Martin and Lillian had 
 scarcely faded from sight ere a young girl came rowing 
 over the sunlit waters in a little skiff. It was the 
 truant Rose. 
 
 " Dear me ! " she cried, tying the fluttering crimson, 
 ribbon more securely under her dimpled chin with her 
 slim brown fingers, and puckering her jetty brows into 
 something very like a frown, " it looks like rain and 
 a terrble rain-storm, too or I should not think of going 
 home for at least an hf.-ur yet : but Lillian will be lonely. 
 I must go IK- 
 
 Still, it was so pleasant out on the water the girl did 
 
10 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 not pr.t her resolution into execution until the great 
 tain-drups splashing upon her face startled her. 
 
 Abel Martin sat smoking his pipe in the doorway 
 of the light-house as Rose came running up the steep 
 path, flinging the rain from her long black curls. 
 
 " I suppose the storm blew you in," he remarked. 
 
 Rose laughed. 
 
 "Where s Lillian, uncle?" she asked, glancing, 
 around in surprise. 
 
 " Ay, ay, lass ; that s just what I was about to tell 
 you," he said slowly, " and there s no use in your fuss 
 ing and storming about it. Your aunt and Lillian have 
 gone to Rocky Point for a few days. You wasn t on 
 hand ; you stole away for a lark on the water all by 
 yourself, so now you are to pay the penalty by stop 
 ping at home here " 
 
 " But I won t ! " cried Rose, stormily, breaking into 
 a paroxysm of angry tears. " I will follow them to 
 Rocky Point, even if it were storming twice as hard ! " 
 she cried, stamping her foot. "It was infamous not to 
 take me ! " and the willful little beauty threw herself 
 down in Lillian s arm-chair, sobbing as though her 
 heart would break. 
 
 A week at the lonely old light-house, with only her 
 uncle and old Deborah, the servant, for companions ! 
 How could she ever endure it? how could she live 
 through it ? 
 
 She made up her mind to follow them as soon as the 
 storm should show signs of abating, for she well knew 
 no boat could live on the water just then. 
 
 And when pretty, willful Rose once made up her 
 mind to do anything, all opposition was in vain. 
 
 But as the nii^ht came on the terrible storm in- 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 11 
 
 creased. It was the worst night that had been known 
 on the Maine coast tVr years. 
 
 " Heaven help the vessels out on the water to 
 night, 5 old Abel muttered as he hobbled up the steep 
 steps to the tower to light the beacon lights. 
 
 The wind outside how r led like a banshee ; the great 
 waves mountain high lashed into fury by the mad, 
 driving storm, broke with a fearful roar over the gray 
 walls of the light-house till it trembled and rocked on 
 its foundation. 
 
 The sea-gulls, breasting the white-capped, curling 
 waves, mingled their terrible screams with the wild 
 warring of the tempest. The rain fell in torrents; 
 thunder and vivid forks of lightning were belched 
 forth from the ink-black sky. 
 
 It seemed as if the very flood-gates of heaven were 
 opened wide to drown the quivering earth on this 
 terrible and memorable night. 
 
 Rose Hall had followed her uncle to the tower and 
 together they lighted the lamps, both praying that 
 no vessel was out breasting the fearful storni to have 
 need of the signals in the tower to warn them off the 
 dangerous rocks. 
 
 Hark ! what was it that sounded over the fierce roar 
 of the maddened elements. Rose and her uncle strain 
 their ears to listen. The sound is repeated in quick 
 succession. 
 
 Boom ! boom ! boom ! 
 
 They looked at each other with white, startled faces ; 
 they know it is a ship in distress signaling for help. 
 Those on board have seen the danger signal ; but, alas, 
 the huge waves which they are powerless to resist 
 
are dashing their vessel each moment nearer the fatal 
 rocks. 
 
 Rose Hall by the momentary flashes of bright, white 
 lightning watches the terrible scene with horror- 
 stricken eyes. 
 
 In the meteoric light she sees a life-boat has been 
 lowered, and it is already full. Another flash and she 
 sees dark forms frantically pacing the deck, and as she 
 gazes those who have been left upon the fated vessel 
 cast themselves into the raging sea. Then darkness 
 reigns. 
 
 Rose Hall rises with a panting cry and springs to 
 ward the narrow stairway with a white, set face, and 
 reaches for her oil-skin jacket, which always hangs 
 there. 
 
 But a heavy hand is laid on the girl s shoulder. 
 
 "What would you do, Rose?" cried Abel Martin 
 forcing her back. 
 
 Rose points out toward the black sea. 
 
 " I am going to save some of them if I can," she 
 cried, hoarsely. " Let me go, Uncle Abel." 
 
 " Are you mad, girl ? " cried Abel Martin, aghast. 
 The sea will drag enough poor souls down without 
 you. You are surely mad." 
 
 But the girl wrenched herself free from his grasp. 
 
 " I can not stand idly by and see them perish. I 
 must try to save them. I am not afraid of the water. 
 You yourself have always said I would never die by 
 drowning. I must try to save some of them. Don t 
 hold me back." 
 
 Two soft arms hurriedly clasped the old man s neck. 
 A warm mouth was pressed to his for an instant. 
 Then, swift as a swallow, the girl flew down the old 
 
PRETTV KO>E HALL. 1 
 
 rfckety stairs of the light-house and out into the ter 
 rible storm. 
 
 The old light-house keeper dashed after the heroic 
 girl with terrible bitter cries. Too late! too late! 
 Tears and prayers alike are useless now. The life-boat 
 of daring Rose Kail was launched upon the terrible 
 sea, the mountain waves rolling high about her. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 In an instant the mad waves caught up the little 
 boat and tossed it far out upon the seething waters. 
 
 The girl s cheeks paled, but even in her deadly peril 
 her heroic courage did not forsake her. 
 
 In the momentary flashes of light she saw that she 
 was Hearing the doomed vessel, she could hear the 
 wild cries for help from those struggling in the water, 
 the foremost of whom was but a few rods from her. 
 
 He saw the dark object swiftly advancing, and knew 
 it was a life-boat, rescue was at hand. 
 
 " Help ! help ! " he cried, panting with exhaustion. 
 
 " Courage, I am coming/ Rose answered back in 
 a clear voice, and the next moment her little boat shot 
 up beside him, and he clutched at its side. 
 
 " Climb in steady ! cried Rose, fearful lest the ad 
 ditional heavy weight at the side would upset the boat. 
 
 I fear I can not manage it," groaned the man; 
 " my wrist is sprained and is so painful." 
 
 "But with Rose s aid it was accomplished ; and he 
 sunk down into the bottom of the boat quite exhausted. 
 
 The tiny boat would hold no more ; so Rose bent 
 again to the oars, striving to reach the beacon lights of 
 the light-house that gleamed in the distance. 
 
 In all the rears of her after life heroic Rose Hall 
 
14 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 never forgot the terrible hour that followed ; how the 
 oars were swept from her hands broken in twain like 
 thin reeds in a gale. How the tiny boat was dashed 
 about, until at last one wave more terrible than the 
 rest, dashed it high upon the rocks of her island home. 
 
 The old light-house keeper s joy knew no bounds. 
 She seemed like one given back to him from the 
 grave. 
 
 Between them, and with the aid of. the old servant 
 they conveyed the stranger, who had swooned from 
 exhaustion, into the house; and the light of the oil 
 lamps falling full upon him, revealed to Rose a fair- 
 haired, handsome young man. 
 
 The girl watched him with parted lips ; her whole 
 soul in her eyes. It seemed so strange that this 
 stranger should owe his very life to her. 
 
 All unmindful that she was wet and cold, and that 
 the sea-water was dripping from her dress, Rose knelt 
 down by the couch and watched them as they poured 
 a strong draught of brandy between the white lips. 
 
 At last he opened his eyes and his wondering gaze 
 fell upon Rose s glowing face. And in an instant a 
 recollection of what had happened flashed over him. 
 But in that instant Rose had disappeared. 
 
 "Who is that beautiful girl?" cried the stranger, 
 drawing his breath hard ; " for a moment I almost 
 believed I was in paradise/ 
 
 " It is my niece Rose Hall/ answered the old light 
 house keeper. 
 
 "Rose Hall," murmured the stranger; "the name 
 is like a poem," and he added under his breath, " v> "l-o 
 would have dreamed of meeting such a gloriously 
 beautiful young girl here? " and the same thought t-Mt 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 15 
 
 had flitted ihrough Rose s mind came to him. " To 
 think that I am indebted to her for my life." 
 
 All through the long- hours of the night, as the 
 stranger tossed restlessly upon the rude couch in the 
 old light-house, listening to the fitful storm outside, 
 he thought of the lovely face of Rose Hall. 
 
 " Can it be that I, who have seen some of the fairest 
 of girls and have cared for none of them, am in love 
 at last?" 
 
 He laughed to himself, and though the mouth shaded 
 by the golden mustache was handsome, that laugh was 
 not pleasant to hear. 
 
 Rose was up with the sun the next morning. A 
 gold-tinted dawn was born of the darksome night, and 
 the girl could almost have thought the terrible pro 
 ceedings had been but a dream, had it not been for 
 her little boat, quite a wreck, which lay upon the white 
 sands with the broken oars near it. 
 
 " Had the handsome stranger gone? " she wondered ; 
 " more than likely her uncle had rowed him over to 
 Rocky Point. Should she never see him again?" 
 
 Almost in answer to her thoughts, a quick, firm step 
 sounded on the sands, and the object of her thoughts 
 stood before her. 
 
 " Miss Rose." he cried, extending one of his hands 
 to her, the other he carried in a sling, " how can I 
 ever thank you for what you have done for me? " 
 
 Rose s little brown hand trembled like a fluttering 
 bird in his fervent clasp. 
 
 " I only did my duty," she stammered, blushing 
 hotly, her beautiful dark eyes drooping beneath his 
 ardent gaze. 
 
 " It is not one s duty to peril one s sweet life for a 
 
16 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 stranger, and you did this for me," he said, carrying the 
 hand he held to his lips, then gently releasing it. " It 
 will be a sweet thought to me," he continued, to know 
 that 1 owe my life to you. I shall never forget you." 
 
 Beautiful, shy Rose was bewildered ; she did not 
 know what answer to make him, so the lovely crimson 
 lips were dumb. 
 
 A strange pleasure thrilled through her heart, how 
 ever, at the thought that he had said he should never 
 forget her. 
 
 " Your uncle sent me in search of you, Miss Rose/* 
 he said. " May I walk back to the light-house with 
 you?" 
 
 Rose was a little delighted, a little bewildered, and 
 just a little frightened, but she shyly consented, and 
 together they walked over the white sands. 
 
 Osric Lawrence was a clever man, quick of eompre- 
 hension; he had the great gift of understanding char 
 acter, and of adapting himself to the people into whose 
 midst he was thrown. 
 
 Although he had exchanged but a few words with 
 pretty Rose Hall, he understood her restless nature 
 perfectly. She was like a beautiful bird-of-Paradise 
 sadly out of place in this cage of a rocky isolated 
 island. 
 
 He watched with 4ceen admiration the blushes that 
 mantled that fair young face as they walked along. 
 
 " How love could light up those dark dreamy eyes/ 
 he thought, " and transfigure that beautiful face." 
 
 He could see that she was not more than sixteen, 
 young and artless. The world, with its follies, its gay- 
 eties, its pleasures, its love, its passions, its tragedies 
 was all unknown toHfier. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 17 
 
 Osric Lawrence had offered a handsome fee to be 
 rowed over to Rocky Point that morning. Now he 
 changed his mind quite suddenly. 
 
 Could he stay at the island home a week, he was 
 quite sure that the pure air would be beneficial to him, 
 and- the condition of his sprained arm greatly im 
 proved. 
 
 Abel Martin never once dreamed in his blind sim- 
 i plicity, what the attraction was that caused the hand- 
 j some, debonair young stranger to linger at the old 
 light-house. 
 
 " Of course we have no accommodations like you are 
 accustomed to, but to such as it is your e welcome," 
 responded Abel, with a hearty whiff of smoke from his 
 stumpy clay pipe. 
 
 So lie stayed. 
 
 The week that followed was as sweet to Rose as the 
 page of a romance. They wandered together over the 
 white sands when tl^e first rosy flush of the early sun 
 light crimsoned the* golden waves like a sea of fire, 
 and stood together looking out over the water when 
 the white moon and the glowing stars changed the 
 rippling waves to a silvery sheen. Ah, how much may 
 happen in a week ! 
 
 At first Osric Lawrence admired the piquant, beau 
 tiful face of Rose Hall. She was different from other 
 ? girls in being simply indifferent to his homage. Then 
 he learned to love her with a force and intensity that 
 frightened even himself. Love came to Osric Law 
 rence like a fierce tornado that swayed his heart and 
 soul as the whirlwind sways the trees. Older hearts 
 are more careful in loving to youth love s sweet 
 dreams come quickly. 
 
18 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 
 
 There was a certain reason ay, and a grave one 
 why he should never have allowed himself to love 
 Rose Hall. 
 
 He told himself, with impetuous recklessness, that 
 cost what it would, let his life be what it might 
 in the past, let right or wrong rule, let the price be 
 high or low he would win her. There was nothing he 
 would not have done to succeed. He would have 
 hesitated at no crime, stopped at no wrong. With 
 such a love there was little chance of escape for its 
 object. 
 
 It was Osric s last day on the island. He was sit 
 ting with Rose on the moss-grown cliff. 
 
 " Shall you miss me when I am gone, Rose ? " he 
 asked. " I am going away to-night, and the keenest 
 pain I have ever known will be leaving you." 
 
 The startled expression in the dark eyes raised to 
 his answered him as no words could have done. A * 
 great wave of sorrow and desolation swept over her. 
 After to-night it would be all over this beautiful 
 friendship, these happy hours, these sunny days that 
 ?he had thought would have no ending. Her face 
 grew white and her hands trembled. What would life 
 be to her after he went away? 
 
 "Oh, Rose," he cried, " I wish that I dare tell you 
 something else ! I feel like a man whose life is at 
 stake ; I long, yet fear, to speak. Have you read the 
 beautiful story of Romeo and Juliet ? how love came 
 to Romeo, like the swift dart of an arrow, the first 
 moment he looked upon the fair face of Juliet? He 
 loved her as truly then as though he had known her 
 for long years." 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 19 
 
 . " Yes, I have read the story," said Rose ; and, look 
 ing- into her face, he took heart of grace. 
 
 "Oh, Rose, promise me not to be angry with me for 
 saying that which I am going to say to. you ! I ought 
 not to say it ; 1 know that. I ought to go away in 
 silence, and let my secret eat my heart away. I know 
 that is what I ought to do, but I can not. I must 
 speak ; the torture of suspense is killing me. It is 
 this : What happened to Romeo has happened to me ; 
 my heart left me and went out to you. Oh, Rose, are 
 you very angry? " 
 
 The girl s beautiful dark face flushed. 
 
 Rose looked up at him with dark, wondering eyes. 
 Still she was not angry, and that was one point gained. 
 If she would only listen to his pleadings, to all the 
 love stories he knew so well how to tell, he felt sure 
 that he would win her. 
 
 " Let me tell you this, Rose I love you/ 
 
 For a moment a dead silence fell between them. She 
 did not- know what to answer ; she was pleased, de 
 lighted, flattered, but half afraid. 
 
 To have won a heart so completely, so entirely, so 
 quickly was a grand thing to have done. It was like 
 the romantic stories she had read of. She felt like a 
 queen who has made a conquest; but it was at the 
 same time very embarrassing. She did not in the least 
 know what to do or say. 
 
 It was delightful, however, to have this little change 
 in the monotonous life of which her gay, restless spirit 
 had grown so weary. 
 
 " Oh, Rose, won t you tell me that my love has 
 not been in vain? Tell me, do you care for me? Does 
 
20 I RKTTY ROSR HALL. 
 
 my going bring one pang to your heart? Shall you 
 miss me? " 
 
 " Yes," responded Rose, slowly ; " you know that 
 I shall miss you, Mr. Lawrence." 
 
 His going was like the setting of the sun and the 
 gloom of night to the flower s. 
 
 He caught the little hands in a very transport of 
 joy. 
 
 " I believe you do care for me, Rose," he cried. " I 
 am going to put it to the test. Grant me one favor, 
 let me see you again." 
 
 " You can come to the island when you like," fal 
 tered Rose. " Uncle and I shall always be pleased to 
 see you." 
 
 " It is only you whom I wish to see, Rose," he an 
 swered, impatiently; " you and you alone. I could not 
 talk to you before your uncle. Meet me to-morrow 
 night here, where we are parting now, just for one 
 brief half hour, Rose, when the moon is shining. Only 
 once and for the last time, perhaps," he pleaded. " I 
 wonder how desperate the prayer of a dying man is. 
 I should like to make mine the same. It is life or 
 death to me. Will you come, Rose? Let me see you 
 for just one half hour." 
 
 Her better sense said "No"; but he looked so hand 
 some, so agitated, it was all so novel, so piquant and 
 romantic. 
 
 " Perhaps I may come," she answered, timidly. 
 
 " Ah, Rose, you will come," he cried. 
 
 The next moment he had bent his handsome head 
 and kissed her, and for long hours after he had gone 
 that passionate kiss the first that had ever been 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL, 21 
 
 *i 
 
 pressed upon them by a lover burned her scarlet 
 lips. 
 
 That night when she crept up to her lonely room 
 in the light-house she read the story of Romeo and 
 Juliet again. Yes, her romance had been very much 
 like Juliet s. 
 
 It was sweet to be wooed in such a fashion ; it was 
 very pleasant to listen to tender caressing words from 
 a lover s lips ; but whether she loved him with a love 
 as deep as Juliet s for the handsome Romeo she could 
 hardly tell. 
 
 The old light-house keeper was smoking his pipe 
 on the doorstep when Rose emerged from the house 
 the next evening, her straw hat hanging from her arm 
 by its crimson ribbons. 
 
 "Where are you going, lass?" he asked, blowing 
 the wreaths of blue smoke away from his bronzed face. 
 
 " Only a little way out on the beach, Uncle Abel," 
 she answered a little confusedly,, her bright eyes droop 
 ing beneath his gaze. 
 
 He watched the graceful figure flit away in the 
 moonlight. 
 
 " Poor lass. She s lonesome without Lillian," he 
 mused. 
 
 With swift feet she sped onward, and as she neared 
 the rocks she saw that her lover was already there, im 
 patiently pacing up and down the white beach. 
 
 At that moment he turned and saw her. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 " Rose ! " he cried, starting forward in joyful eager 
 ness and clasping her hands ; " how good of you to 
 come, my darling. I knew that I was asking the great- 
 
22 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 est possible favor. T hardly dared hoped that you 
 would grant it." 
 
 " I can stay but a few minutes," said Rose; " Uncle 
 Abel will miss me shortly, Mr. Lawrence. 
 
 " Not Mr. Lawrence I am Osric, always Osric to 
 you hereafter, my sweet Rose, and you must call me 
 by that name and no other ! " 
 
 Together they sat down by the rippling silver sea, 
 and to Rose s great surprise she saw tears shining in 
 his eyes, and the light of the stars showed that his face 
 was pale and haggard. 
 
 " I have so much to say to you, my darling, that I 
 hardly know how to begin." he said at length. ** On 
 your yes or no to-night depends my whole future 
 My life, my well or evil-doing, all depend upon what 
 you shall say to me to-night ! " 
 
 She looked anxiously at him. 
 
 What do you mean, Osric, I do not understand?" 
 
 He was silent for a moment, and she guessed rather 
 than knew that some great struggle was going on in 
 his mind. 
 
 " Rose! he cried, <r I am obliged to leave here sud 
 denly; I ought to be far away from here now! but, 
 oh, my love, it breaks my heart to leave you I can 
 not ! 
 
 " But you will come back soon ? " said Rose faintly. 
 
 A curious whiteness overspread his handsome, hag 
 gard face; even his lips trembled beneath the golden 
 mustache. He was looking at her with passionate 
 wishful eyes. 
 
 " Rose," he said in a low, hoarse voice, " I could go 
 away happy if my heart was at rest. You and you 
 alone can set it at rest, dear; I would give my life 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 23 
 
 almost if you would grant the prayer I am about to 
 make. You must not be startled when I tell you what 
 it is ! " 
 
 Rose laughed a gay rippling laugh to see how earn 
 est he was, but the smile died from her lips at the 
 white, pained face he turned toward her, she was awed 
 by his emotion. 
 
 He drew nearer to her, pausing as though to collect 
 his strength for a desperate effort. 
 
 " Rose/ he said, " marry me; when I go from here 
 let me feel sure that you are bound to me so firmly no 
 one could take you from me ; let me leave my wife be 
 hind me. It is my only salvation my only hope " 
 
 But Rose drew back white and frightened. 
 
 " Marry you ! " she repeated, with colorless cheeks ; 
 " oh, I can not, that would be quite impossible ; I am 
 frightened at the very word," and she wrung her little 
 hands together. 
 
 "Rose!" he cried. "Mine is the prayer of a des 
 perate man ; let your own heart plead far me. Your 
 eyes have told me you love me, even though your lips 
 refused to utter the words. Marry me, my darling, 
 to-night, this very hour. Then I can go away content, 
 knowing that you are mine ; I would die sooner than 
 lose you ; and a deadly fear presses strong at my heart 
 that unless I bound you to me by the strongest of ties 
 you would be lost to me." 
 
 " Oh, I can not, I can not! " said the girl. " Osric, 
 you must not ask me ; Lillian and Aunt Hulda would 
 be so grieved." 
 
 But love has an eloquence all its own. He was young 
 and handsome, he was passionately in love with her, 
 there was no argument possible that he did not use. 
 
24 PKETTY KP.SK J1ALL. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 25 
 
 and beautiful Rose Hall went on to her doom with 
 flushed face and beating heart. 
 
 There was a little stone church, covered with ivy, 
 in the very heart of the village of Wilton, presided 
 over by an aged white-haired rector; thither they bent 
 their steps. 
 
 The old gray church with its dim shadows, seemed 
 to fill the girl with terror, as she knelt down before 
 the altar with Osric. The wind seemed to sob out 
 side, and the leaves of the trees that tossed against 
 the window pane seemed a lost spirit in distress. To 
 Rose it seemed a strange, wierd dream. 
 
 The minister looked in wonder at the pair before 
 him. The girl so young and so exquisitely lovely, the 
 man so handsome, but ill at ease. 
 
 It was not until after she had uttered the words 
 that bound her for life to him who stood beside 
 her, that she realized what she had done. She never 
 knew how, or why, but when the wedding-ring was 
 placed on her finger, and she realized that she was 
 Osric s bride, a deadly chill came over her. 
 
 " Your wedding-ring is one of the costliest dia 
 monds money could buy, love," she heard him whis 
 per. * but when you reach the island, you must take 
 it from your finger and wear it attached to your neck 
 by a golden chain; no human eye must rest upon it, 
 remember my words, Rose, no eye save yours must 
 see it." 
 
 Together they went into the vestry and signed their 
 names in the register. It was strange that at that 
 moment Rose should remember that it was the eighty- 
 seventh page on which they had written. 
 
 An hour later they had reached the island again, 
 
26 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 and Osric was clasping her in his arms bidding her 
 farewell with burning tears in his eyes that fell upon 
 her face. 
 
 " Oh, Rose," he cried, " teach me to say good-bye. 
 If I stay much longer I will not be able to tear myself 
 away. You shall never regret what you have done 
 to-night, Rose." 
 
 He took one of the roses she wore in her dark curls, 
 kissed it tenderly, placing it carefully in his breast 
 pocket. 
 
 " Now I shall go away without the haunting dread 
 that I might lose you. Promise me that you will re 
 main here on this island until I shall come to claim 
 you. Promise that you will watch and wait for me 
 on this spot where we part," he whispered. 
 
 " I promise/ she said, slowly. " I shall be here 
 unless the sea-gulls carry me away, and there is no 
 danger of that." 
 
 " Oh, Rose, my lovely Rose ! how can I leave you ! " 
 he cried. " I must go. yet my living, beating heart is 
 here with you." 
 
 He took her in his arms, his face white with agi 
 tation, kissing her beautiful white hands, her lovely 
 face and dark, curling hair, murmuring that death 
 itself were easier to bear than part with her. It was 
 breaking his heart. 
 
 And in that moment, while his kisses were upon 
 her lips, the horrible thought swept over her heart 
 that she did not love him. With the changing of 
 the hour she had repented bitterly that she had been 
 persuaded into marrying him. 
 
 Young as she was she realized dimly that it was a 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 27 
 
 strange, foolish, mad marriage, yet it was legal and 
 binding; she was Osric s bride. 
 
 As she walked back to the old light-house she would 
 have thought it all a dream had it not been for the 
 sparkling diamond that glowed upon her finger. 
 
 Abel Martin still sat on the doorstep smoking his 
 pipe in the moonlight. 
 
 " You ve been out on the beach a long time, lass," 
 he said. "I was just going out in search of ye. I 
 thought mayhap you had fallen asleep and some great 
 wave had carried you out to sea." 
 
 He wondered why beautiful Rose threw her white 
 arms round his neck, begging with tears in her lovely 
 eyes that he would pardon her for what she had done. 
 
 " I reckon I ll have to, providin you don t stay out 
 so late again, lass," he answered. 
 
 And beautiful, guilty Rose crept up to her room 
 with the story of her romantic secret marriage a heavy 
 weight in her heart. 
 
 Two days later, Hulda Martin and Lillian returned. 
 They had expected that willful Rose would meet them 
 with an outburst of passion and angry resentment for 
 being 1 left behind. 
 
 Lillian was amazed when her lovely sister threw 
 herself in her arms weeping as if her heart would 
 break refusing to be comforted. It was so unlike 
 beautiful, daring, willful Rose. 
 
 She would not tell them what had happened, she 
 decided , at least, not just yet. 
 
 " Poor Rose," cried Lillian. " Ten days of such 
 wretched loneliness has broken my poor darling s 
 tender heart." 
 
 Ah, had they but known that those days were the 
 
28 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 sweetest, yet bore the most accursed fruit, that Rose 
 Hall was ever to know. 
 
 Then came out the starling revelation as to what 
 took Hulda Martin to Rocky Point on that eventful 
 day she had received the mysterious letter. 
 
 " It is a pitiful romance, Rose," cried Hulda Martin, 
 sobbingly. " Your mother was my sister. She was 
 young and fair, like Lillian, when a handsome youth 
 wooed and won her. She married Robert Hall, your 
 father, and I was well pleased ; but, oh. Rose, I could 
 never picture to you the anger of Robert s lady 
 mother. She cut him off without a dollar though she 
 was rolling in gold, and she never forgave her son for- 
 marrying beneath him as she called it, never. 
 
 " And when Robert and his wife both died, leaving 
 you and Lillian, and I appealed to her for aid, she 
 wrote me curtly that my sister s children might beg or 
 starve for all she cared. Imagine my indignation 
 when I received a command from her after all these 
 years to bring you both to Rocky Point, as she would 
 be there a week. If she liked your appearance she 
 would take you both to her grand home ; but the con 
 dition was that you were never to breathe your young 
 mother s name within her walls you were to cut 
 loose from all that yon had loved and known in the 
 past. 
 
 " Oh, Rose, it was a great struggle ; I took Lillian 
 to see the proud, cold woman ; I love my mother s 
 memory! cried Lillian, you helped to break her 
 heart: I would sooner die than go with you, though 
 your home be a palace. 
 
 : So be it ! cried the grim woman ; you have your 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 20 
 
 mother s face, you do not please me any how : yet 
 stay: why did not your sister come with you? J 
 
 " ~My sister is loyal to our mother s memory, she 
 would think and act as I do, answered Lillian 
 proudly. 
 
 " Did I not answer as you would have had me, 
 Rose? " asked her sister anxiously. 
 
 " Yes," responded Rose ; " you and I will live and 
 die here on this island home together, with Aunt 
 Hulda and Uncle Abel, who have been so kind to us, 
 before we would enter that marble mansion whose 
 doors were closed against our poor young mother! " 
 
 * Rightly spoken ! " cried the old light-house keeper 
 heartily; they had feared restless Rose would be daz 
 zled by wealth, they loved her all the better because 
 she was loyal. 
 
 " How did you like your visit to Rocky Point, Lilly, 
 dear?" asked Rose, when the two sisters found them 
 selves alone that sunny afternoon. 
 
 Lilian s face clouded. 
 
 " A pitiful event happened at the wharf just as we 
 were coming away which quite saddened me. It w r as 
 the arrest of a young and handsome man ; I had read 
 an account of what he had done in the paper the day 
 before The paper contained his picture : I brought 
 it home to show it to you : he wa? so young and hand 
 some to be rhanred with so grave a crime; taking 
 money and d* o m^nds from a jewelry firm with whom 
 he was connected ! 
 
 " Looking at his face one could hardly have believed 
 him guilty. It seems that he made his escape on an 
 outgoing steamer, which sunk on the night of the ter 
 rible storm ; he was among the missing, and they be- 
 
30 PRKTTY R< >SE tJUALi . 
 
 lieved him to be drowned, when suddenly he made his 
 appearance at Rocky Point. 
 
 " Every one said he should have made good his es 
 cape while every one believed him dead; vWiy he 
 should have remained around here is a. mystery; he 
 must have been mad. He could have escaped so easily 
 days ago. 
 
 " Tears sprang to my eyes when I heard him plead 
 with them to let him go free and he w r ould give back 
 every dollar and every diamond save one that was lost ; 
 but he would make the loss of that one good ; oh, how 
 he prayed and pleaded on his knees with them. But 
 they took him away in handcuffs ; and my heart bled 
 for him, he was so young, so handsome! There was 
 one thing he did that touched every one : he took a 
 faded red rose from his breast pocket, murmuring 
 Oh, rose/ what else he said one could not distin 
 guish." 
 
 " Yon have forgotten to show me his picture and 
 tell me his name, " said Rose; and she was startled at 
 her own voice. 
 
 A moment later Lillian had brought the paper and 
 laid it in her lap. One glance at that pictured face so 
 handsome and debonair in its fair beauty, and the light 
 seemed to "fade from the sun and the world to stand 
 still ; the heart of her bosom seemed to break with 
 one quick throb ; her face grew ghastly as death. It 
 was a wonder the terrible blow did not strike her dead 
 then and there ; the name beneath the pictured face 
 read Osric Lawrence. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 31 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 No cry came from Rose s white lips as she read the 
 fatal paragraph in the paper Lillian had brought her. 
 
 The lovely face grew white as marble. With a great 
 gasping moan she threw up her hands and fell face 
 downward upon the white sand, but the great boon of 
 unconsciousness did not come to her. Heaven help 
 her! This was the man she had secretly married. 
 
 In a moment Lillian was beside her with a frightened 
 dismayed face. 
 
 "Oh, Rose/ she cried, distressedly, "if I had known 
 that the story of handsome Osric Lawrence would 
 affect you so, I should never have brought the paper 
 home to you." 
 
 Lillian cried out in alarm at the ghastly face that was 
 turned toward her. 
 
 "We will forget it, Rose/ she cried. "The story of a 
 criminal has but little interest for us." 
 
 "Heaven help me/ wailed Rose, below her breath, 
 "if she but knew what he is to me. Oh, fatal hour when 
 first we met. Oh, fatal hour when he persuaded me 
 into linking my fate with his!" 
 
 Now she knew why he had been obliged to leave so 
 suddenly. He dared not linger. And to think that she 
 was this man s bride. That she had stood at the altar 
 with him promising to love and obey him. Oh, cruel 
 fate ! Oh, cruel destiny ! 
 
 Now she knew why such a chill had oppressed her 
 when he had taken her in his arms, calling her his own 
 beautiful Rose, how she had shrunk from his caresses. 
 
 And this man, fleeing from justice, was the man she 
 had married. A hot flush of indignation and bitter de 
 spair burned her face. Surely the worst crime he had 
 
_ PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 committed was deceiving and duping her into linking 
 her life with his. 
 
 Oh, if she could blot out the events of the last week ! 
 What would she do if Osric Lawrence were set free 
 and came to claim her? She could imagine her Aunt 
 Hulda s dismay, and Lillian s horror if the story of her 
 marriage were made known to them. 
 
 "I should kill myself," she moaned, with clinched 
 hands. "I could not face the exposure and the shainc." 
 
 Oh, how glad she was that she had not told them of 
 the young husband who was as handsome as a prince 
 who was coming to claim her. Now the dread truth 
 should never be revealed. 
 
 What if her uncle should tell them when they spoke 
 of this matter, read the paper to him, showing him the 
 pictured face which they assuredly would do, what if 
 her uncle should cry out : "This is the same man Rose 
 saved from the hungry sea on the night of the wreck; 
 he stayed here at the light-house with us a week. 
 
 If they should question her about it she would go 
 mad. 
 
 Lillian was speaking to her, but she had not even 
 heard her voice. Gently Lillian took the paper from 
 her clinched, cold hand and -threw it out into the sea. 
 
 " We will neither think nor talk about this cruel 
 story, Rose," she said, "It has made you quite ill/ 
 
 Together the sisters walked slowly over the white 
 sands to the light-house. Rose s, heart almost stood 
 still as she heard her uncle "relating the story of that 
 night of the storm and of her great bravery ; but he 
 quite, forgot to mention the name of the man she had 
 rescued, or that he was young and handsome, and had 
 lingered at the island a week. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 6-T 
 
 That night, while Lillian lay sleeping. Rose crept 
 from the white bed which they shared together and 
 stood at the window looking out over the moonlit sea. 
 
 Oh, if I could but die!" sobbed the girl. 
 
 Cautiously she had opened the window and tossed 
 the glittering diamond far out into the waves. Since 
 early morning it had seemed to burn and scorch the 
 white bosom upon which it lay. 
 
 Should she follow the glittering ring down into the 
 sea? Osric Lawrence could not claim her then. She 
 realized with a terrible shock that when he came for 
 her she would be obliged to go with him ; he could 
 compel her to go with him, and she would sooner die. 
 
 Suddenly she remembered his constant foreboding 
 that he should lose her. What if it should be verified 
 in some strange way, after all? 
 
 If she could but escape him, go away out of his life 
 and never see him again ! The idea came to her with 
 the force of an electric shock. If she could, and she 
 raised her eyes to Heaven with a great, tearless sob. 
 
 She remembered that he had said he would die or go 
 mad if he were to lose her : and she, Heaven help her, 
 she would die or go mad if he were to find her. 
 
 Oh, if she had but dared make a confidante of Lillian ! 
 Would Lillian help her keep her horrible secret or 
 would she turn from her in horror at what she had 
 done? 
 
 Oh, if she could but fly from him, hide where he 
 could never find her though he searched the world over 
 for her! 
 
 "Could it really be so very wrong? she asked her 
 self, "^iust she suffer all her life for a few words so 
 thoughtlessly spoken in the old church? words she 
 
$4 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 hardly understood the meaning of. She would never 
 have been duped into promising to reverence, honor, 
 and obey this man if she had known that he was a 
 criminal fleeing from justice." 
 
 There were moments when her heart almost softened 
 toward handsome Osric Lawrence, when she remem 
 bered how madly he loved her, that it was for the sake 
 of lingering beside her he had stayed when he should 
 have been far away. 
 
 But the next moment anger and pride rose up in 
 fierce resentment in her heart when she remembered 
 that in the cruel selfishness of his love he had not 
 spared her coupled her name to one that was black 
 ened with disgrace and dishonor. 
 
 Oh, if she could but fly from him, where he could 
 never find her. 
 
 Suddenly a great cry broke from her lips. Ah, why 
 had she never thought of it before. She could go to 
 the cold, haughty woman whose aid Lillian had so 
 proudly declined. In that dazzling mansion home in 
 the far-off city he would never think of looking for the 
 girl he had left on the lonely isolated island with a mar 
 riage-ring on her finger. 
 
 The thought seemed to come to her like an inspira 
 tion. The conditions were cruel enough if she went to 
 the cold, proud woman who hated her poor young 
 mother s very memory, she must give up her Aunt 
 Hulda, her Uncle Abel and Lillian. She must never 
 speak their names, never look upon their faces, never 
 write or receive a line^from them. Yet it were better a 
 thousand times to do this than to remain here waiting 
 in horrible dread, each day and hour praying that she 
 might die ere Osric Lawrence came to claim her. Let 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 35 
 
 them think her treacherous if they would; they did not 
 know what influenced her, oh, they did not know ! 
 
 There was great consternation at the light-house the 
 next morning when Rose made known her decision, 
 that she would accept the home her grandmother of 
 fered her. 
 
 With a bitter cry Hulda Martin turned to her. She 
 did not dare look into the blue eyes of Lillian, lest her 
 courage should forsake her. 
 
 "Speak the words again, that I may know that I have 
 heard aright!" she cried. "Let me realize that you, 
 for whom I have almost given my life you whom I 
 have watched and tended with such care from the mo 
 ment your dying mother put you into my arms you 
 are going to leave me for a stranger who hates our 
 name and race you are going to a home where even 
 your mother s name dare not be spoken willing to go 
 away from those who have loved you so !" 
 
 Hulda s grief was pitiful to behold. Lillian s arms 
 crept round the neck of the woman who had been 
 more than a mother to them. 
 
 "I will never leave you, Aunt Hulda/ she whispered. 
 "If Rose goes she will soon come back to us again/ 
 
 It was a sharp sword in Hulda Martin s heart to see 
 the one she had loved the least cling to her in this 
 hour, and the one she had loved best turn from her. 
 
 In vain Lillian pleaded with Rose ; she was not to 
 he moved from her purpose. Abel Martin bowed his 
 head on his breast, and the mute reproach was more 
 touching- than words would have been. 
 
 Hulda Martin raised Lillian from her knees where 
 she had been pleading with Rose. 
 
 "Say no more," she cried. "This stranger s gold has 
 
,36 rkHTTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 turned her heart against us. She is going to the cold, 
 haughty woman who broke the h?art of her mother be 
 fore her; let her have a. care lest she will break hers." 
 
 "We must part sooner or later in life," said Rose, 
 with white, stiff lips; "it is best that I should go now." 
 
 "Listen to me," cried Hulda Martin. "If you leave 
 us now, Rose, you shall never so help me Heaven 
 look upon my face again. You make your choice, and 
 you must abide by it nothing can ever alter it in this 
 world ! We shall all leave the light-house and go so far 
 away that you shall never see us more! I predict that, 
 in the life of luxury and gayety you are going to, the 
 time will come when you will need a true friend when 
 you will look back with unutterable regret to this hour, 
 when you cast off the love of uncle, aunt and loving 
 sister for the trappings^of wealth. The time will come 
 when the anger of Heaven will fall upon you for it!" 
 
 "Let them think that of me, if they will." Rose told 
 herself. " Better that, than they should know the true 
 reason. Oh, if Lillian would but come with me!" said 
 she, holding out her hands in pitiful entreaty. 
 
 "I shall never cross the threshold of the home that 
 "would not receive my poor dead mother," said Lillian, 
 with dignity. 
 
 Without another word Rose turned and fled from the 
 light-house, the bitter thought rankling in her heart. 
 
 Better this than that Osric Lawrence should return, 
 and, finding her there, compel her to go with him. 
 What would death be compared to that? 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 It was a warm afternoon in June ; the sun shone 
 brightly upon the gay throngs that promenaded the 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 37 
 
 thoroughfares of New York, upon the stately brown- 
 stone mansions of the aristocratic avenues, and upon 
 the face of a young girl eagerly scanning the numbers 
 of the houses she passed, stopping hesitatingly at 
 length, before the most imposing structure upon the 
 avenue. 
 
 The filmy lace curtains with their background of am 
 ber satin were carefully drawn as if to exclude the sun s 
 rays. An air of gloom pervaded the exterior, from the 
 straight windows of plate glass looking out of their 
 brown-stone settings, to the fierce bronze lions that 
 guarded imposingly either side of the marble steps that 
 led to the massive carved oaken doors. 
 
 The mistress of this elegant mansio n Mrs. Margaret 
 Hall a tall, stately woman of sixty, robed in heavy 
 black trailing satin, with diamonds blazing like stars 
 upon her hands which lay crossed in her lap, sat alone 
 in her boudoir, alone with her parrot and lap dog. Her 
 heavy black brows met in a frown that seemed habitual 
 upon that grim, proud face. She rose from the cush 
 ioned arm-chair in which she had been seated and 
 with a firm step crossed the room to her writing-desk, 
 and, throwing back the lid, drew from it a letter written 
 in a bold, handsome masculine hand, which she perused 
 for the twentieth time that morning. 
 
 "I will read again what Royal has to say," she 
 mused. 
 
 Before she could draw it from its envelope, there was 
 a peal of the door bell, and a moment later one of the 
 servants appeared at the open door. 
 
 "If you please, ma am," he began hurriedly, "there s 
 a young girl down at the door who insists upon seeing 
 
38 PRETTY KOSE HALL. 
 
 you. I told her you wasn t at home to anybody, bnt 
 she " 
 
 "Ah, ha, ha! You old rascal, you knew better! * 
 shrieked a shrill voice from the other side of the room. 
 
 "Proceed, Douglass," said the lady calmly, the frown 
 deepening on her face, "what did the girl want?" 
 - "I beg your pardon," exclaimed a sweet, hesitating 
 young voice, "please allow me to explain in person. I 
 must see you, madam, and alone." 
 
 The grand old lady turned sharply around, and saw, 
 standing before her on the threshold the loveliest 
 vision of timid girlhood she had ever beheld. 
 
 She motioned the servant to leave the room. 
 
 " Now," she said, turning to the young girl, " who 
 are you, and what do you want?" 
 
 The measured words, the freezing tone, the cold 
 gleam of the eyes, the frowning stern face would have 
 intimidated most young girls ; but the haughty de 
 meanor of this cold proud woman did not daunt the 
 young girl before her. 
 
 She glided quickly forward and knelt at the grand 
 old lady s feet. 
 
 "I have but just heard of your kind offer to my sister 
 Lillian and me to come to you and share your home 
 and love you, grandma. Lillian chooses to stay, but I 
 have come to you. I am Rose Rose Hall," she said: 
 "won t you say I am welcome, grandma?" 
 
 The next moment two arms were wreathed round her 
 neck and fresh, warm, loving rosy lips were bid upon 
 the cold ones that had not known a caress for long 
 years. 
 
 Mrs. Hall looked into that dark, glowing, beautiful 
 face so like the one she had idolized in the bitter past. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 39 
 
 he fair-haired sister whom they called Lillian, was 
 like the young mother who had taken from her all that 
 made life worth living for ; but this one Rose had the 
 dark, glowing beauty of the Halls ; she could have loved 
 her for that if for nothing else. 
 
 "Welcome to my heart and home, Rose," replied Mrs. 
 Hall, with stately grace, "and as long as you conform to 
 the conditions of my offer I shall love you. From the 
 moment you cross this threshold you leave the old life 
 behind you, together with all its associations. Never 
 refer to it. My niece is stopping with me," pursued 
 the lady. "I hope you will be friends," she touched the 
 bell as she spoke. "Douglass," she said, "tell Miss 
 Derwent I wish her here at once." 
 
 A moment later a tall young girl entered the room. 
 
 "Celia," said Mrs. Hall, "this is my granddaughter, 
 Rose Rose Hall." 
 
 Celia Derwent glided forward, and touched her cold 
 lips to Rose s cheek, murmuring a few inarticulate 
 words of greeting. 
 
 For an instant the blue eyes and black ones met, 
 then Celia conducts her to the pretty little boudoir just 
 off her own, which is to be set apart for Rose s use. 
 
 Gayly the girls chat together as they go up the broa d 
 stairway, and the smile does not leave Celia s lips till 
 she finds herself quite alone, and then the stormy face 
 of the blonde beauty is terrible to behold. 
 
 Celia Derwent is young in years, not over eighteen, 
 but the ways of the world have made her intriguing 
 and mercenary. 
 
 She had been cast about on the waves of poverty, 
 until her Aunt Margaret Hall rescued her and installed 
 her in her elegant home, and the one grand dream of 
 
40 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 her life had been that she AY ill -one day inherit her 
 aunt s magnificent fortune; and now, with the appear 
 ance of Rose Hall, she sees her golden dreams vanish 
 like mist before the sun, and the girl would rather die 
 than go back to the poverty from Avhich her aunt res 
 cued her. 
 
 There is another reason, too, Avhy sudden terror 
 struck to her heart as she gazed upon the beautiful face 
 of Rose Hall. 
 
 What would Royal Montague think of her when he 
 saw her? admire her he must, but would he learn to 
 love her? 
 
 Celia Derwent turned Avhite to the lips as she pond 
 ered the question OA r er in her own mind. 
 
 In her own room, with the door securely fastened to 
 bar out all intruders, Rose lay face downward among 
 the pale lilies of the velvet carpet, sobbing her very 
 heart out in passionate tears. 
 
 Oh, why had Heaven not given her this beautiful 
 home long years ago? then, she would never have met 
 the man who had cursed her bright young- life, the fatat 
 chains that bound her to him would never have been 
 forged. 
 
 What would her haughty grandmother say if she 
 knew her story? What would the fair-haired girl 
 whom they had called Celia, say? 
 
 "They shall never know/ cried Rose, springing to 
 her feet with passionate energy, born of reckless des 
 pair. 
 
 She bathed the tear-stained face, and smoothed out 
 the tangled black curls, and as she descended to the 
 dining-room, even Celia Derwent, looking at her with 
 jealous eye*, could not help but acknowledge that, if 
 
she were cli 
 
 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 41 
 
 ie were dressed as other girls, there would not be a 
 handsomer girl in New York than Rose Hall. 
 
 Her proud, ambitious old grandmother was delighted 
 with her. How brilliant the girl would be in society. 
 She would marry well. 
 
 Rose s gay, dashing, piquant manner pleased her 
 well. She never dreamed that one half of the girl s 
 nights were spent in the bitterest of tears, that she had 
 throw r n herself into the vortex of fashionable life to 
 cheat an aching heart into forgetfulness, to blot out, if 
 - she could, that terrible week. 
 
 There was one thing Mrs. Hall could not compre 
 hend : Rose could never be induced to wear a diamond. 
 Other young girls coveted them, Rose abhorred them. 
 
 Her discovery of Rose s antipathy to them came 
 about in a singular manner. Mrs. Hall had taken her 
 to one of the fashionable je\velry stores on Broadway 
 to purchase a pair of bracelets. One of the pair which 
 suited her best contained a superb white diamond 
 deeply imbedded in its yellow depths, the other, its 
 mate, was severely plain. 
 
 "I suppose this stone could be matched?" said Mrs. 
 Hall, turning the ornament over in her hands. 
 
 "I have nothing, in stock just like it at present/ re 
 turned the jeweler. "The mate to it, a peculiarly large 
 and brilliant stone, is the one my partner pretended 
 to have lost when he absconded some few weeks since. 5? 
 
 "Ah, how did that unfortunate affair of yours turn 
 out?" asked Mrs. Hall. "There was something of it in 
 the papers a few days since, but I did not read the final 
 result of the trial. Of course the young man was 
 guilty, yet I could not help feeling sorry for Osric 
 Lawrence." 
 
42 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Rose had been standing by her side gazing indiffer 
 ently enough at the glittering contents of the show 
 case ; but now the listless indifference fled ; strained, 
 painful attention took its place. By the greatest effort 
 she restrained the gasping cry that sprung from her 
 white lips. She clinched her little hands so tightly 
 together that the tender skin was bruised; but she 
 did not even feel the pain of it so great was her anxiety 
 to hear the words that fell from the jeweler s lips. 
 
 Like the shock of doom she heard his answer. 
 
 "He was sent up for three years, madam. True, he 
 made restitution of all the money; but as to the gems, 
 the most valuable one, a very large diamond which 
 was set in a ring, he declared he had lost. We did not 
 believe it. As he had not the wherewith to pay for it 
 he was sent up for three years to repent for having dis 
 posed of it. The stone was valued at two thousand 
 dollars." 
 
 Rose s heart gave one terrible throb as he finished 
 speaking then seemed to stand still. Her strength 
 seemed leaving her, her limbs trembled. 
 
 How little they dreamed that the young girl listening 
 so closely to each word that fell from their lips could 
 have revealed to them the whereabouts of the diamond, 
 that it had been put upon her finger as a marriage-ring 
 and she had afterward flung it into the sea. 
 
 How strange it was that in the last fatal moment 
 Osric Lawrence had spared her. He could so easily 
 have sent them to her island home and claimed it. 
 
 She did not know that the one prayer of his heart 
 night and day had been that the bride he had won 
 should never know the story of his folly, for the day 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 43 
 
 would come when he should claim her. Love for beau 
 tiful, peerless Rose had sealed his lips in silence. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Like one in a horrible dream Rose listens. She is 
 sorry for the terrible fate that overtook Osric Law 
 rence, still, it is wonderful a merciful relief to her that 
 for three long years she will be quite safe from his per 
 secutions. 
 
 "I will enjoy my life while I may," she told herself. 
 "I will be happy \vhile I can !" 
 
 Rose s greatest trial was being separated from Lil-- 
 Han. Regularly she sent her Aunt Hulda all the pocket 
 money that was allowed her, together with pitiful let 
 ters pleading for forgiveness ; all this was done secretly. 
 Yet, alas! her letters were always returned unopened; 
 \vith the words across the back : 
 
 "You are as one dead to us !" 
 
 The money was returned untouched. 
 
 If it had not been for this estrangement, Rose would 
 have been happy ; for the heart of youth does not long 
 brood over sorrow ; but gives itself up to the pleasures 
 of the present. 
 
 Suitors surrounded her ; but it seemed that peerless 
 Rose Hall was hard to please ; she sent them away one 
 after the other. Mrs. Hall looked on but made no com 
 ment ; she was a far-seeing, shrewd woman : she had 
 studied Rose s nature well, and was not at all surprised 
 to find that it contained a spice of that charming qual 
 ity called "contradiction." She formed her own secret 
 plans as to whom she wished Rose to marry : but she 
 knew if she mentioned this fact to her together with 
 the announcement that in reply to her pressing invita- 
 
44 PRETTY iiOSK HALL. 
 
 tion to Royal Montague to visit them, he had answered 
 he would be in New York by the last of June at latest, 
 that Rose would be prepared to dislike him heartily 
 and rebel 
 
 She set about paving the way for his coming in a 
 manner which was certainly unique. 
 
 Rose shall see Royal Montague first, then we shall 
 see what follows," she thought with a smile. 
 
 On the afternoon of the day she formed this resolu 
 tion, she put it into practice. Rose had come into her 
 boudoir with a bouquet of freshly gathered flowers ; she 
 found her grandmother deeply engrossed in the pages 
 of a letter. 
 
 "Rose," she said, returning it to its envelope, "lay 
 this in my writing-desk and bring me the card-case 
 that is in the right-hand corner." 
 
 Rose crossed the room with a light step and a smile 
 upon her lips. How was she to know that the card- 
 case she was sent in search of had been purposely laid 
 side by side with a superb portrait of a young and hand 
 some man. 
 
 She stood gazing at the pictured face that smiled up 
 at her from the depths of the writing-desk, like one 
 fascinated, quite forgetting her errand. 
 
 Mrs. Hall turned around sharply, and with quite a 
 show of impatience. - 
 
 "What are you looking at, Rose? what are you do 
 ing?" the girl s face flushed, she gave a guilty start. 
 
 "Whose picture is this, grandma?" she asked in a 
 low voice, holding the portrait up to view. 
 
 Mrs. Hall looked at it with an expression of great 
 annoyance, though her heart beat fast at the success 
 of her stratagem. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 45 
 
 "You must not touch that, Rose, indeed you should 
 not have looked at it ; dear me, how careless I was to 
 send you to that desk at all. I quite forgot about that 
 picture being there." 
 
 "But now that I have seen it, won t you tell me who 
 it is?" persisted Rose, eagerly. 
 
 "I would rather not!" declared Mrs. Hall; "it is no 
 one whom you have ever seen or ever will see if I can 
 prevent it !" 
 
 "You have aroused my curiosity, grandma," said 
 Rose. "Tell me why you don t wish me to see or know 
 the original of this portrait? I m sure he looks like a 
 very clever young man." 
 
 Mrs. Hall frowned. 
 
 "I am sorry that you have seen Royal Montague s 
 picture, Rose. I prefer not to speak about him. Put 
 the portrait where you found it," she said, affecting 
 great annoyance, while she was at heart severely de~ 
 lighted. 
 
 But instead of obeying her, Rose carried it to the 
 window and gazed at it with admiring eyes. The dark- 
 blue eyes seemed to smile up at her, and the mustached 
 lips almost seemed to say: "It would be a great plea 
 sure to know you." 
 
 The face upon which she gazed seemed to magnetize 
 her; her heart throbbed strangely. Why should the 
 pictured face of a man whom she had never seen have 
 power to move her so? She remembered her grand 
 mother had called him Royal Montague. 
 
 "Rose, do you hear me, put that picture away," said 
 Mrs. Hall, in a sharp angry voice. 
 
 Yet she could scarcely refrain from laughing outright 
 to see how well her ruse worked. 
 
46 PRETTY ROSE HALL, 
 
 "If I had saicl: Rose, here is a picture of the one 
 man above all others whom 1 wish you to admire/ the 
 girl would have seen a thousand faults in him," she 
 thought, amusedly, "but forbidding- her to look at it, 
 gives it a piquant zest." 
 
 "Put the picture away, Rose, and forget it," she said, 
 slowly. 
 
 "I wish you would tell me why," pouted Rose. 
 
 "Perhaps it would be as well to put you on yovTr 
 guard," replied Mrs. Hall, slowly, knowing well the 
 penchant young people have for craving that which they 
 have been warned and guarded against. "I will tell you 
 why, Rose," she went on, hesitatingly : "to look long at 
 the handsome face would be to admire it too deeply, 
 and handsome Royal Montague is not for you; to ad 
 mire him would be quite in vain, he is almost as good 
 as engaged, I believe." 
 
 Rose could not tell why, but the words fell like a 
 chill upon her heart. 
 
 "I am not quite sure that he really is engaged ; he is 
 very fastidious in his tastes, and hard to please ; a 
 young girl would have to be more than ordinarily beau 
 tiful to win him, and highly accomplished. We will 
 speak no more about him, Rose ; put the picture away 
 and bring me my card-case." 
 
 This time Rose obeyed. 
 
 Yet all that day she thought of the pictured face ; the 
 gaze of the blue laughing eyes haunted her. Ah, why 
 had fate given such a noble lover to some fortunate girl, 
 while to her a startled cry broke from her lips. What 
 thouirh he were a king among men, and she could have 
 won hi-- love, of what avail would it be? it was madness 
 , \vasiirif one thought about him. Yet that night when 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 47 
 
 she found herself alone in Mrs. Hall s boudoir she stole 
 another glance at the portrait in the writing-desk. 
 
 Ah, how handsome he was. If she had met such a 
 one before the terrible blight fell upon her life could 
 she have loved him? The answer in her throbbing 
 heart was "Yes." 
 
 Two weeks later, Mrs. Hall with her niece, Celia 
 Derwent, and Rose, had taken up their abode at Lin 
 den Villa, as their summer residence at Peekskill on the 
 Hudson was called ; and to open the festivities of the 
 season Mrs. Hall had decided to give a lawn-tennis 
 party. Charades were to be given in the evening, and 
 it was to end in a grand ball. 
 
 Celia Derwent was delighted with the prospect; Rose 
 was rather indifferent. 
 
 What shall you wear?" cried Celia when the two 
 girls were alone in their rooms examining the boxes of 
 finery Mrs. Hall had ordered from New York for them 
 for this occasion. 
 
 "White, I suppose," answered Rose, 
 
 Celia Derwent shook back her blonde braids impa 
 tiently. 
 
 "I ought to wear white, and you ought to dress in 
 contrast, Rose," she declared. 
 
 "Why, what can it matter? What difference can 
 it make?" questioned Rose. 
 
 "We ought to make a sensation. The most eligible 
 young men in the country will be here. You and I are 
 spoken of as the red and white roses. We ought to 
 dress accordingly. I ought to dress in something 
 light with rosebuds in my hair and at my belt ; you 
 ought to wear this overdress of crimson lace with 
 crimson roses in vour hair." 
 
48 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 "It will not matter much what I wear, I dare say," 
 Rose commented. "If the people we meet here are likg 
 those at the grand balls in New York I shall think 
 them very tiresome. I am heartily tired of balls, danc 
 ing, compliments and flattery." 
 
 "Wait till you see the handsome young gentlemen 
 hereabouts. Many of them belong to the regiment 
 which is camping here. Quite a number of them will 
 be present. Oh, Rose, they look delightfully grand 
 in their military uniforms. One of them in particular 
 is quite a favorite of Aunt Margaret s. I suppose she 
 has spoken to you of him, his name is Royal Monta- 
 gue?" 
 
 As she asked the question she looked anxiously into 
 Rose s eyes. Rose blushed but did not reply. 
 
 "I have never met him," pursued Celia, but she did 
 not add that since she had first heard of handsome 
 Royal Montague, the New York banker s son and heir, 
 and saw his portrait, the one hope of her life had been 
 to capture him and his prospective wealth when they 
 should meet. 
 
 The sun never shone upon a gayer party than that 
 gathered together at Linden Villa that bright after 
 noon. Pretty, laughing girls and debonair cavaliers in 
 their glistening uniforms and dress coats. 
 
 The party was at its height when Royal Montague 
 made his appearance, and by Celia s skillful maneuver 
 ing she succeeded in being introduced to him first. 
 
 "I shall have a chance of making quite an impression 
 upon him before he sees Rose, and the impression shall 
 be a deep and lasting one," she promised herself. 
 
 Celia was very coquettish. She knew she was look- 
 

 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 49 
 
 ing her best and she put forth all her witchery to fas 
 cinate him. He certainly seemed to admire ken 
 
 He had lingered by her side an hour or raore prom 
 enading the lawn. She was quite careful, bowever, to 
 keep him out of Rose s way. 
 
 The old saying, "that when nature makes a man 
 handsome she takes away a good portion of his brains 
 as an offset," was not exemplified in the case of Royal 
 Montague. He was neither a coxcomb nor a dandy; 
 he never indulged in idle compliments, he never talked 
 of love; but there was a gallantry and deference in 
 his manner which charmed every woman with whom 
 he came in contact. 
 
 They had been seated on a rustic bench beneath one 
 of the linden-trees when suddenly Royai Montague 
 turned to Celia with sudden animation in his face. 
 
 "Look ! what a pretty picture, Miss Derwent !" he 
 cried. "Who is that young girl standing beside the 
 fountain with the crimson roses in her hair? " 
 
 She looked up with sudden misgiving and saw that 
 he was attentively watching Rose. A cold chill swept 
 over her heart and her face paled, and a dangerous light 
 glittered in her pale-blue eyes. 
 
 " Who is that young girl? " he repeated. 
 
 She would have given much not to have answered 
 that question ; but she was compelled to speak for he 
 was looking into her face with eager inquiry. 
 
 "That is Rose Hall, the granddaughter of your host 
 ess," she said, trying to speak calmly and carelessly. 
 " We are both her protegees." 
 
 <% Will you present me to Miss Hall?" he asked, sud 
 denly. 
 
 She would have given the world to have been able to 
 
50 
 
 have refused him, but she dared not ; so side by side 
 they walked over to where Rose stood, and glancing np 
 at the stranger, the handsomest young man she had 
 ever beheld. Rose Hall stood facato face with her fate; 
 then the real tragedy of her life began. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Rose Hall was standing alone by the fountain when 
 she saw Celia Derwent and the handsome stranger ap 
 proaching her. 
 
 She saw that Celia was all smiles and apparent amia 
 bility, and she guessed that her companion must be 
 one of her list of "eligibles." As he advanced still 
 nearer, she recognized him at once as the original of 
 the portrait she had seen in the writing-desk. 
 
 Celia introduced Royal Montague to Rose, closely 
 watching the result. He bowed low before her, and 
 there was no mistaking the admiration in his eyes as 
 they rested. upon the beautiful, girlish face before him ; 
 but he talked to Rose in much the same fashion as he 
 had talked to Celia. 
 
 Celia had no intention of leaving them alone to 
 gether, but fate willed differently, and she was obliged 
 to go, Mrs. Hall having sent for her. There was a 
 smile on her lips as she excused herself, but in her heart 
 there was bitter rage. 
 
 \Youlcl you like to walk as far as the river?" asked 
 Royal- 
 Rose asserted. :ind together they made the tour of 
 the lawn that sl->i *<! down to the banks of the stream. 
 
 He talked to her gayly enough; he was always 
 charming and vivacious; he had the gift of knowing" 
 exactly what to say and how to say it. 
 

 
 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 51 
 
 Royal -Montague was pleased with Rose s simple, 
 girlish manner. She did not make the mistake that 
 many young girls make that of trying- to attract him. 
 
 He did most of the talking*, Rose did the listening. 
 
 From the first moment Rose had looked into Royal 
 Montague s eyes, the w*hole world seemed to change 
 for her. The gaze of those laughing eyes awoke some- 
 ing in the girl s heart that was never to sleep again. 
 
 He saw the beautiful dark eyes droop tinder his 
 gaze, and the lovely cheeks flush scarlet ; but he never 
 dreamed that Rose Hall had found in him her ideal 
 found it suddenly and without warning ; she herself did 
 not realize it then. 
 
 He was the one man in all the world whom she could 
 have loved with all the warm, passionate depths of 
 her heart ; but alas ! he had crossed her path too late. 
 
 Half an hour passed they were still talking by the 
 river; to Rose it seemed but a blissful moment. She 
 could have stood forever by the swift-flowing river, 
 looking into Royal Montague s handsome face and 
 listening to him. 
 
 Mrs. Hall watched them from the portico and smiled. 
 She wondered how long they would stand there, if she 
 did not go and remind Rose that there were other 
 guests anxious to be presented to her. 
 
 "It certainly looks very much like a case of love at 
 first sight with both of them," she thought, as she 
 walked over to where they stood. 
 
 To Rose her appearance was Hke the breaking up of 
 a beautiful dream. 
 
 "I am sorry to have monopolized so much of Miss 
 Hall s time. I apologize and beg a thousand pardons," 
 said Royal, laughingly. "I shall not be so remiss again. 
 
PRETTY ROSE 11 A J.I,. 
 
 I am going to stay for the ball," he went on. " May I 
 ask in advance for the first waltz with you, Miss Rose?" 
 he said, eagerly. 
 
 Rose blushed and assented, and as she raised those 
 dark, splendid eyes of hers to his, he read in them 
 something that he had never seen in any woman s eyes 
 before. 
 
 It was admiration that thrilled Royal Montague s 
 heart as his eyes followed the slender, girlish form 
 as she left him ; but in the heart of Rose Hall love was 
 awakened. She went among her guests with smiling 
 lips, flushed cheeks, and shining eyes. Men who had 
 found her cold and proud before, took heart of grace 
 at the change in her demeanor toward them and were 
 highly elated. How were they to know that she 
 scarcely heard a word they said to her, and that, when 
 she smiled, and her lovely face flushed, it was not their 
 words that caused it she was thinking of a handsome-* 
 face and a pair of laughing, sunny, blue eyes. 
 
 The day passed as the days always do, whether they 
 be shortened by happiness or lengthened by sorrow. 
 
 But Rose Hall kept no count of the hours; all that 
 was taking place seemed like a dream to her; the only 
 effort that she could make was an attempt to prevent 
 other people from guessing her secret. 
 
 The evening which ended in the grand ball was even 
 more delightful, than the day had been. 
 
 Royal sought her at once when the music of the beau 
 tiful, dreamy " Bluebells of Scotland" waltz struck tip. 
 
 "You are very kind not to have forgotten a promise 
 made so far in advance," he said, laughingly. 
 
 Then came to Rose a dream of music, of light, of per 
 fume, a handsome face looking down into her own, a 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 53 
 
 strong arm clasping her, a vision of happiness and de 
 light ; and there was no one to whisper to her no angel 
 to warn her that the path which looked so pleasant led 
 to a chasm of darkness and despair. 
 
 A woman of more maturity might have realized her 
 danger might have seen the rock ahead in ker future 
 might have been strong enough to reason with herself, 
 knowing the past; but it could not be expected that 
 Rose pretty, hapless Rose, who was scarcely more 
 Vhan sixteen knew how to battle with life, with love, 
 and with fate. 
 
 The dark past seemed but a horrible dream to her. 
 She remembered only that three years of respite had 
 been given her, and that she had promised herself she 
 should enjoy them. 
 
 Youthful hearts never dream that they are being 
 drawn into the meshes of love until the spell is over 
 them. 
 
 Rose did not realize that it was wrong to give herself 
 up so entirely to the pleasure of Royal Montague s 
 society to treasure up his words and his looks when he 
 was away from her to feel her pulses thrill when she 
 saw him coming toward her to feel keen regret when 
 he bade her good-bye. 
 
 "Have you enjoyed the day and the evening, Rose?" 
 asked Celia Derwent, when the two girls were alone in 
 their room that night. 
 
 "Enjoy it?" cried Rose, turning her dark, curly head 
 away on the lace pillow to hide her blushes "more 
 than I can tell you, Celia; it has been the happiest day 
 of my life." 
 
 Celia bit her lips and gave the curl papers she was 
 
54 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 twisting up such a wrench that she nearly cried out 
 with the pain of it. 
 
 "I think I can guess why you enjoyed it so much," 
 she said, in a low, strained voice. "A certain person 
 made it very pleasant for you/ 
 
 "Every one made it pleasant for me," replied Rose. 
 
 Celia sat down upon the edge of the low couch, and 
 drew Rose s hands away from her face. 
 
 "There is one question I should like to ask you, 
 Rose," she said: "How do you like Royal Montague?" 
 
 "I do not see how any one could help admiring him. 
 I have never met a more perfect gentleman," admitted 
 Rose. "Yes, Celia, I like him very much indeed." 
 
 "Be careful that every one does not see what I have 
 seen to-night that you are in love with him," said 
 Celia, laughingly ; but try as hard as she could she 
 could not drown the bitter sneer in her tone. 
 
 Rose looked up in dismay. 
 
 "In love with Mr. Montague !" she cried distressedly. 
 "Oh, no, Celia, that could never be. I could not love 
 him if I would. I dare not*" 
 
 "Why," asked Celia, gazing into the face raised to 
 hers; "do you love some one else? Have you ever had 
 a lover?" 
 
 A terrified look flashed into the dark eyes into which 
 she was looking. There was that in their dark depths 
 which quite belied the "No," she uttered so faintly, 
 frightened at having told so much. 
 
 "I do not believe her," thought Celia. "She has too 
 pretty a face to escape the notice of men and attract 
 ing some one of them." 
 
 "Never had a lover?" repeated Celia. "That s strange: 
 why, what part of the country did you come from?" 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 03 
 
 for worlds would Rose have told her. 
 
 "My past was not a very happy one," she admitted, 
 faintly. "I would rather not discuss it." 
 
 That night when Celia went to her room and was 
 putting "this and that together," to use her own ex 
 pression, she concluded that there was some dark mys 
 tery in the past life of Rose Hall, and if there was not 
 a lover in the case why was it that she "dare not love 
 any one?" 
 
 "I ll ferret this matter out/ was Celia s mental con 
 clusion. "I shouldn t wonder if she has left a lover 
 behind her, and she has tired of him after seeing what 
 society beaus are like." 
 
 Her first move must be to find out where Rose had 
 come from and to write on there making secret inquir 
 ies. 
 
 But how should she make the discovery of that upon 
 which Rose was so reticent? That was the annoying- 
 puzzle. 
 
 For an hour or more she paced her room in absorbing 
 thought. 
 
 "What a fool I am," she cried at length, "not to 
 have thought of that before ; of course there must be 
 addresses among her effects. I will make a search 
 through them at once." 
 
 With noiseless feet she glided through the corridor. 
 The door of Rose s room was not fastened and she en 
 tered as softly and as silently as a shadow. It was a 
 daring deed which she was about to undertake ; but the 
 girl was fearless. 
 
 Tired out with the exciting day of pleasure, Rose lay 
 fast asleep on the lace pillow. Instinctively Celia drew 
 
56 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 near the couch and looked down upon the flushed face 
 of the sleeper. 
 
 Suddenly a low moan broke from Rose s lips. 
 
 "No one knows that it is a living lie!" she breathed. 
 a Oh, Lillian do not let him betray me to the world, 
 I could not bear that ; I should die !" 
 
 Celia Derwent could scarcely repress the cry of 
 triumph that rose to her lips. 
 
 "How shrewd I was to suspect the girl of sqme ter 
 rible secrejt," she thought. "Now it is reduced to a cer 
 tainty/ 
 
 The moon s rays, clear and white, threw a bright ra 
 diance into the room, rendering every object plainly 
 discernible. 
 
 Softly Celia knelt on the carpeted floor examining 
 the contents of the bureau drawer with great care. 
 
 There Avere laces, underwear, bits of ribbon, bows 
 and all the etceteras belonging to a young girl s ward 
 robe ; but not a scrap of paper to give her any clew 
 such as she was looking for. 
 
 There was a newspaper carefully tied up. It was 
 dated the 4th of June. Celia searched its columns 
 carefully. She saw that it contained the picture of a 
 young and handsome man. The name beneath the pic 
 ture read Osric Lawrence; but she never dreamed this 
 had anything to do with its being preserved so care 
 fully. Suddenly her eye fell upon the torn leaf of a 
 memorandum. With eager hands the girl seized it and 
 bore it to her own room, a smile of wicked triumph 
 lighting up her pale face. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 57 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 In a moment Celia Derwent had gained her own 
 room, smoothed out the crumpled leaf of the mem 
 orandum and held it to the gaslight, scanning the writ 
 ing- upon it with breathless eagerness. 
 
 There were but a few words, evidently in Rose s 
 handwriting, and read : 
 
 "I can not bear the separation from Lillian much 
 longer, oh, if the heart of Hulda Martin would but re 
 lent toward me." 
 
 "Now who in the world can Hulda Martin and 
 Lillian be?" thought Celia. "My first move must be 
 to solve that puzzle. What if I should unearth some 
 dark mystery in the past life of Rose Hall ; what would 
 the result be, I wonder? Aunt Margaret would turn 
 her from the house, and she would be disgraced for 
 ever in the eyes of Royal Montague. Such a prospect 
 is well worth working for." 
 
 From that night a silent foe was upon Rose s path j 
 a foe, who in the guise of friendship, was to track her 
 down to her doom. 
 
 The morning after the grand ball the first thought 
 that came to Rose as she opened her dark bright eyes 
 to the morning sunlight was : When should she see 
 handsome Royal Montague again ; would he call at 
 Linden Villa that afternoon? 
 
 He did call, and he found Rose looking prettier than 
 ever in her white mull dress and crimson ribbons ; her 
 eyes shone with a glad light as she held out her little 
 white hand and welcomed him. Celia s welcome was 
 no less cordial, although she saw plainly he had no 
 eyes for her when Rose was near. 
 
 Days lengthened into weeks, the summer was almost 
 
58 I RKTTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 drawing to a close. Yet, Royal Montague had lin 
 gered in the vicinity of Linden Villa, and each after 
 noon found him a vistor there. Mrs. Hall was well 
 pleased, and to Rose the coming of Royal Montague 
 was tfee wine of life. She had drifted into loving him 
 with all the passionate strength of her heart. 
 
 She had shut the past out of her thoughts, and given 
 herself up to the dream of the present. Alas! that the 
 dream being so sweet should be so sinful. Women 
 have the art of deceiving themselves cruelly when love 
 is at stake; but how a woman knowing that her hus 
 band lives, can give herself up to a dream of another 
 face and another voice is a puzzle ! 
 
 A faint intuition came to Rose that she should have 
 fled from the love that had taken possession of her; but 
 she would stifle her conscience by crying out : "That 
 she had had such a dreary childhood, and the future 
 was to be such a cruel blank, that these few hours 
 of pleasure would be all she would have to look back to 
 in her lonely life ; surely Heaven would not deprive her 
 of the friendship (for it could never be anything 
 more) that was so sweet to her!" 
 
 So few, alas ! so few ! have the self-control, the self- 
 restraint to deprive themselves of that which attracts 
 them for conscience s sake; and those who love the 
 danger perish in it. The very great evil of all sin is 
 the glamour it throws over the sinner. 
 
 It would have been bard for Royal Montague himself 
 to have analyzed his feelings toward beautiful Rose 
 Hall ; he could not deny that he was charmed with her, 
 that he found her society delightfully agreeable ; that 
 the touch of her hand thrilled his heart ; that the glance 
 of those wondrous dark eyes magnetized him ; that her 
 
I XETTY ROSE HALL. 59 
 
 glowing beauty bewitched him. A man could not well 
 help being bewitched by that gypsyish piquant face; 
 the crimson laughing mouth and dimpled rosy cheeks; 
 but it was hardly love that filled Royal Montague s 
 heart; it was deep reverent admiration as yet. What 
 it might come to in the futurt he did not stop to con 
 sider. 
 
 At this juncture of affairs a strange event happened 
 that changed the whole current of three human lives. 
 
 One morning the papers contained a startling an-* 
 nouncement ; it was the burning of the prison in which 
 Osric Lawrence had been confined. His name headed 
 the death-roll. 
 
 Mrs. Hall read the graphic details of the account 
 at the breakfast-table. Celia Derwent listened with 
 interest, but Rose turned away with a dead-white, 
 agonized face. True she did not love the man who had 
 met with such a horrible arid untimely fate. He had 
 blighted her life. Still, she had been bound to him by 
 the most solemn tie this world holds. She was ten 
 der of heart ; she wept for him, even though she knew 
 his death had set her free. 
 
 Now there was no reason why she should not give 
 herself up to the sweet dreams that possessed her 
 no reason why she should withhold the idolatrous love 
 of her heart from Royal Montague. 
 
 Day after day Royal and Rose were thrown con 
 stantly into each other s society, and he must have 
 been blind not to notice the love that shone in the 
 girl s eyes, for the language of the eyes reveals elo- 
 ntly that which never passes the lips. 
 
 Matters came to a crisis in a sudden and unexpected 
 ner. 
 
60 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 One afternoon Royal had ridden over to Linden 
 Villa on one of the fiery chargers that belonged to a 
 brother officer at the camp. His companions warned 
 him against using- th.e animal, for, to use their own 
 expression, they saw that the devil was in him by the 
 wicked, cunning glance of his eyes as he pranced and 
 pawed. 
 
 The daring young fellow only laughed as he vaulted 
 gracefully into the saddle, grasped the bridle, and was 
 off like the wind in the direction of Linden Villa. 
 
 One of the servants saw him approaching, and hur- 
 ried down to open the entrance gate for him. 
 Whether it was the creaking noise of the gate as it 
 swung back on its hinges, or the white handkerchief 
 that fluttered in the groom s hand that caused the 
 terrible accident at that moment, no one ever knew. 
 
 For a swift instant the animal quivered as if with 
 an electric shock; the next he had wheeled so sud 
 denly about as to unseat his rider, plunged madly for 
 ward, reared, and dashed riderless down the road with 
 the speed of the wind. 
 
 Royal Montague, unconscious and bleeding, was 
 carried into the house, laid upon the sofa in the draw 
 ing room, and a doctor quickly summoned. 
 
 Mrs. Hall and Celia were out shopping. There was 
 no one at home but Rose. A wild cry burst from her 
 lips when she saw who it was they had lain upon the 
 sofa. She knelt down beside him with the most pit 
 eous cries, raising his head in her white arms, and 
 brushing the dust from his pale, handsome face. 
 
 " Leave me with him until the doctor comes," she 
 cried, motioning them air away ; and silently they, 
 quitted the room, closing the door softly after them; 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 but through the open windows the girl s wailing cries 
 floated out to them. "Royal, my love, oh, my love! 
 if you die Heaven must let me die too ! " she sobbed, 
 covering the white face, the closed eyes and matted 
 hair with passionate kisses in her terrible grief. 
 " What will life be to me without you? Oh, my love, 
 my love/ she sobbed, " you will never know r how well 
 I love you ! I would give my life for yours I would 
 meet death to save you one pang ! " 
 
 She clasped the unconscious form closer in her white 
 Arms, caressing him with piteous agony, and mur 
 muring broken words of love over him, and her heart 
 and soul were in the quivering kiss she laid on the 
 unconscious lips. 
 
 Unconscious, did I say? It was not quite that. 
 For a few moments the force of the fail stunned and 
 bewildered Royal Montague, but the action of the 
 cold water with which Rose bathed his face brought 
 back his dazed senses at once. 
 
 He felt the clinging arms about him, the passionate 
 kisses on his cheek and brow ; the wailing, broken 
 words of love that were sobbed out over him, fell like a 
 shock upon his startled ears. Sheer amazement and 
 consternation chained his dazed senses. Should he 
 open his eyes and falter, " Forgive me, Rose, I have 
 unconsciously discovered your love for me? It 
 would be embarrassing to the girl s proud nature ; 
 yet it was equally embarrassing to him to receive the 
 assurances of her love with closed eyes she believing 
 him unconscious. 
 
 Royal Montague was a gentleman and a man of 
 honor, yet, between duty and delicacy he scarcely 
 
62 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 knew which way to turn. Fortunately the doctor s 
 quick footsteps relieved him in his trying dilemma. 
 
 The usual restoratives were applied, then he dared 
 open his eyes. 
 
 Rose stood beside him with a white, scared face. 
 
 " Oh, doctor, tell me I can not bear suspense is 
 he badly hurt or not? " he heard her inquire piteously. 
 
 Badly hurt?" repeated the doctor. "I am glad 
 to say he has had a miraculous escape. He has been 
 stunned, that is all. In the course of a day or two he 
 will be all right." 
 
 The doctor s predictions proved quite true. Dur 
 ing the days of convalescence Royal remained at 
 Linden Villa Mrs. Hall would consent to nothing 
 else. Celia Derwent was more than devoted to him 
 she read to him, she sung for him, she played low, ten 
 der melodies for him everything to show how inter 
 ested she was in him. 
 
 Rose stood by strangely silent, but when her trem 
 blings hands touched his, or lay for a moment cool and 
 soft as lily leaves upon his hot brow, they told their 
 own story of Rose s deep love for him. 
 
 The secret that he had discovered puzzled and 
 troubled Royal Montague not a little. He was amazed 
 that any one should love him so much that it was 
 of such vital importance to any one whether he lived 
 or died. His heart was touched he was greatly per 
 plexed. 
 
 Tic was a thorough gentleman, and the question 
 which agitated him was, what should he do? He ad 
 mired beautiful Rose Hall exceedingly ; but he had 
 never dreamed that she the beauty of the season 
 would marry him. lie had felt no tendency whatever 
 
to fall in love with her. He had never imagined him 
 self fascinating enough to win anything snore than 
 kindly friendship from brilliant Rose Hall, who could 
 count admirers by the score. 
 
 The discovery that she loved him in secret surprised 
 him beyond measure. Then his thoughts took another 
 turn. Why not ask Rose to become his wrfe? she 
 was as beautiful as a dream and she loved him with 
 all her heart. It was not possible that he would ever 
 care for any one more than he cared for Rose. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Royal Montague s thoughts took definite shape. 
 
 Yes, he would carry out the resolution he had ar 
 rived at without delay he would ask Rose to be his 
 wife before he left Linden Villa. 
 
 He had received letters which necessitated his pres 
 ence in New York at once, and he decided to ask pe r 
 mission of Mrs. Hall to speak to Rose before he 
 went. 
 
 Although Mrs. Hall was secretly delighted, she was 
 too diplomatic to let Royal see how pleased she was. 
 
 " Rose is very young, Royal," she said. " She has 
 never yet given a thought to love or lovers. It would 
 be well to think this matter over before giving you an 
 answer. Do you think Rose cares for you ? " she 
 added, earnestly. 
 
 " 1 have reason to believe so," he answered, and she 
 never dreamed that it was aught save his love for 
 her peerless Rose that brought the flush to his hand 
 some face. 
 
 " I will do my best to make her happy," he went 
 on modestly. 
 
64 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 " I am sure you would," replied Mrs. Hall hastily. 
 
 She felt sure that Rose s future would be happily as 
 sured if she were Royal Montague s wife. 
 
 " She is different from other girls," she went on, 
 thoughtfully ; " love will make or mar her life. She 
 is not one of those who could love lightly." 
 
 " I can well believe that," answered Royal Mon 
 tague, gently ; " but," he urged, " you will surely per 
 mit me to speak to her before I go away? delays are 
 often dangerous;" and before the interview was over 
 Mrs. Hall had consented. 
 
 The dusk had crept up while they were talking, and 
 when he left her he went into the starlit grounds, 
 odorous with the breath of the pale primroses, where 
 he knew he would find Rose. 
 
 Neither of them knew there had been a silent lis 
 tener to that interview that from the vine-wreathed 
 balcony just outside the window Celia Derwent had 
 heard all. Her pale lips twitched and her bosom 
 heaved convulsively. 
 
 She had seen that it would come to this from the 
 very first; yet she had been powerless to prevent it. 
 But again she registered the strange vow that she had 
 made when she first saw Rose Hall s face that she 
 should never wed Royal Montague. She would part 
 them at the very altar. 
 
 How well she kept that vow of vengeance we shall 
 see. 
 
 Out in the fragrance of the starlit garden Royal 
 had sought Rose and found her, and there among the 
 waving lindens sighing softly amid the wooing breezes 
 of the night-wind, the old, sweet story was repeated 
 the old, sweet story of love that has thrilled the 
 
hearts of generations past and gone when youth was 
 in its prime and love was the bright dream of life 
 the old, old story that will thrill the hearts of count 
 less thousands yet unborn when the rapture of love s 
 whisperings shall be but a cfim memory with us. 
 
 " You have not given me my answer. Rose," said 
 R.oyal Montague, bending his handsome head and 
 ooking at the fair face upon which the radiant moon- 
 ight fell. 
 
 To have saved her life Rose could not have an 
 swered him ; her heart was too full. He saw her 
 glance up at the fleecy clouds; but he did not know 
 that she was crying out from the depths of her very 
 soul : 
 
 " Oh, Heaven, I thank thee for giving me the one 
 :lesire of my life! " 
 
 He was startled at the gaze in the lovely dark eyes 
 that were raised to his face as he whispered the words 
 2hat were the sweetest music to her. 
 
 What answer she made him the night-winds nor 
 die listening roses will never divulge. It must have 
 satisfied Royal, however, for he bent his handsome 
 liead and kissed the sweet lips, and she did not rebuke 
 him. Only Heaven knew how well she loved him. 
 
 An hour later Royal had left Linden Villa and was 
 on his way to New York ; yet, Rose Hall still stood 
 Upon the spot where he had left her. It was pitiful 
 to see how the beautiful girl idolized the handsome 
 lover from whom she had just parted. 
 
 Tears would have come to the eyes of those all 
 unused to pity, to have seen her kneel upon the spot 
 where he had stood ; lay her soft cheek against the 
 crimson bells and silver leaves his white hands had 
 
C6 PRETTY ROSE HALL, 
 
 touched as he stood there talking to her, murmuring 
 how kind God had been to her to give her the love her 
 heart craved so. 
 
 She quite forgot the law of God that the heart should 
 never hold an earthly idol. She would have chosen 
 death with her love rather than have lived without 
 him. 
 
 Mrs. Hall was sitting in her favorite arm-chair by 
 the window when Rose entered her boudoir, glided up 
 to her side, knelt at her feet, laying her flushed cheek 
 against the jeweled hands in the silken lap. 
 
 " Grandma, dear," murmured the girl ; " I am so 
 wondrously happy ! " 
 
 " I can guess why, my darling," said the old lady, 
 raising the pretty blushing face and kissing it re 
 peatedly. " Royal has asked you to be his wife, and 
 you have consented." 
 
 Rose nodded her head, and then to escape the ques 
 tions that she knew would be sure to follow and have 
 to he answered, she ran away to her own room with 
 a gay happy laugh, as blithe and light of heart as a 
 school girl. Ah, well, hearts in which love holds sway 
 are always happy. It is only those who have found 
 that love is as fickle as the April sunlight, or those 
 who have suffered for want of love, only those find 
 this beautiful world of ours dreary. 
 
 It was a pity that the beautiful dream of Rose Hall 
 was to be broken so cruelly, and alas, so soon ! 
 
 At the moment she was parting from Royal Mon 
 tague in the starlit garden of Linden Villa, quite 
 another scene was transpiring on the little island down 
 by the Maine coast. 
 
 In the silence of the summer night, a little boat in 
 
IRETTV ROSE HALL, 67 
 
 which a stranger sat, came dancing over the silvery 
 waves heading straight for the light-house. For an 
 instant the man rested upon his oars as he neared it, 
 and his very heart was in the gaze he bent upon it. 
 
 His soul seemed to leap from him and reach the old 
 light-house in advance of his body, dart through the 
 open window and search those dreary rooms until it 
 found its mate. 
 
 The man was Osric Lawrence ; he had escaped the 
 terrible conflagration unharmed, and traveled by night 
 and day incessantly to reach the lonely island where 
 a few short months ago he had left a beautiful young 
 bride with the wedding-ring which had cost him so 
 dear, upon her finger. 
 
 What had she thought when the sunlit summer 
 days came and went and brought him not; the weeks 
 lengthened into months ; yet no line from him 
 reached her. What had his beautiful Rose thought? 
 had she pined away and died through the cold neglect? 
 Had she waited for him in vain on the spot where 
 they had parted, as he had bade her do, until her ten 
 der young heart broke? 
 
 Hot burning tears fell from Osric Lawrence s eyes. 
 It never occurred to him that the terrible story of hjs 
 folly had reached his young bride in her isolated island 
 home; the saddest, yet simplest story that ever was 
 written of a young man s downfall ; of the sin he had 
 drifted into in appropriating that which was not his 
 own in a mad moment of temptation. 
 
 He had said that he would replace what he was 
 taking, but we all know of that place which is paved 
 with good intentions. 
 
 if he had but met his beautiful Rose before he 
 
68 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 had lent himself to such terrible folly, life would 
 have been different with him ! " But it was not too 
 late yet," he promised himself, with a sob ; her love 
 should redeem him. 
 
 How he would clasp her in his arms! how he would 
 kiss her lovely face as he strained her to his heart, 
 and weep such tears over her as seldom fall from the 
 eyes of man ! And from the moment his lips touched 
 hers a new life should begin tor him. He was still 
 young, accomplished. He would live down the past, 
 and build up for himself a beautiful future. 
 
 Tie would take Rose quietly away he would take 
 her so far away that no one would ever see or recog 
 nize him. They believed he was dead buried under 
 the. smoldering ruins of the prison-wall so must they 
 think for all time. 
 
 The little boat grated on the beach, and he sprung 
 ashore, his feet barely touching the white sand as he 
 flew breathlessly up the path to the door of the old 
 light-house. 
 
 For a rnoment he drew back with his hand trpon the 
 old-fashioned knocker. 
 
 How his heart beat ! String man that he was, he 
 trembled; his breath came hot and quick. What if 
 it were Rose who opened the door for him? Even 
 though a hundred eyes were on him, how could he 
 restrain himself from catching her in his arms, cry 
 ing out, " Oh, Rose! my beauteous bride! I have come 
 back to you, at last ! " 
 
 A voice broke the solemn and terrible stillness. It 
 was not Rose s voice. He remembered the low, croon 
 ing voice; it was the old servant. 
 
 He touched the brass knocker with a trembling 
 
PRETTY ROSI-: HALL. 69 
 
 hand, and it seemed to him the length of eternity be 
 fore the door was opened. 
 
 He knew that he must ask for Abel Martin, the old 
 light-house keeper; he dared not call for Rose. 
 
 The door was opened at length, and the woman 
 started back in surprise at the white face that was 
 turned toward her. She recognized the stranger at 
 once as the young man whom pretty Rose Hall had 
 rescued the night of the terrible storm, and who had 
 remained at the light-house nearly a fortnight in con 
 sequence of the sprained arm he had received. 
 
 "I should like to see Mr. Martin," he said; but 
 even as he spoke his yearning eyes roved past her 
 to see if he could discern a glove, a hat, a bit of rib 
 bon anything that would be likely to belong to 
 Rose. 
 
 The serving woman started back with a little cry 
 of consternation. 
 
 " Perhaps you haven t heard the sad news, sir," 
 she said. " Poor Mr. Martin has been dead this many 
 a month." 
 
 The shock was so great Osric Lawrence fell back 
 against the casement of the door like one who had 
 been dealt a heavy blow. 
 
 " Hut the family, where are they? Where is 
 Rose?" he gasped, and the voice which asked the 
 question was scarcely human in its agonizing intens 
 ity. Where is Rose?" he repeated. "In God s 
 name tell me quickly is not Rose Hall here?" 
 
70 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The old servant gazed in dismay at the white face 
 of the stranger who stood on the threshold; but she 
 answered quickly: 
 
 " They are all gone, sir ; my brother and I have 
 charge of the light-house now. Miss Rose ran away 
 long months ago ; it was that which broke poor old 
 Abel s heart. After he died the rest went away, sir." 
 
 Osric Lawrence heard but those few words : 
 
 " Rose had fled from there long months ago ! " 
 
 He caught his breath with a terrible cry ; had Rose 
 heard of what he had done? had she confessed to 
 them that she was his wife? had they turned her out 
 into the cold world? but no, the woman before him 
 was telling him Rose had fled, and they had grieved 
 after her 
 
 "But why, how was it? why did Rose go?" he 
 cried. " In Heaven s name answer me quickly, for 
 I am desperate. You lived here among them, you 
 heard what they said ; what they talked about ; you 
 have some idea why she went away and where she 
 went to." 
 
 Oh, yes, I heard why she went, sir; she grew 
 tired of this lonely life; Miss Rose was a gay, blithe 
 lassie, sir; some one who had taken a great fancy to 
 her, and who had plenty of money pleaded with her 
 to go ; there was a stormy scene here ; they almost 
 cursed her; she went to the stranger, and her name 
 was never mentioned here after that." 
 
 The man before her stood panting, gasping, white 
 as death; the veins stood out in his forehead like 
 whip-cords, and his hands trembled. 
 
 " you say she went with a stranger ; was it a man 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL, 71 
 
 or woman ; speak, tell me it was neither lover nor > 
 nor " 
 
 His voice died away in a tearless sob ; he could not 
 finish the sentence, the words choked him, his brain 
 was reeling. 
 
 " Oh, no, sir, it was with no lover. She went to a 
 proud and haughty woman, a relative of the family s. 
 Yet for long years great enmity had existed between 
 them ; that is why they almost cursed her, sir ; be 
 cause she took it into her head all of a sudden to 
 leave here and go to their enemy/ 
 
 " How long ago did you say that was ? " asked Os- 
 ric Lawrence in the same unearthly voice. 
 
 "Oh, a very long time ago, sir; a few days after 
 you were here, sir. 1 remember the time well, be 
 cause Hulda Martin and her niece were away to 
 Stony Point at about that time, and it happened 
 shortly after they came back." 
 
 " But did Rose not write after she went away ? " 
 he inquired excitedly ; " did she leave no address, no 
 clew by which she might be found?" 
 
 The woman shook her head. 
 
 She is as one dead to us ! those were their w r ords, 
 sir; she will be a grand lady now/ the}^ said; she 
 will marry some one of great wealth in the mag 
 nificent home where she has gone; nothing is left for 
 us but to forget that we ever knew and loved Rose 
 Hall/ That is all I know about it all I can tell you, 
 sir." 
 
 Slowly the horrible truth came home to him ; he 
 quite believed that she had not heard of the misfor 
 tune that had befallen him. She had not waited and 
 pined for his return ; but, in the fickleness of her 
 
72 PRETTY KOSli HALL. 
 
 woman s heart she had repented of that hasty mar 
 riage ; and it was to escape him she had run away, 
 taking refuge with those whose aid she had never 
 sought until then. 
 
 She had not revealed her secret marriage; and she 
 had left no clew by which he could trace her when 
 he came for her. 
 
 Suddenly an idea occurred to him, he would rind 
 out where the Martin family had gone. They could 
 tell him where Rose was. Strange he had not 
 thought of it before. 
 
 The reply to the eager query bereft him of the 
 last ray of hope. 
 
 After Rose had gone and the old light-house keepei 
 died, Hulda Martin and her other niece, Lillian, had 
 left the place, no one knew their destination. Hulda 
 Martin had left but one message : 
 
 "If Rose ever came back and inquired for them 
 to tell her she was as one dead to them never 
 through life would their paths cross again ! 
 
 " And that is all you can tell me? " said Osric Law 
 rence, and the woman before him guessed something 
 of the truth when she looked up at him and saw great 
 burning tears rolling down his cheeks he loved Rose 
 Hall. 
 
 If a man s heart can break and he yet live Osric 
 Lawrence s heart broke then. 
 
 As he turned away and staggered down the white 
 sand from the light-house all the good that was in his 
 nature died. 
 
 A step sounded on the sand beside him. It was 
 the old servant. She had followed him. She was 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 sorry for the young man. She laid her brown hand 
 on his arm : 
 
 "Were you Rose Hall s lover, sir?" she asked. 
 " If you were I have something to tell you" 
 
 The light that came into his face was pitiful to see. 
 
 * Rose had left some message for him with this 
 woman and she had just remembered it." 
 
 That was the thought that flashed through his 
 mind 
 
 " Yes, I was her lover," he gasped " She was more 
 to me than the whole world more to me than my 
 life." 
 
 " Did yor give her a ring as a token of your love? " 
 
 Osric drew back and looked at the woman a mo 
 ment, hesitatingly, then answered a low, hoarse 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Then I feel sorry for you, sir," she said, " for 
 the night before she went away I saw her standing 
 by yonder window. She took something from her 
 neck which had been fastened to it by a ribbon, and as 
 she held it up tow r ard the moon s rays I saw that it 
 was a glittering ring such as fine ladies wear. I will 
 fling this from me as I fling all thoughts, all love, all 
 memory of the giver from me, T heard her say ; with 
 that she tossed the ring from her far out into the 
 waves. I have been sorry a hundred times that I did 
 not tell Hulda Martin, or Abel, what I saw and heard 
 that night." . 
 
 Osric Lawrence turned from her with a terrible 
 cry. Those words had been the death warrant to his 
 hopes. In that moment he almost learned to hate the 
 beautiful girl-bride he had wedded. 
 
 Let her beware of him. The world is wide, but not 
 
74 PRETTY ROSE HALE. 
 
 so wide but that he would find her sooner or later* 
 Like one driven mad he turned without a word and 
 plunged once more into the soft, sweet shadows of 
 the night. 
 
 When Royal Montague had parted from Rose he 
 had gone at once to the depot, and a few minutes 
 later was en route to New York. His thoughts were 
 of Rose, peerless Rose, whose smiles others had 
 sought in vain, who had turned from them, one and 
 all, because she loved him. 
 
 It was pleasant to know that he had the power of 
 awakening such love. His vanity was flattered; the 
 very fondness of this lovely girl for him drew his heart 
 toward her. 
 
 He had written to his mother that he would be 
 home on the twentieth instant ; he knew she would be 
 waiting for him, and he knew who else would be 
 waiting for him pretty Evelyn Gray, a great favorite 
 of his mother s, and who always managed to secure 
 invitations to the house when the handsome young 
 son was at home. 
 
 Should he make known his engagement to Rose? 
 that was the question he asked himself over and over 
 again, as he walked hastily up the dTvenue. 
 
 No carriage had been sent to meet him, owing to 
 the frequency of the incoming trains, and not- know 
 ing which of them he micrht take. 
 
 It had been the hand of Fate that prompted Royal 
 Montague to alight from one of the down-town cars, 
 and walk the greater part of the way in the direction 
 of the avenue on which he resided. 
 
 Two ladies were walking in advance of him ; one 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. <) 
 
 was elderly and heavy set, the other was young and 
 graceful. The voice of one was shrill and complain 
 ing, the other as sweet and mild as the soft, low 
 chiming of a silver bell. Yet Royal Montague would 
 have passed them by without a thought or glance 
 had not a singular event happened. 
 
 In stepping from the pavement to the cross-walk 
 the elder woman slipped and fell. 
 
 A terrified cry broke from the young girl s lips 
 a cry that brought Royal Montague to their as 
 sistance in an instant. 
 
 "What can I do for you?" he inquired; but, as he 
 asked, his quick eyes took in the situation at a 
 glance. 
 
 The bright rays of the gas-lamp fell full upon the 
 face the young girl raised to him the most beauti 
 ful face he had ever beheld, framed in a mass of 
 golden hair. 
 
 " My Aunt Hulda has fallen she has fainted, sir! " 
 she said, with a piteous quiver of the lips. " If you 
 would be so kind as to call a cab for us, I should be 
 most grateful." 
 
 In an instant he had darted off to do her bidding. 
 Luckily a cab was within hailing distance, and Royah. 
 secured it at once. ad 
 
 He assisted the driver in placing the unfortunathe 
 woman in the vehicle. The younger one, with her 
 blue eyes full of tears, murmured her thanks. The 
 door closed with a bang, and the cab rolled rapidly 
 up the avenue, and was soon lost to sight in the dark 
 ness. 
 
 Royal Montague stopped, and drawing a memor 
 andum from his pocket, hastily jotted down the street 
 
76 PRETTY ROSE KALI.. 
 
 and number the young girl had given the driver. 
 Why he did this he himself could not have told. 
 
 " I thank you in my Aunt Hulda Martin s name/" 
 she had said to him. " I am her niece, Lillian." 
 
 " Lillian," he repeated musingly, as he walked 
 slowly homeward "Was there ever a face so fair? 
 the name suits her well ! " 
 
 Something in the glance of those blue eyes thrilled 
 Royal Montague s heart. In that one moment his life 
 seemed to change a pair of blue eyes had driven 
 out of his heart all thoughts of Rose Rose who loved 
 him so, and to whom he had so lately plighted his 
 troth ! 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Royal Montague walked slowly homeward, still 
 thinking of the fair young girl from whom he had 
 just parted. 
 
 " I must call to-morrow on my way down town and 
 inquire if her aunt is better," he thought. 
 
 Mrs. Montague welcomed her handsome son warmly. 
 She quite idolized this stalwart, broad-shouldered son 
 of hers. 
 
 Evelyn Gray held out the rosy tips of her fingers, 
 fc^er pale-blue eyes sparkling with delight. 
 a 7" We have been looking for you since early morn- 
 ng, Royal," she said. " It is quite cruel of you 
 to keep us waiting so long/ 
 
 " I am more than sorry, Evelyn," he replied, con 
 tritely ; "but now that I am home, T shall endeavor 
 to make full amends." 
 
 An hour or more he remained in the drawing-room 
 with the ladies before going up to his own room; and 
 
he made the mistake of calling Evelyn, Lillian. 
 
 " I shall not sing for you any more, Royal," she 
 pouted, rising from the piano. " It is plainly evident 
 you have not been listening; your thoughts are else 
 where." 
 
 He laughed carelessly. 
 
 That is only your fancy, Evelyn," he answered. 
 
 She had sung one of her most impassioned love 
 songs and he had not even heard it. 
 
 Good-night, Royal," she said; and before he was 
 quite aware of it, he found himself alone. 
 
 Royal Montague passed a restless night ; all 
 through his dreams he could hear the music of a 
 sweet girlish voice, and see a fair troubled face, but 
 it was not the face of Rose Hall. 
 
 Early the next day, quite as soon as etiquette per 
 mitted, Royal Montague, with a superb bouquet in 
 hand, presented himself at the house the location of 
 which he had jotted down the night before in his 
 memorandum. He sent up the flowers and his card, 
 requesting to know if the accident had proven ser 
 ious. 
 
 Lillian herself answered the inquiry in person. 
 She saw before her the handsome young man who had 
 rendered them such timely service at the time of the 
 accident. He saw that the beautiful blue eyes were 
 red and swollen with weeping. 
 
 4 * My aunt is much easier, thank you, sir," she said. 
 " We sent for the doctor immediately upon reaching 
 home, and he found that Aunt Hulda s ankle was 
 badly sprained. It will be several weeks, we fear. 
 before she is able to be about, and the pain is in 
 tense." 
 
7 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 And the lovely blue eyes raised to his were brim 
 ming over with tears. 
 
 "Is there anything I can do for her?" he asked. 
 Then he remembered that he was an entire stranger, 
 and that the answer would certainly be a polite " no." 
 
 Lillian shook her head. 
 
 " You are very kind/ she said simply, " but there 
 is nothing you can do for her. 
 
 " You will not think me impertinent if I call to in 
 quire^ now and then, if she is better?" he asked 
 eagerly. 
 
 " I could not think any one impertinent for taking 
 an interest in the welfare of my dear unfortunate 
 aunt," said the girl, gravely. 
 
 From that morning marvelous bouquets and bas 
 kets of delicate fruit found their way to Hulda Mar 
 tin s sick-room. Royal Montague was the florist s 
 best customer. Volumes of poems often accompanied 
 the flowers, and now and then a note expressing the 
 hope that Mrs. Martin was recovering. 
 
 " I should like to thank him for his kindness to 
 me, Lillian," said Hulda, one day. The next time 
 the young man calls invite him into the sitting- 
 room." 
 
 " Oh, aunt," cried Lillian, glancing around in dis 
 may, " our lodgings look so shabby, and he is such 
 a gentleman. I don t like to invite him up and let 
 him see how poor we are." 
 
 " If he has any sense he knows that we are not rich, 
 living on the third floor of a New York flat." de 
 clared Hulda emphatically ; " he must know, too, that 
 we have to work for a living, so you can go right on 
 
riilCTTY ROSE HALL. /y 
 
 jvith your fan-painting even if he is sitting here. 
 "ou needn t mind him." 
 
 The next time Royal called he was delighted at 
 3eing invited up into the sitting-room, where Mrs. 
 Martin sat. She was reclining in her great arm-chair 
 the window. Lillian sat by the table, her fair 
 ace bent over the pale-pink roses she was deftly 
 painting on the satin fans. 
 
 She blushed when she saw his eyes, so full of ad 
 miration bent upon her. He did not say much to Lil 
 lian, but devoted himself entirely to win the liking 
 of the aunt. 
 
 When he went away that morning, Hulda Martin 
 voted him the most perfect gentleman she had ever 
 met. 
 
 " Is it not wonderful, Lillian," she added, " that he 
 should take such an interest in me ? " 
 
 Lillian bent lower over the fans she was coloring, 
 making no reply. 
 
 Many a time that day the handsome face of their 
 visitor rose before her. She liked to recall the words 
 he had said, and the glance of his eyes. 
 
 From that day Royal was a constant visitor to 
 Hulda Martin. At first he argued himself into the 
 belief that if a few flowers or books brought pleas 
 ure to them, if his cheery words made their life 
 brighter, what harm could there be in his coming? 
 
 In obedience to her aunt s wishes, Lillian had 
 adopted her name, Martin. From the moment Rose 
 had left them, Hulda could never bear the name of 
 Hall mentioned in her presence. 
 
 Lillian did not even know where Rose had gone ; 
 Hulda had carefullv destroved the address. 
 
80 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Poor Lillian did not even know that the great city 
 of New York, where she and her aunt had come in 
 search of employment when the old light-house 
 keeper died, was the winter home of the proud, old 
 lady the haughty grandmother who had coaxed 
 their beautiful Rose from them by the power of her 
 glittering gold. 
 
 It happened thus that Royal Montague knew Lil 
 lian Hall as Lillian Martin. 
 
 Hulda Martin had long since discovered what the 
 magnet was that brought handsome Royal Montague, 
 the banker s son, to their humble lodgings. She 
 watched them when they met and when they parted, 
 and she told herself that Royal was certainly in love. 
 She made no comments to Lillian, who was not one 
 of those girls one could discuss a love affair with ; 
 she was so coy and bashful she would be greatly dis 
 tressed. 
 
 The time came when Royal Montague stood face to 
 face with the knowledge of his secret. He had be 
 gun to realize what he was doing, to know that the 
 sweet witchery, the glamour falling over him was 
 all love ; to realize that he lived only in fair Lillian 
 Martin s presence, and without her life would be a 
 blank ; to realize that he loved Lillian with the one 
 great love of his life, before which all others grew 
 pale and dim. 
 
 He said to himself that if marriages were made in 
 heaven, Lillian was the one intended for him, that 
 she was the only one in this world he could love. 
 
 He knew that at last he had met his fate ; that he, 
 Royal Montague, engaged to marry the beautiful 
 
81 
 
 heiress, Rose Hall, loved with his whole heart an 
 other. 
 
 He, the very soul of honor, had fallen into this state 
 of blind worship without realizing it until it was too 
 late ; fallen into the deepest pit love ever digs for the 
 feet of man. 
 
 He had never trembled at the touch of a young 
 girl s hand before. Now if his hand touched hers, 
 if her dress brushed against him as she passed by him, 
 his heart thrilled with a sense so keen it was almost 
 pain. 
 
 He quite believed that Lillian was not indifferent 
 to him ; he could read her thoughts in a thousand 
 different ways. 
 
 If he hail been free he would have asked Lillian 
 Martin to be his wife. 
 
 " I wish ! " he cried to himself in vain reproach, 
 " that I had not been so impetuous in asking poor 
 Rose to marry me ; would to heaven it were to be 
 done over again ! " 
 
 He cried out at the strange fate that had befallen 
 him. Rose, who loved him better than her ow r n life, 
 was as beautiful as a goddess. Yet his heart had not 
 gone out to her as it had to Lillian. He was grate 
 ful to Rose for the love she had lavished upon him : 
 but he could not give her in return that love that 
 comes to a man s heart but once in a lifetime. 
 
 He saw now what a terrible mistake he had made 
 in asking Rose to marry him ; simply because he had 
 discovered the girl s great love for himself; and now 
 that he was bound in faith and honor to her, he had 
 met the one above all others whom he loved and 
 would have wedded but for Rose. 
 
82 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 He loved one girl with all the strength of his heart 
 and was promised to another ! 
 
 Long tender letters came to him from Rose ; but 
 his handsome face grew whiter as he read them. 
 Ah, if Rose had but loved him less ! 
 
 He was perplexed, greatly troubled; how he re 
 proached himself for yielding to the temptation of 
 gazing upon Lillian s fair- face, drinking in the music 
 of her voice, when he was in honor bound to marry 
 another. 
 
 He knew that he should have kept away from Lil 
 lian when the sweet dream of love began to steal over 
 him. 
 
 " If I marry Rose ! " he cried out in the bitterness 
 of his heart, " I shall be miserable all my life long." 
 
 Each letter from Rose breathed over and over 
 again the girl s great absorbing love for him. 
 
 You are the light of my life, Royal/ she wrote. 
 
 " You are to me what the sunlight is to the flowers. 
 If you ever loved me less death would be welcome. 
 Oh, Royal, my darling,- I am often frightened at my 
 passionate worshipful love for you." 
 
 When Royal Montague read such letters as thes 
 which each day brought him, his handsome face 
 would grow whiter and he would cry out that his 
 doom was indeed sealed. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Royal Montague laid down Rose s letter with a 
 groan of despair. Every line, every word revealed to 
 him the girl s idolatrous love for him. 
 
 He almost hated himself because he could not give 
 her back love for love. 
 
c 
 
 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 here was but one course to pursue ; he must go 
 to Rose and in a manly, straightforward manner tell 
 her his story. He must say to her : 
 
 " I am bound to you, Rose, but I love another. It 
 is for you to decide what my future will be. I leave 
 my fate, my happiness in your hands/ 
 
 If she still clung to him, refusing to give him up, 
 he would marry her. He would be a true husband ; 
 he would give her reverence, respect, everything but 
 love, that was not his to give, for his heart had gone 
 out to another. 
 
 On the contrary, if she released him he would bless 
 her for the generous action. His gratitude would 
 be boundless, for it would enable him to woo and 
 win fair, -sweet Lillian. 
 
 He was- glad when he read in one of Rose s letters 
 that they would be in New York by the first of the 
 following month. 
 
 " I am very anxious to see you, Royal/ she wrote, 
 " for it is more than a month since you left Linden 
 Villa." 
 
 Rose loved him so blindly that she did not notice 
 the growing coldness and the shortness of his letters. 
 
 As the weeks rolled by, and Royal showed no in 
 tention of running up to Linden Villa to see Rose, 
 Mrs. Hall grew a little uneasy over the matter. She 
 knew what it meant when a man commences to make 
 excuses about having no time to spare. She knew 
 that when a man is deeply and thoroughly in love 
 he will let nothing interfere with his visits to his 
 loved one business, everything must stand back for 
 love s sweet sake. 
 
 Mrs. Hall was not pleased. Linden Villa was not 
 
84 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 such a great distance from New York, surely he could 
 have come up once a week at least, if he had had the 
 
 inclination to do so. She noticed that his letters to 
 Rose came less frequently. These were not very good 
 signs to the experienced eyes of Mrs. Hall, for that 
 reason she decided to come to the city a little earlier 
 than she had otherwise intended to do. 
 
 She \vatchcd with anxious eyes the meeting between 
 Koyal and Rose. The girl s face shone with delight 
 and love ; her lover s face looked white and haggard. 
 The words which fell from his lips seemed forced ; 
 he was certainly ill at ease. 
 
 It was no wonder. A fair, spiritual face, crowned 
 with a halo of golden hair, and a pair of sweet, plead 
 ing pansy-blue eyes rose up before his mental vision, 
 entirely blotting out the dark, glowing beauty of the 
 girl beside him. 
 
 Royal knew what was expected of him when Rose 
 came tripping into the room bright and glowing as 
 the flowers she wore. He took the little dusky hand 
 in his and bending over kissed the lovely, laughing 
 lips. 
 
 " How white you are, Royal," she cried. 4t Have 
 you been ill? You have lost all your bright, cheery, 
 genial manner which made you so so irresistible." 
 
 He flushed uneasily and looked confused. What 
 would she have said if she had known why he looked 
 so gloomy, that he was trying to summon courage to 
 tell her the story that was to blight her beautiful 
 love-dream ? 
 
 They were standing together beside a jardiniere 
 f.Iled with odorous blossoms. He had clasped Rose s 
 hand? ; yet he hardly knew how to begin, she was look- 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 85 
 
 ing up at him so fondly with those great, luminous 
 eyes of hers. 
 
 " I have been so lonely without you, Royal," she 
 said, drooping her beautiful head nearer to him 
 " even in crowds I have been inexpressibly lonely. 
 There was one evening in particular that I was very 
 miserable," she said, nestling closer to him. " I had 
 intended going to a lawn fete that night; It was on 
 Thursday that was the day I always received your 
 precious letters ; but on this clay none came, and my 
 heart was by far too sore and heavy to dance, laugh, 
 and jest. I cried myself to sleep that night, and, as 
 the hours wore on, such strange fancies filled my 
 mind, that perhaps you had ceased to love me." 
 
 Royal Montague s handsome face grew pale ; he 
 winced under the words. 
 
 " What would you do, Rose," he said, drawing the 
 slender figure toward him, and trying to speak care 
 lessly, " if such a thing were to really happen? " 
 
 He never liked to remember the face she raised to 
 him. the strange light in the dark eyes, the pallor 
 of the laughing lips. 
 
 "I should go mad, Royal," she said, solemnly. " I 
 .could not die and leave the bright world that held 
 you my spirit would not leave it. I should be like 
 the girl of the story, who threw herself in the sea 
 because her lover had proven false. The blue waves 
 eddying around her laughed and sported with her. 
 They would not bring the death which she craved; 
 they tossed her out of harm s way upon the white 
 sands, and there her friends found her. She looked 
 up at them with wild, dilating, burning eyes. 
 
 "* Heaven would not let me die, she said. I have 
 
86 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 a mission to perform ; I am to haunt my lover. He 
 is the sunshine ; I will be the shadow. No other love 
 shall ever rest in his arms, smile under his caresses! 
 
 " They looked into her eyes and started back, tears 
 of silent pity springing to their own ; for they saw that 
 she was quite mad her false lover had driven her 
 mad ! That would be my fate, Royal, if you should 
 ever cease to care for me." 
 
 " What if death took me from you, Rose you 
 would get over your loss in time?" he said, hesitat 
 ingly. 
 
 The lovely white arms crept around his neck ; the 
 beautiful face paled, and the dark head buried itself 
 upon his breast. 
 
 " If you died, I would die too, Royal," she said, with 
 a gasping sob, " When I looked upon your face, cold 
 in death, my hear would break ! " 
 
 " How well you must love me, Rose ! " he groaned. 
 
 She laughed such a low, happy laugh. 
 
 " I could not express how well I love you, dear," 
 she said. " You are my world ! " 
 
 The great love she lavished upon him wearied him. 
 He could not help contrasting her at that moment 
 with fair, sweet Lillian, whom a bold wooer would 
 have frightened, as a huntsman frightens a timid bird. 
 
 The evening passed, and he took his leave with the 
 words he had come there to say unspoken. It would 
 have been easier to plunge a dagger into the breast 
 of Rose Hall than utter the words he had come there 
 to say; they died away unspoken on his lips. 
 
 It would be easier to write the truth to her, he 
 thought. He wrote the letter, intending to put it into 
 Rose s hands, yet each day his courage failed him 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 87 
 
 when he saw how completely the girl s heart had gone 
 out to him, how she lived upon his words and smiles. 
 
 He could realize but too well the truth of her words : 
 "If she were to lose him. she would go mad, or die." 
 He was beginning to see that love would have to be 
 sacrificed on the altar of duty. 
 
 Looking forward through the long years of his fu 
 ture, he saw no gleam of brightness if he married Rose 
 Hall. He knew that he was not the first man who had 
 married one girl while he loved another. He had not 
 been the first who had gone through that terrible strug 
 gle between duty and inclination. Yes, he must marry 
 Rose. His love for sweet Lillian Martin would be but 
 a dream of the sweet possibilities of "what might have 
 been," and he resolved to see her never again. 
 
 Heaven alone knew what his resolutions cost him, 
 how yearning impulse urged him to see Lillian just 
 once more, to bid her farewell. He would have been 
 wise if he had not yielded to temptation. He was 
 playing with fire. 
 
 "Yes," he told himself, with reckless despair, " he 
 would go once again and bid Lillian good-bye ; he 
 would take one last look at the face that held all the 
 beauty of earth and heaven for him. They allowed a 
 condemned criminal to look at the sun while he could, 
 they allowed a dying man to take a last look at the 
 faces he loved. He was going out of her life forever; 
 if a few moments in her presence would be such a 
 source of comfort to him, why need he deprive himself 
 of it? Lillian would never know, when he bent over 
 her little white hand at parting, of the wild throbbing 
 in his heart; the gentle girl would never know 
 that he could have knelt before her and worshiped her, 
 
88 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 and that, if he had only been free, he would have 
 clasped her in his arms, begging her to give him her 
 love, to be his bride. 
 
 He promised himself that he would go to see Lillian 
 the following day. Never in his life had the hours 
 dragged so slowly. For the first time in his life he 
 felt ill at ease. 
 
 On his way down the avenue he saw a stylish little 
 phaeton approaching from an opposite direction. One 
 glance at the beautiful piquant face of the occupant, 
 and he saw that it was Rose. She drew rein close to 
 the curb-stone. 
 
 "Oh, Royal, is this really you?" she cried, extending 
 her dainty hand to him. "I am so glad ! You are just 
 in time to go shopping with me. I have something to 
 tell you, Royal," she went on, in a low, happy voice. 
 
 " My trousseau has arrived from Worth s this morn 
 ing. My dress and veil are marvels of beauty. I will 
 tell you about them as we drive along." 
 
 Not now, Rose," he exclaimed. "I have a very 
 pressing engagement. I shall be up this evening to 
 hear all about it." 
 
 Rose pouted, but drove away smiling. A few mo- 
 ments later her lover, with beating heart, stood before 
 Lillian s door, with a pale, determined face. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 It was a lovely June morning. Lillian Martin sat at 
 her work, her lovely golden head drooping dejectedly 
 over the delicate fan she was decorating. 
 
 The fair face was paler than was its wont, and the 
 blue eyes wore a troubled look in their shadowy 
 depths. Deftly and patiently the little white fingers 
 
PRF/ITY Ro.- l-: HALL 80 
 
 covered the delicate satin with gorgeous designs, but 
 it was quite plain to be seen that the girl s heart was 
 not in her work. 
 
 tier Aunt Hulda sat watching her in silence. 
 
 Lillian!" she exclaimed at length, "how long is it 
 since vonng Mr. Montague was here last?" 
 
 The fan dropped from Lillian s fingers, and she gave 
 a frightened start. 
 
 1 1 ad her aunt pierced her thoughts that she asked 
 her that question ? 
 
 She bent lower over her work, and her fair race grew 
 a shade paler, but she answered the question quietly 
 enough : "It will be two weeks to-morrow since he 
 called." 
 
 Hulda Martin knitted her brows together in a dark 
 frown. 
 
 "Do you know, Lillian," she said, thoughtfully, "I 
 quite fancied the young man had taken a liking to 
 you." 
 
 " Oh. aunt ! " cried the girl, bending her golden head 
 lower in distress ; "he only called here out of kindness 
 to see how you were progressing. Xow that you are 
 getting along so nicely " 
 
 "Pshaw!" interrupted Hulda Martin, impatiently. 
 * I know the ways of men better than you do, and I 
 tell you when a man comes as often as young Royal 
 Montague did, there is something besides a sick wo 
 man that attracts him ; but," she went on, energetically, 
 <4 I find he is like all the rest of them, quick to imagine 
 himself in love, and quick to cool off when the glamour 
 of newness wears off," 
 
 "Let us not discuss him, aunt," returned Lillian, in 
 a low voice. 
 
90 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 "Why not?" asked Hulda, energetically. 
 
 "Because he is nothing to us," returned Lillian, "and 
 we are nothing to him. He has been very kind to 
 us ; he will be to us only a pleasant memory." 
 
 "But his coming made our lives pleasanter," per 
 sisted Hulda. 
 
 Lillian made no answer. 
 
 "I am quite sure he admired you," continued Hulda, 
 "but probably he has seen some other face that pleases 
 him better; men are like weather vanes, Lillian. They 
 have their heads set this way to-day and that way to 
 morrow." 
 
 The girl stretched out her white hands, crushing 
 back the sobbing cry that rose to her lips ; how could 
 she bear it if her aunt persisted in pursuing this sub 
 ject much longer? Long weary hours of the night 
 she had grieved because he had come not, her pillow 
 was wet with tears over a hope deferred. 
 
 Mrs. Hulda had no intention of dropping the topic. 
 
 "Those who trust to a man s love might as well 
 trust the fickle wind. Never set your heart on one of 
 them, Lillian, until you stand at the altar with him," 
 she declared, emphatically. 
 
 "You trusted to Uncle Abel s love, Aunt Hulda," 
 corrected gentle Lillian, gravely. "He was always a 
 good husband to you/ 
 
 "I married him over twenty years ago, and young 
 men were different in those days. Then, if a young 
 man took you home from singing school, or quilting 
 bee. once or twice, you could feel pretty certain that he 
 intended asking you to marry him ; but now you are 
 never sure of em if they ve been beauing you around 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 91 
 
 a year. If a prettier face crosses their path, or a 
 shrewd coquette gets hold of em, you re left !" 
 
 Hulda s lecture on "the ways of young men nowa 
 days" had not been appreciated, it seemed ; for, turning 
 round suddenly to see how Lillian had been impressed 
 by it, she found that the girl had quietly left the room. 
 
 Lillian had fled to the adjoining apartment, and 
 catching up her sun hat, hastily donned it. 
 
 "I must go out into t]ie street," she thought. "Per 
 haps the hurrying throngs of people will help me to for 
 get him." 
 
 Poor, patient, uncomplaining Lillian ! her lot was 
 hard enough ^before, without this handsome stranger 
 shining like the sun across her path, and in the setting 
 leaving it in sudden gloom. Quite unconsciously his 
 face had stolen into her thoughts, waking and sleeping. 
 She had watched for his coming, treasured the flowers 
 he had sent long after they were withered and dead, 
 and the beautiful, sweet poems seemed to voice his sen 
 timents toward her. The sudden discontinuance of 
 his visits showed the girl what life would be without 
 him : the future seemed dark and dreary enough. * 
 
 " Oh, if I only had Rose to confide my pitiful secret 
 to," she thought, "it would not be so hard to bear! 
 Ah, where was her beautiful, darling Rose?" she won 
 dered, gazing wistfully and tearfully into the faces of 
 fair young girls who passed her by. What part of the 
 world held the beautiful sister who had been tempted 
 from their midst by her proud old grandmother s glit 
 tering gold? 
 
 Did Rose, her beautiful, reckless, wayward sister, 
 never sigh for her? were the lovely cheeks which had 
 been pressed so often to her own ever wet with silent 
 
02 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 tears at the thought of the sister she had so willingly 
 deserted? 
 
 " In the midst of all her pomp and splendor, does her 
 heart never crave my presence?" thought Lillian. 
 
 A lovely phaeton dashed up the avenue at that mo 
 ment, the dust from its wheels enveloping Lillian in a 
 cloud as it passed her by. The face of the occupant 
 was turned from her, but there was something in the 
 proud poise of the head, and the rich luster of the 
 dark glossy hair beneath the plumed hat, that re 
 minded her strangely of Rose. She brushed the dust 
 from her dress and passed on with a sigh. 
 
 How little she dreamed that the occupant of the 
 phaeton, robed in shimmering, costly silk, and adorned 
 with gems that cost a small fortune, was indeed Rose. 
 
 If Rose had turned her haughty head ever so 
 slightly toward the girl who passed by her in the sim 
 ple straw hat, cotton gloves and modest blue dress, 
 she could not have failed to recognize Lillian. 
 
 So engrossed was Lillian with her own thoughts 
 she did not see a gentleman approaching her ; she was 
 not aware of Royal Montague s close proximity until 
 she ran directly into his arms. 
 
 " Miss Martin ! " he exclaimed delightedly. 
 
 Lillian started back with a cry of dismay, the hot 
 color rushing to her face in a crimson tide. 
 
 " I am so glad of this opportunity of talking with 
 you alone and uninterrupted," he said in deep agitation. 
 " I have but just, ccme from your home; they told me 
 you were not in ; the disappointment was great." 
 
 The} were standing opposite Riverside Park ; gently 
 but firmly he drew her within the massive gates and 
 
PRETTY KOSE HALL. 93 
 
 seated her upon one of the benches beneath a spread 
 ing oak-tree, taking a seat by her side. 
 
 " I came out for a walk," faltered Lillian ; " it is not 
 often that I can spare the time ; I have been out quite 
 half an hour, I must return directly or Aunt Hulda 
 will be worried about me!" 
 
 "Do not talk of leaving me just yet," replied Royal; 
 "I must have a long talk with you." 
 
 He looked at the girl s downcast face so fair in the 
 sunlight, then he noticed that the lovely cheeks had lost 
 all their color. He was strangely touched, and the 
 thought flitted through his mind : 
 
 "Had he been the cause of it?" 
 
 He watched the play of the lovely features, the light 
 in the beautiful eyes bluer than the hyacinths that 
 blossomed around them, and he went almost mad with 
 love and regret knowing that her fair beauty was not 
 for him. 
 
 Lillian s blue eyes drooped still lower under their 
 curling golden lashes. What was it that he was so anx 
 ious to say to her? the girl s heart throbbed and the 
 blush deepened on her face. 
 
 "I will tell you why I called at the house, Lillian," 
 he said ; but instead of continuing he hesitated 
 strangely. 
 
 How he longed to tell her the story of his life as they 
 sat there together in the sunlit park ; tell her of the 
 rash impulse that had caused him to ask a young and 
 beautiful girl to marry him, because he had discovered 
 that she was infatuated with him. 
 
 How he longed to tell her that the girl was beau 
 tiful and good. Yet, that while he lived he could not 
 do more than like her; that the fetters which bound 
 
94 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 
 
 him he must wear ; for if this girl lost him she would go 
 mad or die ! 
 
 How he longed to tell her that she, whom he could 
 not marry, he had learned to love with a wild passion 
 ate worship that would end only with his life. 
 
 He remained silent so long that Lillian raised hef 
 blue eyes to his face in timid wonder. 
 
 She did not know that he was biting his lips, 
 clinching his hands to hold down the hot passionate 
 words that seemed to spring to his lips. 
 
 Should he simply say good-bye and leave her, or 
 should he avow his love? he read love for himself in 
 Lillian s eyes as plainly as eyes could speak. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 With Lillian s sweet face raised to his, how could he 
 speak the words that were to part them for evermore? 
 Royal Montague asked himself in deep distress. 
 
 But the words must be spoken ; the pain of uttering 
 them must be endured and gotten over sooner or later. 
 
 "I will tell you what I have been trying to find cour 
 age to say for the last fortnight it is this, Lillian you 
 will let me call you Lillian for the first and last time; 
 I am going away, and I came to say good-bye." 
 
 For an instant the park, with its green foliage and 
 waving trees, seemed whirling around poor Lillian ; the 
 sunshine blotted out from the bright blue sky, shroud- 
 ing the earth in impenetrable gloom. 
 
 Tears sprung to her blue eyes, and her lovely face 
 grew pale as a snow-drop. She tried to utter some 
 careless word, but no sound fell from her lips. 
 
 !rew closer to her he was onlv human and 
 

 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 95 
 
 e distress he read in her face touched him to the 
 heart. 
 
 "You are grieved, Lillian," he said, "but you can not 
 be more grieved than I. Let me tell you why I must 
 go, Lillian. It is because I have learned to love you. 
 I should never have let my heart go out to you, sweet 
 Lillian, for I am engaged to be married to another!" 
 
 Ah, dear Heaven, how the words smote her! With 
 that one sentence the girl s loving heart had been raised 
 to the gates of paradise, only to be dashed again broken 
 and bleeding to the pitiless earth. 
 
 He saw her raise her face to the white clouds above, 
 and he thought of the beauty of the pictured faces of 
 angels so like hers. He did not know that she was 
 praying she might die then and there. 
 
 How the leaves trembled in the wind; but they did 
 not tremble more than the girl who sat beside him, and 
 he realized but too well what might have been had he 
 but been free to woo and win her. 
 
 There was nothing for it but to. tell her the truth, 
 then she would see that he must go. 
 
 In a low, hoarse, despairing voice he told her all, 
 carefully suppressing all names, and the girl s face 
 paled to the hue of death as she listened. 
 
 He told her all, brokenly, of the mad, passionate. love 
 the girl lavished upon him, whom he had promised to 
 make his wife. 
 
 "I gave her, in return, sympathy and friendly liking, 
 Lillian," he went on, "but not love. I never knew what 
 the strong, deep love of a man meant until I met you. 
 In the hour that I bid you farewell, the best part of my 
 life dies." 
 
 She held up her white hands with a gesture of des- 
 
96 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 pair. Ah, would that he had left her in cold, unbroken 
 silence! would that she had never known of his love 
 
 for herself! 
 
 t 
 
 He glanced around and saw that they were quite 
 alone in the green park. How he longed to take her in 
 his arms just once and kiss the fair face, the beautiful, 
 quivering lips, and the golden hair, that his eyes must 
 rest on never again, unless he wished to go mad with 
 pain and regret at losing her! 
 
 He had told her his story, yet she sat mute beside 
 him, speaking not a word. 
 
 "Oh, Lillian !" he cried, "have you no consolation to 
 offer no word of comfort to say to me?" 
 
 "I hope your future will he happier than you now 
 think possible," she said, faintly. 
 
 "Is the pain of our parting nothing to you, that you 
 can speak like that, Lillian?" he cried, hoarsely; "if 
 love ever shone in a girl s face, it shines in yours. You 
 love me, Lillian, even as I love you." 
 
 She looked up at him with her blue eyes drowned 
 in tears. 
 
 "Hush, Mr. Montague. You must remember honor 
 always ! You are the promised husband of another, 
 never mind what I think or feel. You are bidding me 
 farewell, let no word pass between us that either will 
 regret." 
 
 But he could not regain his composure. 
 
 "Lillian," he cried, recklessly, "the pain of giving 
 you up is greater than I can bear, I can not see you 
 pass out of my life like this. I am tempted to clasp you 
 in my arms and fly with you to " 
 
 He stopped abruptly, for her little white hand was 
 laid firmly upon his arm. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 97 
 
 "I I am willing to say farewell to you kindly, Mr. 
 Montague," she said, "but you must not speak to me in 
 that way." 
 
 He was silent. She went on : 
 
 "If I have a secret, Mr. Montague, you must not try 
 to force it from me, you must respect it." 
 
 "I will," he said, bravely. He knew now that she 
 loved him, but it mattered little, since the knowledge 
 came too late. 
 
 His eyes- lingered on her fair face. It had never 
 appeared so beautiful to him ; the secret she had locked 
 in her heart was all told there ; the look was on her 
 face that only one man ever brings to the face of a 
 girl, and that is the man she loves. She might try to 
 hide it. but he could read her secret. 
 
 "I think," she said, gently, "that I must go back. My 
 aunt will wonder at my long absence." 
 
 "Lillian," he said "forgive me if I still use the name 
 you will never be Lillian to me again, this is our 
 iarewell, we will never stand here together again. I 
 am to lose you, oh, beautiful love that would have 
 made life so bright for me." 
 
 Passionate yearning overcame .prudence. He held 
 out his arms to her, his face white with emotion. 
 
 "Will you let me clasp you in my arms one brief 
 moment, Lillian? Will you let me kiss your sweet 
 lips, just once?" 
 
 She drew back from him with shy sweet grace. 
 
 "Do not be angry with me." she said. "I can not!" 
 
 He bowed, respecting the derision of her pure heart. 
 
 "Any man may safely place his honor in her hands," 
 he thought. 
 
 He could not help contrasting the differences be- 
 
98 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 tween these two girls who loved him. Rose, impulsive, 
 loving Rose would have twined her white arms, unbid 
 den, around his neck, pressed her dusk cheek to his, 
 murmuring over and over again how she loved him, 
 and the pain that parting with him cost her; but this 
 one, fair Lillian, with a face as pure and sweet as an 
 angel s, could never have caressed him, she was too 
 shy and modest for unmaidenly demonstration ; she 
 would not kiss him, loving him as dearly as she did, 
 even though he was passing out of her life and her 
 love, forever. 
 
 He respected and reverenced Lillian all the more for 
 ir. 
 
 "Good-bye, Mr. Montague," said Lillian, holding out 
 her little hand to him. There were tears in her eyes 
 and in her voice. 
 
 "Must it be good-bye?" he asked, a feeling of despair 
 stealing over him, as he took her white hand and held 
 it, longing to weep over it. 
 
 "Yes ; you have asked another to wed you before you 
 met me, and as a\man of honor you must be true to her, 
 and forget that you and I have ever met." 
 
 What would she have said or thought if she had: 
 known that this strange girl s fate which it was in her 
 power to wreck was Rose, the sister who had deserted; 
 her? 
 
 Oh. if Royal had but told her! but, alas! before Lil 
 lian he could not bring himself to even mention the 
 name of her rival, Rose Hall. 
 
 "You will at least permit me to get a carriage to tak< 
 you home?" he said. "Do not refuse. Sitting by youi 
 side for a few brief moments will be a great consolation 
 to me." 
 
In silence 
 
 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 09 
 
 .n silence they rode through the sunlit streets to 
 gether, and in silence he handed her out of the coach 
 and turned away, Lillian to take up her weary burden 
 agam, toiling for a meager pittance, Royal Montague 
 to fulfill the vows that weighed him down like chains. 
 For both of them the present was full of misery and the 
 future all dark. 
 
 He felt like a traitor when he found himself in the 
 parlor of Rose s home that evening, awaiting her com 
 ing. He would certainly have stayed away if he had 
 not promised her that he would surely be with her 
 that evening. 
 
 She came into the parlor a vision of dazzling loveli 
 ness, greeting him in her usual caressing fashion; and 
 the love in her face might have melted a heart of 
 marble. 
 
 Rose Hall s glorious face and dark, radiant eyes, as 
 they fell upon her lover s face, would have immortal 
 ized an artist if he could have transferred them to can 
 vas. Love literally transfigured her. 
 
 The soft crimson glow of the chandelier fell upon a 
 startlingly lovely picture ; yet Royal Montague s eyes 
 never brightened as they rested upon it. 
 
 A prince might have been proud to woo and win 
 beautiful Rose Hall, with her wondrous dower of 
 beauty, for his bride. She would have charmed any 
 man with her divine loveliness. Perhaps, out of the 
 whole wide world, this man who was to marry her was 
 the only one who could have looked upon her without 
 emotion. 
 
 A sense of the cruel wrong that a loveless marriage 
 would be to her came over Royal ; but it could not be 
 helped. He well knew that, if he were to tell her the 
 
100 PRETTY ROSE HALL. x 
 
 truth, she would either fall dead at his feet or go mad. 
 No, he, dare not tell her. He had often heard and read 
 of the idolatrous love of women, but surely there never 
 was sucti a fatal, unfortunate, pathetic love as that 
 which filled the heart of beautiful Rose Hall. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 With a heavy heart Lillian took up the tangled 
 thread of life ; with a weariness of spirit too great for 
 words. 
 
 Royal Montague was gone he had passed out of her 
 life forever; nothing could pain her after that. 
 
 She went on with her work patiently as ever but 
 her fair face had lost its bloom ; the beautiful blue eyes 
 were losing their light. 
 
 Even Hulda Martin noticed how the girl was failing. 
 
 Lillian had told her aunt that Mr. Montague had bid 
 den her farewell that he was going away; but what 
 else he had said was buried in her own sore troubled 
 heart. 
 
 Dainty ladies who paid fabulous prices at one of the 
 great art emporiums for the decorated fans that passed 
 through Lillian s fingers, never dreamed of the sad: 
 face that had bent over the golden cupids among the 
 passion roses, and that bitter tears were wept over 
 them. 
 
 In this world trouble seldom comes singly. Hulda 
 Martin s health had long since been failing, and Lil 
 lian s slender earnings barely kept the gaunt hand 
 of want from the door after the doctor s bills were 
 paid. 
 
 One day matters came to a climax ; while Lillian sal 
 at her work and while the sun shone into the meagerlj 
 
PRETTV ROSE HALL. 101 
 
 furnished rooms, fallingly lovingly upun the golden 
 locks of one and the snow-white hair of the other, 
 Hulda Martin passed quietly away ; and with her died 
 all knowledge of Rose s whereabouts, for in her anger 
 she had destroyed every trace by which she could bn 
 found. 
 
 She died as she had lived with che n^me of Rose 
 upon her lips; Rose whom she had llw?ys lo\ 3d be?l 
 despite Lillian s heroic devotion, but even in death sivs 
 could not forgive the girl who had deserted her for 
 wealth and power. 
 
 To describe poor Lillian s heart-rending grief whei* 
 she raised her head to speak to her aunt, and realize*! 
 what the gray pallor on that loved face meant is to* 
 pitiful. 
 
 How she wept over her, kissing the death-cold 
 hands, crying out that Heaven could not have been so 
 cruel to her as to take away the only being who loved 
 her, leaving her alone and friendless in the great, harsb 
 pitiless world. 
 
 It was well that she sunk down in utter uncon-* 
 sciousness, and that her wandering senses did not re 
 turn to her as she tossed upon a bed of delirium, until 
 a week after all that was left of poor Hulda Martin 
 had been laid to rest. 
 
 The irate landlady s anger at this state of affairs 
 knew no bounds. 
 
 "Goodness gracious!" she cried, poking through her 
 tenants trunks to see if there was anything valuable 
 in them ; "it was bad enough to have that woman die 
 and cheat me out of a month s rent without that girl 
 falling sick on my hands. Dear me, it will be a lesson 
 to me never to take in lone 
 
102 PRETTY ROSE I! ALL. 
 
 She heard a slight sound, and turning hastily about 
 with arms akimbo, beheld Lillian standing in the door 
 way. 
 
 "Mrs. McDermot!" cried the girl aghast; "what are 
 you doing?" 
 
 The woman s face turned a dull red. 
 
 "I m looking to see what you ve got that s worth 
 sejling 10 pay iny rent with, and all that I can find 
 is a coral necklace set with a rose-pearl at the clasp." 
 
 In a moment Lillian had sprung across the room and 
 flung herself on her knees before the irate woman. 
 
 "Oh, do not touch that !" she cried : "it is all that I 
 have left that once belonged to a loved and lost sister. 
 Oh, dear madam, I pray you, I beseech you to give it 
 back to me ; it once belonged to my darling Rose. A 
 hundred times I have seen it around her beautiful neck 
 she has held it in her dear hands gold could not buy 
 it from me, I prize it so !" 
 
 " Gold will buy it from me," retorted the stolid wo- ] 
 man, grimly. "Do you see that red flag out of the 
 window? If you don t know what it means, I will 
 tell you. It means that within an hour your whole be 
 longings are to be auctioned off to pay me the month s 
 rent you and your aunt owe me, and I reckon they 
 won t fetch half the amount." 
 
 Lillian s face paled to a dead white. Sell the chair? 
 her aunt had loved, had sat in, and had died in! Sell 
 the few little articles they had brought from the old 
 lighthouse home, and which she held so dear? Oh, no, 
 no, no ! 
 
 "Beggars can t be choosers," went on the hard-^ 
 hearted woman ; "you re lucky to be allowed to keep on 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 103 
 
 the clothes you re wearing, together with that cloak 
 and fine hat of yours." 
 
 "Let me keep the necklace, and you can have all the 
 rest," sobbed Lillian ; "it would break my heart to 
 part with that." 
 
 A harsh, coarse laugh answered her as the woman 
 slipped the coral necklace into the depths of her pocket. 
 
 " My claim conies in first, you ll find," she said. " If 
 you can raise the money to pay me before the auction 
 eer commences, all well and good; if not, don t 
 grumble. I ll leave you to your own reflections until 
 then; and she left the room, closing the door after 
 her with a resounding bang. 
 
 Lillian flung herself down by the open window, weep, 
 ing the bitterest tears that ever fell from a girl s eyes. 
 
 She had been such a good, dutiful girl all her life 
 ah! why had Heaven shut her out from its mercy? 
 
 At that moment a grand coach rolled leisurely up the 
 street, its trappings of burnished gold glittering in the 
 morning sunlight. Its occupant, robed in costly silk 
 and fine white lace, leaned back among her crimson- 
 satin cushions with a contented smile. 
 
 What was it that broke in upon her rosy day-dreams? 
 It sounded strangely like the cry of a woman in keen 
 distress. Rose Hall looked anxiously about her. She 
 saw the open window from which the ominous red 
 flag protruded, and it seemed to be in that direction 
 from which the pitiful moans proceeded. 
 
 " James," exclaimed the beauty imperiously, " I 
 thought I heard the sound of weeping ; draw up to 
 the curb-stone and learn the cause, if you can." 
 
 The coachman laughed, and nodded toward the rod 
 banner waving in the breeze. 
 
104 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 "I guess that s the cause of it," he said. 
 
 Rose Hall looked at him haughtily. 
 
 " I did not ask your opinion in the matter ; I said 
 Go and learn the cause, if you can. " 
 
 The man jumped down from his box and disappeared 
 within the doorway. A few moments later he re 
 turned. 
 
 "It s just as I told you, miss. There s to be an auc 
 tiona landlady is going to sell a young girl s belong 
 ings because she can t pay her rent." 
 
 The beautiful face of Rose Hall looked thoughtful. 
 
 "Did you find out how much the amount was, 
 James?" 
 
 "Yes, miss twenty dollars, the landlady said." 
 
 The heart of beautiful, impulsive Rose Hall was 
 touched to think there should be sorrow in this beauti 
 ful world for the sake of twenty dollars. Why, the very 
 rug beneath her feet cost ten times that amount ; the 
 fan that lay by her side, double that sum ! 
 
 She drew forth her purse at once and counted out 
 five crisp twenty-dollar notes. 
 
 "Hand that to the young girl," she said. "Tell her; 
 if she needs work she can call at No. Lexington 
 
 Avenue. We can surely find some employment for| 
 
 i " 
 her. 
 
 The man executed his errand quickly, mounted his^ 
 box, and was soon proceeding on his way to Central ; 
 Park. 
 
 Rose leaned back among the cushions, contrasting 
 her lot with that of other girls. Ah, how happy she j 
 was ! Heaven had given her the desire of her heart e | 
 the love that was more to her than life itself. 
 
 he rode alone: the sunlit streets, she quite forgot-; 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 105 
 
 the little incident of the girl she had befriended. The 
 chances were she would never have thought of it again 
 if it had not been brought back to her memory in a 
 strange manner. 
 
 Meanwhile Lillian sat dumb and stupefied at the 
 strange move on the chess-board of fate. 
 
 She had paid the amazed landlady; the terrible flag 
 had been taken down, and the coral necklace had been 
 returned to her. 
 
 Of course, dearie, I intended to return the necklace 
 to you all the time," declared Mrs. McDermot, flushing 
 guiltily. "A keepsake s a keepsake, and I know what 
 store people do set by em ; and I d like right well to 
 have you stay and keep these rooms, Miss Lillian," 
 she went on, in that tone of cajoling flattery which is 
 so offensive, "for if I do say it to your face, I never had 
 a tenant that I took to as I did to you." 
 
 "I may stay for the present, Mrs. McDermot," said 
 Lillian, drearily. 
 
 The woman s face was beaming with smiles. 
 
 " It ll be like home to you, dearie. I ll come and sit 
 by you while you color your fans with the red roses. 
 By the way, I guess I ll get you a good warm dinner 
 now. You look kind of faint." 
 
 T shall be glad if you would do so," replied Lillian. 
 " I will pay you what you think is right for it." 
 
 " Pay vie! " reiterated Mrs. McDermot, in a high key. 
 "Do you think I d accept money for doing you a trifling 
 favor like that? I m only too glad to serve you. If you 
 want anything that I can get for you, dearie, don t be 
 afraid to call on me for it." 
 
 And she bustled out of Lillian s room, her broad, 
 florid face wreathed in smiles. She was mentallv cal- 
 
106 J liKTTV ROSE IIAI.L. 
 
 culating how long the remaining eighty dollars would 
 be likely to last the girl. 
 
 Ah, well, there are a good many Mrs. McDermot s 
 in this world of ours. That was the first real glimpse 
 poor Lillian had of the power of gold. 
 
 Long after the woman had left her, Lillian sat alone 
 with the bills in her lap. 
 
 "I can not accept this gift from the hands of a 
 stranger," she told herself. She arose and resolutely 
 tied on her modest straiv hat. "I must return the re 
 mainder, and I shall never rest until I pay in full the 
 amount I have been obliged to borrow." 
 
 She remembered the number the man had given her, 
 and remembered the words he had uttered as he handed 
 her the roll of bills: "This is from a young lady who 
 wishes you well." 
 
 "I must see her," Lillian promised herself. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Lillian soon found the street and number indicated, 
 and with some little trepidation ascended the broad 
 marble steps, and timidly rang the bell. 
 
 It was James who answered the summons. He 
 stared in undisguised amazement when he found who it 
 was that was standing there, and learned that she 
 wished to see personally the young girl who had so 
 generously befriended her that morning. 
 
 He shook his head stolidly. 
 
 "It wouldn t be of any use to try to see her now," 
 he declared. 
 
 "I would-not detain her five minutes," pleaded Lil 
 lian, in her sweet, clear voice. 
 
 Still he shook his head. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 107 
 
 "The young lady is busy looking over her wedding 
 finery," he said. "Not more than half an hour ago she 
 told me : remember if any one calls to-day I am not 
 "at home" to them, no matter who it is, those are the 
 exact words." 
 
 I am so sorry," said Lillian, plaintively. 
 
 At that moment Rose Hall was passing through the 
 corridor, and the words fell upon her ear. 
 
 What was there in that girlish voice that sent such 
 a strange thrill through her heart? Involuntarily she 
 paused. 
 
 Who is it at the door, James? and what does she 
 wain?" asked Rose, as she gathered up her silken 
 train in her slender, jeweled hand. 
 
 "It s the young girl you sent the money to this 
 morning, she wants to see you, ma am. I told her you 
 wouldn t/* 
 
 Rose cut short his remark with an impatient gest 
 ure. 
 
 "Show her into the drawing-room. I will see her 
 . directly." 
 
 The servant stared. He looked helplessly at the 
 girl s thick walking boots, not altogether free from the 
 dust of the pavement, then at the delicate Axminster 
 carpet, muttering something about the servant s hall 
 being a more fit place to show her into. 
 
 Miss Rose, however, had signified the desire that she 
 be shown into the drawing-room. Therefore, into that 
 spacious apartment he conducted her. 
 
 "What a beautiful home," thought the girl, glancing 
 wistfully about her. "How happy any girl ought to 
 be surrounded by such luxury." 
 
 Then it occurred to her that somewhere in the great 
 
108 PRETTY UOSK HALT,. 
 
 wide world, her sister Rose was enjoying just such 
 comforts, and after all she could not blame beautiful 
 willful Rose for yearning for the luxuries of wealth, 
 in preference to the weary life they led at the old 
 light-house. 
 
 Ah, how restful the beautiful shadowy room seemed, 
 with its magnificent adornings, to poor tired Lillian. 
 
 She heard the rustle of a silken robe the next mo 
 ment the velvet hangings were pushed aside by a 
 white jeweled hand, and Rose Hall swept into the 
 drawing-room. 
 
 "You wished to see me, my good girl," she said, 
 crossing over to where the slender girlish figure sat. 
 "What can I do for you?" 
 
 Lillian started to her feet with a low cry. At the 
 first vibration of that proud, mellow voice, she hat 1 , 
 recognized Rose.. 
 
 The shock of intense surprise and joy had been too 
 much for Lillian, and with that low cry on her lips, she 
 threw up her white hands and fell at her sister s feet 
 in a deathly swoon. 
 
 Rose s recognition of Lillian had been almost instan 
 taneous with a piercing cry she sprung forward a 
 cry that brought the servants quickly to the scene. 
 
 "It is Lilly!" she cried, dashing the heavy curtains 
 aside, and the warm, invigorating sunshine flooded 
 the room, falling upon the sweet, white upturned face ; 
 and in an instant she had raised the slender form from 
 the floor, covering the pallid face and golden hair with 
 kisses and tears. 
 
 When Lillian opened her blue, wondering eyes, the 
 first object they rested upon was Rose s beautiful, 
 anxious face bent lovingly over her ; her golden head 
 
109 
 
 was pillowed upon Rose s breast, her arms clasped 
 about her. 
 
 Mutual explanations speedily followed. Great was 
 Rose s emotion when she learned that her Aunt Hulda 
 was -dead, that she had brought Lillian to New York, 
 never telling her that she was so near her sister Rose, 
 and that she had destroyed all clews by which Lillian 
 might have traced and found her. Even in the hour of 
 her death Rose knew that her aunt had not forgiven 
 her, else she would have sent for her, knowing she was 
 so near. 
 
 And, clasping Lillian still closer in her arms, she told 
 her how she had written regularly home to them ; but 
 the letters, with money inclosed, that she had sent, 
 were returned unopened, with the words written across 
 the face of the envelope, " You are as one dead to us 
 foreverrnore ;" and, lastly, of the few lines that had 
 come to her one day, the first and last Hulda ever 
 wrote her, and which ran as follows : 
 
 "I write to tell you, Rose, that your Uncle Abel is 
 no more. I have given up the lighthouse, and shall 
 take Lillian away with me. It will not interest one who 
 has deserted us to know where we go. The world is 
 wide. We shall never meet again." 
 
 All Rose s efforts to trace them had been futile, and 
 ,all hope that she would ever meet her stern, unforgiv 
 ing aunt and her sister had begun to die. 
 
 There was one thing Rose dare not reveal even yet, 
 and that was, the true reason that had caused her to fly 
 so precipitately and in such abject terror from home. 
 Even now she could not tell Lillian the story of that 
 mad marriage that had so nearly wrecked her young 
 
110 PRETTY ROSE I [ALL. 
 
 life, and how Heaven had delivered her from the fruits 
 of her folly. 
 
 An hour later, when Rose led her timid, fair-haired 
 sister to their proud old grandmother, explaining to 
 her how pitifully she had been cast adrift on the world, 
 and pleading with her to take Lillian to her heart and 
 home, the grand old lady could not well refuse. 
 
 * You did not like my poor young mother, whose 
 only fault was in loving your son, grandma," said Lil 
 lian, humbly. " I look at you with her eyes, I speak 
 to you with her voice, her face is reflected in mine. I 
 can well understand that for that reason you will not 
 try to love me. Yet for my father s sake, if not for 
 my own, I hope your heart may soften toward me a 
 little, and in time you may think more kindly of her. 
 It was God s will that she should love him. God di 
 rects the love of human hearts ; the will of mortals 
 must bend to it." 
 
 There came a day when Rose Hall remembered those 
 words with a pang at her heart more bitter than death. 
 
 They settled it that Rose and Lillian should not be 
 parted, and that henceforth Lillian should take up her 
 residence with her grandmother. 
 
 Lillian might be all that was sweet and good, but 
 the grand old lady told herself that she should always 
 love Rose best. 
 
 Yet. after all, it might be as well that Lillian had 
 come to her, for when Rose married Royal and went 
 far away from her, her heart would indeed be lonely. 
 Lillian would be a great comfort to her then. Thus 
 it happened that Lillian never returned to Mrs. Mc- 
 Dermot s. She was to occupy Celia Derwent s room 
 for the present Celia having preferred to remain at 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. Ill 
 
 Linden Villa, not caring to come to New York with 
 Rose and her aunt to enjoy the usual festivities of the 
 metropolis. The truth of the matter was, however, 
 she could not endure remaining anywhere near the en 
 gaged lovers, Royal and Rose; she could not have 
 answered for herself had she been obliged to look on 
 and witness Rose s happiness. 
 
 "Lilly," said Rose, blushing hotly, when the two girls 
 found themselves alone after their interview with Mrs. 
 Hall, "when you are sufficiently rested I want you to 
 come to my room. I I have a secret to tell you, and 
 some very beautiful things to show you." 
 
 Then it occurred to Lillian like a flash the words 
 the servant had uttered at the door: "The young lady 
 is looking over her wedding finery which has just ar 
 rived ; she would not wish me to call her." 
 
 "Oh, Rose, dear," she cried, earnestly, taking the 
 beautiful face in her white hands, and looking down 
 into the glorious dark eyes, "I know what your secret 
 is you are going to be married !" And she told her 
 how she had learned of it. 
 
 "Yes, I am going to be married, Lilly," said the girl, 
 her voice thrilling with tenderness, "and the one whom 
 I have chosen is a king among men ! My heart went out 
 to him from the moment we first met." 
 
 "How well you love this hero of yours, dear!" said 
 unconscious Lillian, looking fondly into the face up 
 turned to hers. 
 
 "Love him!" repeated Rose. "Ah, Lillian, you will 
 never know how dearly I love him whose bride I am 
 soon to be. My whole life is merged into his. Do you 
 remember how Juliet suffered death for Romeo? I 
 jvould do the same for my love. Waking or sleeping I 
 
112 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 am always thinking of him, Lilly even -in crowds I 
 see no other face ; it smiles in my dreams, it shines 
 down upon me from the blue sky, it looks up to me 
 from laughing- waters, it lies in the leaves of flowers 
 I bend over, in the pages of books, in the light of the 
 sun, in the beams of the moon ; there is no spot in the 
 wide world where I do not see it. If my love were 
 to die, I would fall dead or go mad when the news 
 reached me !" 
 
 Lillian looked at her beautiful sister with tears in 
 her blue eyes. 
 
 " Oh, Rose, my darling," she cried in distress, " is 
 it well to love any one so much as that ?" 
 
 Rose laid her beautiful head with its wealth of dark 
 curls upon Lillian s shoulder. 
 
 You might stop the waves of the mighty ocean from 
 rolling, bid the sun and stars not to shine, and all 
 would be more easily done than my love could be 
 changed or lessened!" 
 
 " There is one thing you have forgotten, Rose, 
 darling," said Lillian gently, " you have not told me 
 your lover s name." 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Rose leaned her beautiful dark head on Lillian s 
 shoulder, and smiled as her sister repeated with eager 
 curiosity : 
 
 "You have forgotten to tell me your lover s name, 
 Rose." 
 
 Tf Rose had but answered " Royal Montague," a 
 most pitiful tragedy would have been averted ; fate 
 itself must have dictated her answer. 
 
 " I shall neither tell vou his name nor describe him 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 113 
 
 to you, Lillian. We are to have a musical? this evening, 
 he is among the invited guests that will be present. I 
 want to see if your keen intuition will select from 
 among them the one to whom I have given my heart. 
 
 Lillian drew back in dismay. 
 
 "I shall not come down to your nmsicale, Rose, dear. 
 I know so little of social life and its requirements, you 
 you you would be ashamed of me. I should be like 
 a field daisy among a conservatory of gorgeous tropical 
 blooms no, no I will not be present." 
 
 Rose laughed gayly. 
 
 "Be natural, dear, and you will be simply perfect/ 
 she said ; "besides, I am very anxious to present my 
 fair-haired sister to my friends." 
 
 In vain Lillian protested. Rose was firm. 
 
 "You may meet your fate this evening, Lilly, it 
 would not be right to shut yourself u*jl in your room 
 and mis^ the pleasures of mingling in a gay and bril 
 liant throng. Despite your extreme shyness, I predict 
 you will be a great favorite with the young gentlemen 
 you will have many admirers." 
 
 " Don t Rose, don t ! " cried Lillian, faintly. " I can 
 not bear it." 
 
 Rose looked at the white face upraised to her own, 
 in wonder, she quite believed it was Lillian s timidity 
 that prompted the words. 
 
 A sudden impulse came to Lillian to tell Rose of that 
 sad dream of love that had flitted like a meteor over 
 her path only to leave it more desolate than before, but 
 the impulse died away and the words were left un 
 spoken. There was no need to cloud Rose s beautiful 
 face with sadness by the recital of that love story, 
 that had such a sad, sad ending. 
 
114 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Lillian quite made up her mind to never mention the 
 name of Royal Montague. That would certainly be 
 the most effectual way of lessening the pain the 
 temembrance of him gave her. 
 
 Rose wrote a hurried little note to Royal that after 
 noon, closing with these words : 
 
 Come early this evening, dear, fully an hour in ad 
 vance of the other guests. I have a charming surprise 
 in store for you." 
 
 Rose was looking her best when Royal presented 
 himself that evening; she welcomed him in a manner 
 that would have been delightfully pleasing to a less 
 cold-hearted lover. 
 
 "I shall not introduce him to Lillian in the usual 
 way, " she thought, with a mischievous smile; "her 
 meeting with her future brother-in-law must be more 
 romantic." 
 
 She had seen Lillian pass into the drawing-room half 
 an hour before, and she knew she would be sure to be 
 found in her favorite nook among the flowers in the 
 bay-window. 
 
 "Royal," she said, looking up into his face with 
 twinkling eyes, "why do you not ask me what the sur 
 prise is I have in store for you? Yon don t seem par 
 ticularly interested in it," she pouted. 
 
 "I have been more than anxious to know, but re 
 frained from appearing inquisitive," replied Royal, care 
 lessly. 
 
 "It is a rare and beautiful lily," she answered, look- j 
 ing up at him demurely ; "it is in the drawing-room 
 window. Come, we will admire its fairness together." 
 
 They were moving across the corridor in the direc 
 tion of the drawing-room, and at that eventful moment 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 115 
 
 a servant came for Miss Rose with the message that 
 she was wanted immediately in Mrs. Hall s boudoir. 
 
 "Wait till I return," she said, dropping Royal s arm ; 
 but the moments passed, and she came not, and me 
 chanically Royal entered the drawing-room alone, 
 crossed the room to the bay-window, and, all uncon 
 scious of the terrible shock in store for him, carelessly 
 lifted the crimson velvet hangings. 
 
 A fair-haired young girl sat in a large velvet chair by 
 the window, her face buried in her little white hands. 
 
 What was there about that silent, white-robed, girl 
 ish figure that stirred the blood in his veins like wine, 
 and caused his heart to beat with such great, startling 
 throbs ? 
 
 "I beg your pardon for this intrusion," said Royal. 
 "I was unaware that any one was here." 
 
 The girl lifted her golden head with a low cry, and 
 the white, mellow light of the chandelier fell full upon 
 her death-like, agitated face. 
 
 " Royal ! Mr. Montague ! " she gasped, in dismay. 
 
 " Lillian, my darling ! " he cried, hoarsely ; and, be 
 fore she could divine his intention, and before he him 
 self thought of the consequences, he had caught the 
 girl in his arms, holding her close to his heart, cover 
 ing her face, her hands, and her beautiful golden hair 
 with yearning, passionate kisses. 
 
 The little white hands pushed him from her with 
 quiet, firm dignity. 
 
 " You have forgotten our compact, Mr. Montague," 
 she said, sadly, " and that was. if we ever met again 
 it was to be as strangers. What are you doing 
 here?" 
 
 The question brought him to his senses with a ter- 
 
116 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 rible shock, as nothing else in the wide world would 
 have done. Up to that moment, in the intense sur 
 prise of meeting her whom he loved so well and so 
 hopelessly, he had quite forgotten that he was in 
 Rose s home Rose, whom he was so soon to wed ! 
 
 lie took the little white hands in his own with deep 
 agitation. 
 
 " Before I answer you, tell me what you are doing 
 here, Lillian? I did not even know that you knew 
 Rose Hall." 
 
 A lovely smile broke over the fair girl s face. Sud 
 denly it changed to the pallor of death, and there was 
 an agony of fear in the blue eyes raised to his own. 
 She remembered Rose had told her that her lover 
 was coming an hour in advance of the other guests. 
 Heaven be merciful ! surely Royal Montague could 
 not be he? 
 
 "What is Rose Hall to you, Royal?" she asked, 
 in a whisper so low he barely caught it. 
 
 His answer was more cruel than death. 
 
 " Rose Hall is the one who has come between you 
 and me Lillian the girl whom I am fated to marry, 
 but whom I can never love the girl whom I am to 
 give my name, but who can never possess my heart, 
 for it has gone out to yon, Lillian," he answered, bit 
 terly ; "but tell me, Lillian, what are you doing here, 
 of all places in the world?" 
 
 "Rose s lover you are Rose s lover!" moaned 
 poor Lillian, with the bitterest, wailing cry that ever 
 fell from human lips. " Heaven pity me! Heaven pity 
 my beautiful hapless Rose! It is my beautiful, un 
 fortunate Rose, then, who loves you so de.irlv she 
 would die or go mad if she were to lose yon." she: 
 
PRETTY ROSK HALL. 117 
 
 cried, incoherently, wringing- her hands in the most 
 oitiful anguish. 
 
 " Lillian!" cried Royal Montague, "what can your 
 words mean? tell me, Lillian," lie entreated, "what 
 you are doing here in Rose H- iilV home?" 
 
 He attempted to take her hand, but she shrunk back 
 from him. A low moan broke from her lips, and sh i 
 fell back into his arms in a deadly swoon. 
 
 At that moment Rose came hurriedly into the 
 drawing-room, and the sight that met her gaze, Lil 
 lian, lying in Royal Montague s arms in a dead faint, 
 brought a cry of dismay to her lips. In an ins tan fc 
 she had gained his side. 
 
 What is the matter with Lilly?" she cried in af 
 fright. "Oh, Royal, what is the matter with Lilly?* 
 
 " I invaded her retreat inadvertently, and fright* 
 ened her, I fear," he answered, hating himself for the 
 excuse he w c obliged to o^er. * Who is this young 
 girl. Rose?" he asked, laying the still form down 
 upon the divan, and giving her in charge of the house 
 keeper, who had been hastily summoned. 
 
 It was strange that the keen eyes of love did not 
 notice the extreme pallor of his face, and how he bent 
 over the couch where Lillian lay, even though he had 
 no excuse to linger. It was strange that she did not 
 notice the huskiness of the voice that asked the ques 
 tion : 
 
 " Who is this young girl?" 
 
 The answer that fell from Rose s lips was like the 
 shock of doom, to the unhappy young man. 
 
 " I meant to tell you before, that the lily we should 
 find in the curtained recess of the bay-window, was 
 
118 PKETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 my sister Lillian, to whom I was about to introduce 
 you." 
 
 Your sister! 
 
 If the words had been shrieked out trumpet- 
 tongued upon the air, they could not have affected 
 Royal Montague more. He reeled back as though he 
 had been struck a heavy blow. He tried to speak, 
 but the words froze on his lips. 
 
 He understood the cause of Lillian s emotions now, 
 and why she had fainted when he had admitted that 
 Rose claimed his love, and that she was his promised 
 bride. 
 
 " You are surprised, Royal, to learn that I have a 
 sister. I have never mentioned her to you before. 
 Come into the conservatory and I will tell you about 
 her." 
 
 Mechanically he followed her, and he listened, like 
 one stricken dumb, to the story she told him of her 
 sister Lillian and herself, and their life at the old 
 light-house ; how contented Lillian had been, but 
 how she hated it and prayed for deliverance, for life 
 in the great world beyond, for brightness and joy such 
 as filled the lives of other girls, and how deliverance 
 had come to her in the shape of her grandmother s 
 visit, and the offer she had made to raise Lillian and 
 herself from the depths of obscurity and poverty to 
 dazzling wealth. 
 
 Sitting there among the gorgeous odorous blooms 
 she told him all of her eventful story all save one 
 shadowed chapter, and that one she told herself she 
 never Avould reveal the dark mystery that enveloped 
 that last week at Her island home died with the death 
 of Osric Lawrence. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Never was a man caught in such a web by the mach 
 inations of fate as was Royal Montague. 
 
 He realized his exact position with a horror words 
 are weak in portraying as he sat by Rose s side lis 
 tening to her story. 
 
 She had told him how bitterly angry her Aunt 
 Hulda Martin had been when she had told them she 
 had decided to accept her grandmother s offer, and 
 how her aunt had solemnly declared that she should 
 be as one dead to them if she left home, and how 
 Hulda Martin had carried out her threat when Abel 
 died by taking Lillian away from their island home, 
 carefully covering up all traces of where they had 
 gone, even going so far as to insist upon Lillian being 
 called by her name, and at her aunt s death how 
 strangely Providence had thrown the two sisters to 
 gether. 
 
 "It sounds like a romance, does it not, Royal?" 
 she asked, clasping her white hands together on his 
 arm, and looking up into his face with her dark, 
 bright eyes. "You must love Lilly very dearly for 
 my sake." 
 
 She never knew how the words tortured him. 
 
 " I should like to have Lilly come and live with us 
 after \ve are married, Royal," she pursued, nestling 
 closer to him. " I fear it would not be for long, how 
 ever, for some fortunate lover would be sure to steal 
 her away from us soon." 
 
 Royal Montague tore his arm almost rudely from 
 the clasp of Rose s little white hand upon which his" 
 engagement ring glowed and burned like a star of 
 fire. He could not endure even the mention that the 
 
120 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 girl whom he loved better than his own life and 
 whom he knew loved him should ever look with favor 
 upon any lover. The thought maddened him almost 
 beyond endurance. He felt now more keenly than 
 ever how impossible it would be to tell Rose that he 
 and Lillian had met before. How could he tell Rose 
 that she had spoiled Lillian s life and wrecked his? 
 
 How could he endure playing the part of Rose s 
 lover if Lillian stood near? He could never act such 
 a living lie. Lillian s presence would drive him mad. 
 He knew how much Lillian would suffer as well, and 
 the complication of matters fairly alarmed him. 
 
 Royal Montague never spent a more miserable 
 evening. Even his friends noticed how distrait he was 
 and rallied him upon it. Rose looked at him with 
 grieved eyes. He had scarcely spoken to her the 
 whole evening. His hands touched hers with no lov 
 ing pressure, and he had the air of a man annoyed 
 bevond endurance when by chance he found himself 
 alone with her. 
 
 Lillian had not made her appearance again that 
 evening, pleading a severe headache. In vain Royal 
 watched for her coming. 
 
 " I must see her if but for a moment/ he told him 
 self, yet how he was to accomplish it he hardly knew. 
 
 Suddenly a brilliant idea occurred to him. 
 
 Stepping into the conservatory he gathered a small - 
 bund! of hyacinths, and tearing a leaf from his mem 
 oranda hastily penciV." the following note: 
 
 Lillian 1 nm ! u in the conservatory before 
 
 1 le- -ve. Coine, if l.ut f-r a moment, within half an 
 hour. I shall watch and wait for you." 
 
 He slipped the note among the fragrant blossoms, 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 121 
 
122 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 saw the dark figure among the palms, and hastily 
 made his way to her side. 
 
 " Lilly ! " he said, gently touching one of the little 
 white hands that lay upon the broad, green leaves. 
 * Nay, you need not shrink from me, Lillian ; I am 
 not going to pain you by passionate words of love. 
 I shall crush the impulse that bids me take you in 
 my arms and fold you to my heart. I know all of 
 your past, Lillian; Rose has told me; you are her 
 sister. And now, I ask of you, what are we to do? 
 Oh, Lillian," he cried, " how am I to bear meeting 
 you, seeing you daily, without showing what is in 
 my heart ? " 
 
 " Yet that is what must be done," said Lillian 
 gravely. " T would go away, but that would not mend - 
 matters ; we should be obliged to meet often in the 
 future ; it could not be avoided ; and we may as well 
 school ourselves to it first as last. There must be no 
 appointments, no more meetings, between us," she 
 went on hurriedly; " and I pray you, by the love you 
 bear me, be kind to Rose. Let the past be a dead 
 letter between us. We will take up our lives from 
 to-nicrht. Rose must never know," she continued. 
 
 -o 
 
 " If she even suspected that you had ever loved an-J 
 other, the knowledge would kill her." 
 
 Before he could frame a reply Lillian had flitted! 
 away. The next moment he realized why she hadl 
 left him so suddenly she had observed Rose ap-J 
 preaching from the opposite end of the conservatory.,! 
 
 Rose soon discovered him standing among the mag- ; 
 nolia blooms. His face did not flush as she came uplj 
 to him. He did not turn his handsome head toward! 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 123 
 
 her and offer to caress her although they were quite 
 alone together. 
 
 " Royal," she said, laying her cool white hand on 
 his, " why have you been away from the parlors so 
 long? My guests are beginning to miss you. I have 
 been searching for you for the last hour." 
 
 "So long as that?" he asked, with a guilty flush, 
 " why it did not seem to me that I had been standing 
 here five minutes." 
 
 She took the little hand quickly away that she 
 had laid so caressingly on his and looked at him. 
 
 He was so completely absorbed in his own thoughts 
 he never even noticed the action. 
 
 Was the strange fancy that had taken possession of 
 her really true then? Was his heart growing cold 
 toward her? 
 
 Once during the evening she had heard a remark 
 that had not been intended for her ears. It had been 
 uttered by the laughing, rosy lips of a young girl ; 
 but it had awakened a strange unrest in the heart of 
 Rose Hall and puzzled her. 
 
 Two girls had been standing by a vase of exotics 
 and while they were admiring them Royal Montague 
 passed them. 
 
 The fair-haired blonde turned to her companion with 
 a meaning smile, remarking slowly: 
 
 " Did you ever see a person change so strangely as 
 Royal Montague has within the last few weeks? He 
 does not look like a happy man, even when his fiancee 
 is beside him. I should not fancy so cold a lover." 
 
 Rose had been standing near, conversing with a 
 guest ; yet, by chance, every syllable of the low-spoken 
 
124 
 
 words reached her and opened her eyes to the exist 
 ing state of affairs. 
 
 Was it possible that she had all the outward form 
 of Royal s love, but not the reality? She would watch 
 him carefully and see for herself if there was a shadow 
 on his face which her presence would not chase away. 
 She would make a study of it. She would watch other 
 engaged lovers and see if Royal s actions differed 
 from theirs. 
 
 She looked anxiously around the room. He was not 
 
 there, neither was he in the drawing-room or library. 
 
 
 
 There w T as a puzzled look of wonder on her face 
 when she glanced into the conservatory and found 
 him there, looking so pale, dejected and miserable 
 among the blooms. 
 
 Yes, they were quite right. The face upon which 
 .she gazed had certainly more of pain than pleasure : 
 stamped upon it. Was he ill or unhappy? 
 
 The evening passed at length. The guests took^ 
 their leave, and, as was his usual custom, Royal lin 
 gered till the last. He tried to put as much warmth \ 
 as possible into his parting with Rose. He felt likej 
 a traitor when he bent his head and mechanically! 
 kissed the dark, glowing face raised to his own as hej 
 said good-night. 
 
 Rose watched him out of sight, her beautiful dark" 
 
 t 
 
 eyes heavy with tears. 
 
 " Yes, he loves me." she murmured. " How foolish 
 I am to doubt him. Some lovers are more demonstra- 
 tive than others, that is all." 
 
 Slowly Rose quitted the brilliantly lighted parlor, 
 going at once to Lillian s room, and pausing before 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 12& 
 
 the door was startled at the sound of passionate weep 
 ing. She turned the knob gently and entered. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Rose paused hesitatingly at the threshold of Lilly s 
 room. 
 
 " It must have been my morbid imagination, fancy 
 ing that I heard the sound of suppressed sobbing 
 it must have been the moaning of the wind among the 
 trees," she told herself. 
 
 Lillian sat by the open window, her fair head sup 
 ported by her white arms, which rested upon the 
 broad sill. She looked wearily up as her lovely young 
 sister entered the room. 
 
 " Oh, Lilly," she cried, flinging herself down upon 
 the velvet hassock at her feet, and looking up into 
 the sad blue eyes, " how stupid of me to expose you 
 to such a fright as I did to-night. I meant your meet 
 ing with Royal to be very romantic. I told him I had 
 a beautiful lily to show him in the alcove of the draw 
 ing-room. At that moment I was suddenly called 
 away. I can understand how his sudden appearance be 
 fore you must have frightened you, and you fainted. 
 He quite supposed I had intended to show him a 
 calla lily. My little joke had a very stupid ending, 
 for Royal has not been himself all evening." 
 
 "I was only a little nervous," confessed Lillian, 
 confusedly. "I I should not have allowed myself to 
 become so startled at the sudden appearance of " 
 
 Rose put her hand over Lillian s lips. 
 
 " I hope you are not going to finish your sentence 
 by calling Royal a stranger. But, now that you have 
 seen mv lover, tell me what you think of him. Is 
 
) _ PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 he not as handsome as a prince? Is he not the noblest 
 man you have ever met, Lilly? a king among men, 
 whom any girl might have been proud to win?" 
 
 The dark, bright eyes were looking into her own 
 so intently; how should she answer her? Lillian was 
 distressed beyond measure. 
 
 " You forget that I had but a glimpse of your hero \ 
 in the drawing-room," she stammered, and the sound 
 of her voice was unnatural and constrained. 
 
 1 Tell me one thing, Lilly : even in that glimpse you \ 
 had of him, were you pleased with my choice?" 
 
 " I am always pleased with any one you love, Rose," 
 was the evasive reply, as she clasped her lovely sister 
 in her arms, and covered her face with passionate 
 kisses and tears. 
 
 " I do not know. Lilly, which of you love me better] 
 you or Royal." 
 
 " Heaven help her ! " thought Lillian, in the keenest i 
 distress. Rose loved him so well, while every throb of 
 his heart was for another. Not for worlds would she 
 have Rose ever suspect it. 
 
 Fair, gentle Lillian was no tragedy queen v With I 
 her, to lose her lover was to bow to the decree off 
 Heaven, praying for strength to bear it. Her life 
 might be spoiled, her hopes wrecked, but she would I 
 live on and never complain ; no matter how her heart! 
 was wrung, she would suffer in silence. 
 
 With beautiful, passionate Rose the loss of her lover J 
 would mean death. 
 
 An hour or more the two lovely sisters sat together | 
 in the moonlight, Rose discussing, with eager, girlish] 
 abandon, her approaching marriage, and where Royal! 
 was to take her on their bridal tour to spend thej 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 127 
 
 honey-moon, little dreaming that each word she ut 
 tered was like the thrust of a sharp sword to the pale, 
 silent girl who sat by her side. 
 
 That night, when Lillian had found herself alone, 
 the hopeless, miserable girl fell upon her knees, hid 
 ing her white face in her trembling hands. " How 
 am I to bear it? " she cried " How can I live througk 
 it? " The future would be a trying ordeal to her, but 
 she must not shrink from facing it, she told herself. 
 
 Early the next afternoon Rose s lover presented 
 himself at her home. How his beart beat as he was 
 shown into the drawing-room ! 
 
 He heard Rose s gay, laughing voice outside on the 
 terrace. " Was Lillian with her?" he wondered. 
 
 Mrs. Hall sat before the open French window. She 
 looked up with a smile as Royal entered. Holding 
 out her jeweled hand to him, " I am glad to see you, 
 Royal," she said, in pleased surprise. " It is not often 
 that you favor us with an afternoon call. The girls 
 ;will be in presently." 
 
 The grand old lady languidly touched a silver bell 
 beside her, and the servant who answered it was dis 
 patched at once in search of the young ladies. 
 
 Royal walked over to the window. He longed to 
 quit the room ; he felt he could not meet his lost love 
 then and there. 
 
 His thoughts were of Lillian, the girl from whom he 
 had parted, yet whom fate had placed again in his 
 path when he was striving so manfully to forget her. 
 Great Heaven ! how he must have loved her ! His 
 I heart was beating so quickly that he could hardly. 
 I breathe; a very fever of expectation ran hot in his 
 
128 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 veins ; a mist of tears spread before his eyes and shut 
 out the whole world from him. 
 
 Presently he heard the sound of approaching foot 
 steps. Never did a man utter a more vehement, pas 
 sionate prayer for strength and calmness than he. 
 
 The light, dancing footsteps drew nearer. Rose 
 pushed aside the lace draperies of the long French 
 window and entered, closely followed by another 
 figure, and he knew he was in the presence of both 
 sisters. 
 
 He had a confused remembrance afterward of Rose s 
 tender greeting. " Royal," she said, leading her sis 
 ter up to him, " I want to introduce you to my sis- 
 
 3 
 
 With a desperate effort he raised his head, murmur 
 ing a few inarticulate words, and looked at the two 
 beautiful girls standing before him first at her whom 
 he had loved and lost fair, golden haired Lillian, at 
 whose feet he would ^have laid his life the only girl 
 who had ever stirred his soul with the fire and fever 
 and ecstasy of passionate love. 
 
 Her eyes did not meet his; no word fell from her 
 lips. She acknowledged the introduction by a simple 
 graceful bow. 
 
 Then his eyes wandered to the face of the brilliant, 
 beautiful girl by her side, who was looking up at hint 
 with the light of love in her proud dark eyes. 
 
 You two, whom I love so well, shall not greet 
 each other so formally," Rose declared, with a 
 happy laugh, and before either of them had time tq|; 
 divine her intention she had clasped their hands 
 gether. 
 
 Royal bowed and turned away, not daring to lool 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 upon Lillian s face until he had regained his compos 
 ure. It was a trying ordeal for both of them. 
 
 Lillian crossed to the other side of the room and 
 sat down by Mrs. Hall, leaving Rose and Royal stand 
 ing by the lace-draped window together. 
 
 "They are very happy lovers, are they not, my 
 dear?" whispered Mrs. Hall, with a pleased smile. 
 r< It is so pleasant to see a regular love-match. Do 
 you notice how fond Rose is of her handsome lover? 
 And no wonder ! " 
 
 Lillian s eyes turned slowly in their direction. She 
 saw nothing but the tall, dark figure turned from the. 
 light. 
 
 Rose had been talking to him in her gay, charming 
 fashion. 
 
 " Royal," she said, at length, " what are you look 
 ing at so intently? I am sure you can see nothing 
 from the window; it is quite dark." 
 
 Then he spoke and the sound of his voice pierced 
 Lillian s heart with pain, it was freighted with such 
 despair. 
 
 " I was looking at nothing* in particular, Rose. I 
 was merely thinking/ 
 
 " You seem to be given to fits of abstraction of 
 laic." declared Rose, pouting her pretty crimson lips, 
 " and I do not like it." 
 
 She was a little disappointed, too, that Royal had 
 not been a little warmer in his manner toward Lillian. 
 
 At last the dinner-bell rang, and it was quite a 
 relief to Lillian to escape from the drawing-room. 
 
 the table. Royal spoke to her sister but seldom, 
 and it was always with averted eyes, Rose noticed. 
 
 41 lie does not like fair-haired girls," thought Rose, 
 
- 
 130 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 regretfully. " No doubt he would have been better 
 pleased with Lilly if she had been dark like I am." 
 
 At the moment that thought was in Rose s mind 
 Royal Montague was saying to himself: 
 
 " How many hours of this torture will there be to 
 pass, I wonder? What, in Heaven s name, shall I do 
 with my life, if I find one day so hard to bear?" 
 
 Once he met the calm glance of Lillian s blue eyes, 
 and the cup he held in his hand nearly fell from his 
 grasp. The blood ran like fire through his veins; 
 every nerve and pulse thrilled with the sense of her 
 presence; yet he must sit there as the happy lover of 
 Rose smile, talk, and jest unconcernedly, while his 
 heart sank in his bosom. 
 
 He did not know that life could hold such torture. 
 
 After tea there was music in the parlor ; friends 
 dropped in, and they had quite a little impromptu 
 party, but through the evening Royal and Lillian 
 seemed to avoid each other more than ever. 
 
 " It is a pity that Royal and Lillian seem to hav 
 taken such a decided dislike to each other," thoughl 
 Rose, watching them wonderingly. How little sh< 
 dreamed that at that moment Royal was trying tc 
 trample down the mad impulse to go over to when 
 Lillian sat and implore her to fly with him, and no 
 to wreck both of their lives in this mad fashion, foi 
 he would not give her up he could not. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 The days flew quickly by; Lillian, who by her 
 
 grandmother s request had assumed the family name 
 
 of Hall again, had been quite a month in her new 
 
 home. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 131 
 
 Royal and Lillian met constantly, yet there was an 
 imperceptible something in their manner toward each, 
 other, a mutual avoidance, that must have struck any 
 one who watched them keenly. 
 
 It was seldom, either in conversation or in ihe ex 
 change of common courtesies- that Lillian raised her 
 eyes to Royal s face; their hands never touched even 
 in most common greeting; a formal bow was the 
 most that passed between them. 
 
 In conforming to this line of conduct they were 
 wise ; they had cared far too much for each other : had 
 loved each other too well to allow of any intimate 
 friendship. Both of them understood that it was much 
 easier to fly from temptation than it was to encounter 
 it. 
 
 There was no middle course for them, and they 
 knew it. 
 
 Never was there a more patient, generous rival than 
 Lillian. All the repressed love of her nature she 
 showered upon beautiful, capricious Rose. 
 
 No matter what she suffered, it was like balm to 
 her soul to know that her darling Rose was happy. 
 
 " He will learn to love Rose in time," she thought, 
 
 for a great love will always win love sooner or later 
 in return ! " 
 
 She watched with wistful, yearning tenderness, the 
 smiles that rippled over Rose s bonny, beautiful face: 
 she was pleased when people spoke of her as being; 
 superbly lovely ; few thought of her save to notice 
 how pale and thin she was growing. One morning 
 Rose and Lillian were together in the library when 
 Royal entered. Lillian was busy writing letter*. r \ 
 restless as a butterfly, sat in a great cushioned arm- 
 
132 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 chair with a book in her hand, but the dark dreamy 
 eyes were not resting on the page before her; she 
 was indulging in rosy day-dreams of the future. 
 
 "I arn so glad you are come, Royal," she said 
 brightly. " I am rinding it so dull this beautiful 
 sunshiny morning; Lillian is anything but companion 
 able, and sitting here listening to the scratch, scratch, 
 scratching of her pen on the paper, is anything but en 
 livening." 
 
 Royal murmured some unintelligible reply, and at 
 that moment one of the servants put her head in at 
 the door asking if Miss Rose would please see the 
 florist a moment; he had called to consult her per 
 sonally in reference to the flowers she had ordered for 
 the ball that evening. 
 
 "I should like to consult your taste, Royal, in the 
 flowers I am to wear," said Rose, pausing before her 
 lover s chair ; "of all the odorous blooms, which r.re 
 your choice roses, pansies, hyacinths, carnations?" 
 
 " Lilies are my choice," he said absently. 
 , "Then lilies it shall be,"- declared Rose, dancing out J 
 of the room with a gay laugh. " I shall dress like a] 
 water-nymph in pale sea-green, with water-lilies bind- i 
 ing up my long, dark hair," she said, tripping joy?] 
 ously away. 
 
 Royal Montague and Lillian Hall were alone to- r j 
 gether for the first time. Lillian never raised her! 
 head, she went on writing rapidly, hoping, praying inj 
 her heart that he would not speak to her. 
 
 Silently Royal Montague sat watching her, the con-j 
 tour of the golden head, the beautiful, slender white, 
 hands as they rested on the half-written pacre, the- 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 133 
 
 white lids and golden lashes that hid the blue eyes 
 from his^sight. 
 
 Ah, if for once if only for once he could go and 
 kneel before her; if he could but lavish on her the 
 love that filled his heart if he might for just a few 
 moments talk to her on the old terms ! Then he 
 reproached himself for being weak. 
 
 The lovely golden head was bent in graceful dig 
 nity, which could never be bridged over, over her 
 letter. The moments lengthened themselves into half 
 a hour, yet Lillian never raised her head, she never 
 once glanced toward the end of the room where Royal 
 sat. 
 
 An amused, saucy laugh from the door-way aroused 
 both of them. Royal turned abruptly around in his 
 chair and Lillian glanced up from her letter. 
 
 It was Rose ; she stood in the door-way looking 
 from one to the other in merry amusement. 
 
 " I have been standing here /for some time watching 
 you two," she said, " and I declare neither of you 
 moved. I do not believe you have exchanged one. 
 .word since I left you." 
 
 " I am quite sure we have not," admitted Royal ; 
 " your sister Lillian has been writing. I assure you 
 that I was silent simply because I was afraid of dis 
 turbing her. If she had shown the least desire to 
 talk I should have been very pleased." 
 
 " I quite appreciated your silence, Mr. Montague," 
 returned Lillian, with great dignity. " I was in haste 
 to finish my letter in time for the morning mail," and 
 rising calmly, she quitted the room, and all the light 
 and sunshine of the summer day seemed to Royal 
 Montague to go with her. 
 
134 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 That afternoon when Lillian sat alone in her own 
 room, Rose entered silently behind her, and a moment 
 later two white arms stole round her neck, and a pair 
 of rosy lips were pressed to her own. 
 
 " Lilly/ she cried, " I have come to give you a little 
 scolding which you deserve very much." 
 
 " You must contrive to look a little less smiling-, 
 then, if I am to remember that it is really a 
 scolding. Rose," she said, laying down the bit of 
 embroidery she held in her hands, and gazing into 
 the lovely, laughing, dimpled face bent over her. 
 
 " It is about Royal," said Rose, hesitatingly. Lil 
 lian gave a violent start, her face flushed crimson, 
 then died away leaving it paler than before. " Yes, 
 it was about Royal," repeated Rose. " Do you know 
 that you sat in the same room half an hour to-day, yet 
 you never spoke one word to him? I have come to] 
 plead with you, Lilly, to be a little kinder to him,] 
 even though you do not like him, for my sake. Sayj 
 to yourself, when you meet him, I must try to be morel 
 pleasant to him because Rose loves him so dearly,! 
 and it is great pain to her to know that we are not! 
 better friends. You are a sunbeam to me, Lilly, dear,! 
 but you are like an icicle to poor Royal ! " 
 
 Lillian s lips paled strangely as she listened. She! 
 caught Rose in her arms with a passionate cry, andj 
 pushing the dark hair back from her brow, gazed long! 
 and wistfully into her lovely upturned face. " Ah,| 
 if she but knew all," she thought. 
 
 A light that was wonderful to see came into hef| 
 pale, noble face. 
 
 " It did not occur to me that I was wanting in cour 
 tesy toward Mr. Montague, Rose/ she said earnestly.! 
 
PRETT\ r ROSE HALL. 
 
 135 
 
136 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 How strange it was, he thought, that both of these 
 lovely girl should care for him ! 
 
 " Royal," said Rose, as he gained her side, " I have 
 given this waltz to Captain Dent ; you were too long 
 in concluding to ask me. I wish Lilly to dance," she 
 added, brightly, " and I can find her no better partner 
 in the room than yourself." 
 
 There could be but one reply. Royal bowed low 
 before Lillian. 
 
 " I shall be delighted, Miss Hsrll, if you will honor 
 me," he said. 
 
 There were so many people standing in groups 
 arqund them that Lillian could frame no excuse for 
 refusing him. She laid her hand lightly on his arm, 
 the bewildering dance-music struck up, and the) 
 whirled away together. 
 
 When they reached the other end of the ball-room, 
 Lillian stopped short and said, huskily : 
 
 " I can not finish this dance with you, Mr. Mon 
 tague ; please lead me to a seat and leave me by my 
 self." 
 
 Plis longing was intense ; he would have given any 
 thing to have once more placed his arm round the 
 
 graceful figure. 
 
 
 
 His heart was beating fast, but the quiet light in 
 
 calm blue eyes and the grave tone of her voice 
 steadied him. 
 
 She could not bear that the arms that had been 
 thrown around her in passionate sorrow and pain 
 should clasp her in a dance. 
 
 " It shall be as you wish, Lillian," he said, hoarsely; 
 " but. if vou will not dance, will vou walk with me 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 137 
 
 through the moon-lit grounds? Give me at least five 
 minutes, Lillian. " 
 
 " Do not tempt me, Royal; she said ; " strangers 
 are not more cold than we must be to each other." 
 
 Royal Montague bent his handsome head lower over 
 the golden one At that moment Rose approached 
 them quite unperceived. 
 
 Y-. as it fancy? It seemed to Rose that Royal sud 
 denly drew back from Lillian. Was it fancy? She 
 thought she heard the words, in a low, quivering voice, 
 " I can not bear it, my darling ! " 
 
 " The lights and the music have turned my brain/ 
 she thought, smiling at the absurd idea that had en 
 tered her head. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Rose s wedding-day, which had been set for the 
 twentieth of October, was rapidly drawing nigh; it 
 wanted but three days now to the celebration of that 
 event, which was to take place at Linden Villa. Dec 
 orations had been going on for at least a month, and 
 nothing was wanting to make the affair a brilliant 
 one. 
 
 Lillian and Royal Montague avoided each other 
 more than ever now ; each had succumbed to the inev 
 itable, and sacrificed themselves upon the altar of 
 duty. Even in the moments of his darkest despair, 
 Royal Montague could not find it in his heart to wish 
 that he and Rose had never met. Her great, worship 
 ful love had won from him the profoundest pity and 
 .devotion. 
 
 He had asked her to marry him on the impulse of 
 the moment, and now, even though he had met one 
 
138 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 whom he could have loved better, he must not com 
 plain, lie loved Lillian with all the strength of his 
 heart, but he could not quite dislike Rose, even though 
 she had come between them. There was a subtle 
 charm about Rose that always endeared her to the 
 hearts. of those with whom she was brought in con 
 tact ; impulsive, gay, piquant, few could help adoring 
 her. 
 
 Rose Hall s wedding day dawned bright and clear; 
 no cloud was in the blue sky, no shadow darkened the 
 golden sunlight. 
 
 A gay party had been invited to Linden Villa to 
 witness the ceremony, and already the guests were 
 beginning to gather. The gardens were literally 
 packed with rosebuds of girls in fluttering white 
 dresses, and floating ribbons and laces. 
 
 Rose Hall looked upon the brilliant throng from 
 her lace-draped window with a happy smile. 
 
 " My wedding-day ! " she murmured. " I wonder if 
 all brides feel as happy as I? " 
 
 Suddenly a memory of the past swept over her with 
 an awful shock. She had almost forgotten that short 
 week that had so nearly wrecked her youth ; it had 
 almost seemed like a dream to her, that chapter of her 
 early life, with one of the pages turned down. 
 
 Was she the same girl who had lived such a dreary 
 monotonous life of it in the old light-house by the 
 moaning sea, longing and praying with all her heart 
 for something to happen to change the terribl* dull 
 ness of her existence? 
 
 No wonder she had fallen in love with the handsome 
 stranger the first young man who had ever crossed 
 her lonely path; no wonder she listened to him when 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 139 
 
 he poured into her willing ear the tale of love so like 
 the story of Romeo and Juliet ; no wonder she had 
 mistaken simple liking for the beautiful dream called 
 love. She had been so young and guileless, no won 
 der he succeeded by his brilliant, eloquent arguments 
 in persuading her to marry him. As she stood by the 
 lace-draped window in the sunlight, her mind reverted 
 to the dim, dark old church, and the shadowy altar, 
 and handsome man standing by her side, who clasped 
 her hand, whispering to her to be courageous, for she 
 was soon to be his darling little bride. 
 
 She remembered, with a thrill of horror, that home 
 ward trip on the starlit water how Osric Lawrence, 
 her wedded husband, had kissed her, and parted from 
 her on the white sands, bidding her wait there for 
 him, at her old home, until he returned. 
 
 A cry broke from her white lips as she thought 
 of it. How merciful Heaven had been to her in never 
 letting him return ! What should she have done if 
 he had lived to claim her? How she loathed his 
 very memory ! It was a horrible thought to her that. 
 at least in name, she had been the bride of a forger. 
 
 No one knew of it no one would ever know. 
 True, it was recorded in the register of the dim old 
 church, but no human eye that would be likely to rec 
 ognize her name would ever rest upon it. She was 
 secure enough in that. 
 
 How strange it was that her thoughts should re 
 vert to Osric Lawrence and that dark past on her 
 wedding-day ! 
 
 She looked into the long French mirror, and was 
 startled at the white face and somber dark eyes that 
 were reflected there. 
 
140 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 " I fear I shall be a pale bride/ she thought to her 
 self, " and Royal would not like that." 
 
 Her meditations were cut short by a quick tap at 
 the door. It was Lillian. 
 
 " Would you not like to come down and take a 
 peep at the decorations in advance of the guests, 
 dear?" she asked, caressing the dark curly head that 
 was laid against her shoulder. " The florist who de 
 signed them met with a serious accident while ar 
 ranging them he missed his footing from a step- 
 ladder and fell. His place has been supplied by a very 
 clever young man, who has excellent taste and dis 
 plays Wonderful ingenuity, they tell me. I am going 
 to see and judge for myself very soon. You might 
 like to make a few suggestions here and there. You 
 had better go down and see if you are pleased with 
 everything, Rose, dear," said her sister as she kissed 
 the lovely face, then turned and left the room. 
 
 In the grand drawing-room, the magnificent dec 
 orations which would have been completed long 
 since had the work not be retarded by the accident, 
 under the skillful fingers of the stranger were fast 
 Hearing completion. 
 
 He kept on busily with his work, heedless of the 
 efforts of the simpering housemaid, who stood by him 
 with twine and scissors, doing her best to engage him 
 in conversation. 
 
 He smiled a cynical smile and compressed his 
 bearded lips tightly as he carelessly twined the laurel 
 leaves and sweet white roses together into a true-love 
 knot. 
 
 A vague sort of wonder filled him as to what kind of 
 

 PRETTV RGrii-: HALL. 141 
 
 a bride would stand beneath it would she be fair, or 
 dark, like one whom lie had once known? 
 
 Marriage was a farce, and the flame called love 
 was a mockery !" he told himself, "for women were as 
 false as they were fair ! 
 
 Then it occurred to him that he did not even know 
 the name of the occupants whose home he was decorat 
 ing, and an idle curiosity came to him to inquire the 
 names of the contracting parties. 
 
 The loquacious maid was only too pleased to find 
 that the "smart young man had found his tongue at 
 last/ as she afterward expressed it. . 
 
 "Linden Villa is a very fine place," he observed at 
 length. "I should like to live here." 
 
 "Why don t you apply for the gardener s place? 
 he s going to leave next week. It s awfully lively 
 here ; I m sure you would like it," and she dropped her 
 eyes with a simpering gir rrr le. 
 
 The bearded stranger fuelled, and he looked at his 
 whi :e h n nds with a cynical Hugh. 
 
 *T would not care about such employment." he said, 
 with a contemptuous sneer; "it s not to my liking." 
 
 "Oh, that s it, is it?" she retorted with an impertinent 
 toss of her yellow braids; "that s what most of us 
 would like; to dress fine and be ladies and gentlemen 
 of leisure ; but when our pocket says no, we have to 
 buckle to. But I needn t have been out to service un- 
 le i ocl to," she went on with another simpering 
 
 giggle ; "there was a right smart young grocer wanted 
 rr.e, but I wouldn t have him, oh, dear no! And then 
 there was an old bachelor who was just crazy for me 
 to be Mrs. Doane ; but I sent him about his business 
 quick ; says I, ! thank you very kind, sir, but do you 
 
142 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 think I d be fool enough to marry a man as old as my 
 grandfather? No, I guess not; when I marry I want a 
 handsome young man, or " 
 
 Not one word of the girl s chatter had been heard by 
 the stranger, his thoughts were elsewhere, and he cut 
 short her remarks by asking abruptly : 
 
 "Who lives here?" 
 
 "A grand old lady who has more gold than she 
 knows what to do with ; she s a widow, but she s as old 
 as the hills!" 
 
 "What is her name? it matters little to me whether 
 she be maid, wife, or widow/ " he answered impa 
 tiently. 
 
 "Her name is Mrs. Hall," returned the girl ; "it s her 
 granddaughter that is going to be married to-day !" 
 
 "Hall !" exclaimed the man, dropping the rose- 
 wreath he held in his hand, his face white with intense 
 emotion; "did I understand you to say Hall or Hill?" 
 
 "I said H-a-1-1, in as plain English as I could speak," 
 returned the girl, spelling out the name a second 
 time. 
 
 He drew a step nearer the girl, his features working 
 convulsively, his eyes fairly blazing like purple gleam 
 ing fires, his breath coming in quick, short gasps that 
 almost scorched her cheek as he bent nearer her. 
 
 "You say it is this lady s granddaughter who is to be 
 married to-day? is she young and beautiful gloriously 
 beautiful, and is her name Rose?" he gasped. "Do 
 they call her Rose TTall?" 
 
 "Goodness gracious ire ! why don t you r>.sl; me one 
 question at a time?" replied the inn.id; "she s nre t; ", 
 yes, and no wonder; any one could be pretty drex-c 1 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 143 
 
 In fine silks and all that fine feathers make fine birds, 
 you know/ 
 
 "But her name tell me quick, do they call her Rose? 
 Rose Hall ? In Heaven s name answer me, 1 say !" 
 
 "You seem to take a wonderful interest in her any- 
 sneered the girl, "but I ll set your heart at rest 
 by telling you I don t know what her name is. I ve 
 only been here a week, and I ve always heard em call 
 her Miss Hall ; it seems to me I have heard some one 
 say she was named after a flower; and I said to myself: 
 dear me, what ridiculous names rich folks do give their 
 children ; they re " 
 
 Again the stranger cut her remarks short, and there 
 was a glitter in his flashing eye, and a pallor on his 
 face that quite frightened the girl. 
 
 " I want to ask a great favor of you," he said- 
 hoarsely, drawing a silver dollar from his pocket and 
 placing it in her hand ; " I want you to go to Miss 
 Hall s room and tell her a gentleman wishes to see 
 her in the drawing-room, and in Heaven s name to 
 come quickly. Will you do it, my good girl?" 
 
 "Yes," she answered; "but what name, please?" 
 
 "Xever mind the name," he answered abruptly; "teli 
 her she must see me !" 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 "Tell Miss Hall I must see her," repeated the stran 
 ger, vehemently. " I will wait here for her." 
 
 "When the girl had quitted the room and he found 
 himself alone, he turned to the pier-glass quivering 
 with excitement. 
 
 "Is it Rose who was, to have been wecl to-day? he 
 asked himself, clinching his hands together fiercely. 
 
144 PRETTY ROSE JIALL. 
 
 Could she so far have forgotten me as to marry- 
 again?" 
 
 Would she recognize him? he wondered; would 
 those keen, dark eyes pierce the disguise he had so 
 cleverly assumed, that even those who had known him 
 best passed him by, never guessing that the dark- 
 faced man with a heavy curling beard was Osric Law 
 rence, the handsome young defaulter who had perished, 
 as they supposed, in the great fire? 
 
 By night and by day for long, weary months he had-] 
 sought his young bride. He almost \vore his life outl 
 in fruitless search for her. And now, something in his 
 heart told him he had found her at last. 
 
 Found her just in time to prevent the wedding which 
 the elite of the country had gathered together to wit 
 ness. 
 
 Had she heard what had befallen him, rejoicing after! 
 ward when she heard of his death, which freed herl 
 from him ? Would she cry out against him, betraying! 
 his identity to the assembled guests? 
 
 If his surmise proved correct, that the bride was in-| 
 deed Rose Hall or rather Rose Lawrence he would 
 compel her to go with him without a moment s delay;] 
 he would resort to harsh measures, if need be, to pre-4 
 vent an- outcry or a scene. 
 
 The roses lay strewn about him unheeded. He| 
 crushed their tender hearts out under his heel, never! 
 seeing them as he strode up and down the length of the! 
 magnificent room, his heart on fire and his brain reel-l 
 ing. 
 
 It seemed to him the length of eternity that hej 
 waited. At last light footsteps came hurriedly down 
 the corridor; a small white hand flung open the doorJ 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 145 
 
 and a slight figure in trailing, filmy white stepped into 
 the room. 
 
 Great Heaven ! how well he remembered that grace 
 ful, girlish form ! 
 
 A red mist seemed to sweep before Osric Lawrence s 
 eyes, shutting out everything from his gaze, even the 
 white-robed figure standing before him, with the lace 
 scarf wound round her head veiling her face. In a mo 
 ment he was kneeling before her. He had seized the 
 little hand, covering it with passionate kisses. 
 
 "Do not cry out! Don t you know me, my darling? 
 II " 
 
 The hand was quickly withdrawn from his clasp, and 
 a voice that was certainly not Rose s said calmly; 
 
 "One of the servants told me you wished to see me. 
 I am amazed at the indignity I have been called upon 
 rto suffer at your hands ! Will you explain to me what 
 [you mean by such conduct?"- 
 
 Osric Lawrence reeled back like one stricken a sud- 
 jden blow, and raised his dazed eyes to the face before 
 him. She had loosened the folds of the lace scarf that 
 pad enveloped her, and he saw not the dark, glowing 
 face of Rose Hall but a lovely, slender young girl with 
 pale-gold hair, a calm, sweet face and eyes blue as vio 
 lets. 
 
 "-So you are Miss Hall?" he gasped. 
 
 Lillian bowed, for it was she. The servant had met 
 iier in the corridor and made the very natural mistake 
 fcf sending her to the drawing-room, by telling her that 
 ji gentleman down-stairs had bidden her tell Miss Hall 
 Ijie must see her at once. 
 
 ] And Lillian had repaired to the drawing-room with- 
 Iput delav. 
 
16 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 "Yes, I am Miss Hall," replied Lillian, gravely, "and 
 I repeat that 1 do not understand why I should suffer 
 such indignity at your hands. Be good enough to fin 
 ish the decorations at the earliest moment, and go." 
 
 "It was all a mistake, young lady a terrible mis 
 take," groaned Osric Lawrence, hiding his white face 
 in his shaking hands. "I thought you was one whom 
 I had loved and lost long since." 
 
 Lillian half pardoned him when she saw the tears fall 
 from his eyes, strong man though he was. She turned 
 away with a gentler expression on her face, and slowly 
 quitted the room. 
 
 Like one dazed Osric Lawrence watched thtf reced 
 ing form. Heavens! how strangely the graceful, easyi 
 carriage of this girl reminded him of Rose ! Every ges-j 
 ture of the white hands, seemed familiar to him the 
 poise of the dainty head he remembered so well eveni 
 the tone of her voice was strangely like the gay, laugh- 
 ing voice of beautiful, dark-eyed Rose. 
 
 "I have gone mad!" he cried out to himself when he 
 found himself alone, and he bent again to his task ; and 
 the laugh that fell from his lips was terrible to hear| 
 "Yes, love for a fair, false woman has driven me mad!" 1 
 lie cried, grimly. 
 
 Lillian walked thoughtfully tc her own boudoir to 
 dress for the ceremony. She was to be chief bride 
 maid, and, in the bustle and excitement attending suctt 
 occasions, she quite forgot the incident in the drawing- 
 room. 
 
 Hurrying to Rose s room, she found the maid puttin 
 the last touches to her sister s toilet. And a mor 
 beauteous bride was never beheld. Never again wa 
 Lillian to see the darling for whom she had sacrifice 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 147 
 
 all that made life worth living-, with the same joyous 
 smile upon her lovely crimson lips never more would 
 she see the same laughing light in those bonny dark 
 eyes never more would the gay young voice peal 
 out in merry laughter. 
 
 White as a sno\v-drop, Lillian came and knelt before 
 her beautiful young sister. 
 
 " Tell me again, Rose, that you are happy, dear," she 
 said, in a low voice, burying her head in the shining 
 folds of her sister s dress " tell me again, and all my 
 life long will I remember your words ; they will be 
 like a balm to my heart, and I shall be content." 
 
 Rose s little hands wandered caressingly over the 
 bowed golden head. 
 
 " I am more than happy, Lilly, dear," she murmured, 
 tremulously. " When I am Royal s wife, Heaven will 
 have granted me the one great desire of my life. If I 
 had not won him I should not have lived, the world 
 would have been so dark and dreary. If the fear of 
 losing one whom we love is so terrible, what must the 
 reality be? Oh, Lilly, to have the love of one for 
 whom one cares so much is the sweetest boon Heaven 
 can grant ! " 
 
 She wondered why her golden-haired sister trem 
 bled so in her arms, and why the hands she clasped 
 grew so cold. 
 
 " I am content to know that you are so happy, dear," 
 said Lillian again, and a beautiful light shone on the 
 pale, sweet face she raised to Rose. 
 
 To one sweet sunshine of love was given, while 
 the other was left in coldness and darkness more cruel 
 than death. The life of one sister was to be a living 
 sacrifice for the other. 
 
148 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 " May your life be all sunshine, dear," sobbed Lilly; 
 " may you be as happy in your future as you have been 
 in the past, with no cloud or sorrow to mar its bright 
 ness ! " 
 
 For an instant the glorious dusk face of Rose Hall 
 paled to the hue of the shimmering satin robe she wore.. 
 Her past! How little Lillian knew what the past held; 
 for her! 
 
 There are hidden secrets in many a life that those 
 nearest and dearest to -them never dream of. 
 
 A bevy of merry bride-maids came chattering down-;; 
 the corridor, and the loving conversation of the 
 sisters ended. 
 
 Girl-fashion, each one went in raptures over th 
 lovely bride. Was there ever a bride more perfect 
 from the crown of her dark, orange-crowned heacff 
 to the tips of her tiny white satin slippers? How fairf 
 the beautiful face shown, in the sweetest of blushes! 
 beneath the filmy bridal veil ! 
 
 Royal Montague was waiting for her in the corridor^ 
 without. He could not repress the start of surprise ati 
 the vision of lovely girlhood that glided up to him ancjj 
 laid a little hand timidly on his arm. He was never S( 
 near loving her. as at that moment. Together they 
 wended their way down to the magnificent drawing 
 room, gorgeous with tropical blooms and crowded wit! 
 guests. 
 
 A murmur of intense admiration rang through thi 
 throng of guests as their gaze fell upon the flushe< 
 face of the bride-elect. It was easy to see that Rose 
 Hall was marrying for love. And many of them no 
 ticed, too, how strangely white her sister Lillian s fad 
 appeared in contrast. 
 
TRETTY ROSE HALL. 149 
 
 Through the crowded drawing-room the procession 
 moved to the flower-strewn altar which had been 
 erected, and then, as it paused before the clergyman, 
 the music ceased and a dead stillness rilled the air. 
 
 A vague thought came to the beautiful bride, as she 
 stood there of that other marriage in the dim old 
 church. It almost seemed to her that it had happened 
 in another world. But the record of it, on page 87, 
 was registered scarcely a year before, she remembered. 
 
 Then the minister spoke. 
 
 Dear Heaven ! where had she heard that solemn, im 
 pressive voice before ? 
 
 Rose felt the air grow dense, the solid earth tremble 
 beneath her feet. Then there came a deep and breath* 
 less silence, and she raised her eyes to the clergyman s 
 face. Was it the mockery of fate? This was the same 
 minister who had united her in marriage, scarcely a 
 year before, to handsome, reckless Osric Lawrence ! 
 
 Would he recognize her, or her name? It was a mo 
 ment of intense suspense. There came for her a mo- 
 ,ment whose agony of fear nearly drove her mad. 
 
 If he recognized her, she well knew he would not 
 proceed with the ceremony. She knew why. 
 
 Heaven was merciful to her. Slowly the beautiful 
 marriage service went on. Rose listened in a strange 
 |tupor to the words addressed to Royal Montague, 
 She heard his firm, steady answer. Then, for th^ firsfc 
 time, the clergyman turned and looked into the death- 
 white face of the lovely bride. Then an abrupt hush, 
 as solemn and silent as death, ensued. He bent slowly 
 and gazed down into the face of the bride, and then 
 
150 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 "Where had he seen a face that reminded him so < 
 strangely of this one," was the thought that flitted 
 through the old clergyman s brain as he gazed down 
 into the beautiful white face of the bride-elect. 
 
 He was very old and his eyes were dim, his memory 
 weak. It must have been only fancy, he told himself, 
 that he had repeated the solemn words of the marriage 
 service to this fair young girl before. Perhaps she 
 resembled some one whom he had met. 
 
 The puzzled look cleared from his aged face, and, to 
 Rose s intense relief, the ceremony proceeded. The 
 words were spoken which should have bound her for 
 evermore to Royal Montague. 
 
 Then followed the congratulations and the sump 
 tuous wedding breakfast. To Rose it seemed like a be 
 wildering dream. One thought and one alone occurred 
 to her she was Royal s wedded wife, and nothing, 
 even death could ever part them. Quickly the hours 
 glided by and evening came. The coach which was 
 to take the newly wedded pair to the pier, stood before ] 
 the door, and when the final leave-taking was over, | 
 Royal led his young wife to the carriage and it whirled , 
 away amid a shower of roses and rice, and the blithe 
 laughter of the gay throng of guests. 
 
 When a bend in the road hid them from view in the 
 dusky twilight, Lillian Hall, who had kept up with 
 heroic bravery to the last moment, lifted up her white 
 face to the starlit sky, and reaching out her hands with 
 a low moan, fell face downward among the long green 
 grasses where Rose and Royal had stood. 
 
 When they hastened to raise her, they found her 
 senses locked in a deep, death like swoon. 
 
 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 151 
 
 No one wondered at it, remembering how well this 
 I gentle golden-haired sister had loved beautiful, willful 
 
 Meanwhile the carnage sped quickly on to the wharf. 
 When they found themselves alone, Royal bent down 
 and kissed the blushing face of his lovely girl-bride, 
 mentally vowing that the only reparation he could 
 make her for not loving her more was to surround her 
 with all the care and devotion possible. 
 
 He would study her comfort, she should never miss 
 the tenderness thrt n->d been lavished upon her in the 
 home she was leaving. 
 
 He would be true to her, loyal to her in word, 
 thought, and deed; she should be happy if he could 
 make her so. 
 
 The past was past he would begin life anew, he 
 would do his best to blot out that other face from his 
 memory, and enshrine only the image of the young 
 wife he had wedded. Learning to love Rose would 
 not be a difficult task. 
 
 Rose s great worshipful love for himself had drawn 
 his heart toward her. He meant to be more than kind 
 to merit it. 
 
 A half hour later they were on board the steamer 
 bound for New York, and the old life was left behind. 
 
 There had never been so fair a night on the bonny 
 Hudson. 
 
 In all the years of her after life, years of bitter sor 
 row and pain, the girl never forgot the bright hour that 
 followed. 
 
 Rose and Royal sat on the deck watching the moon 
 light on the water, and the lights of the beautiful 
 village- that dotted the hill slopes as the steamer glided 
 
152 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 by; he was silent and thoughtful, Rose sat gazing at 
 him, her very soul in her lovely eyes. 
 
 "Would you mind, Rose, if I were to smoke a cigar?" 
 he asked, suddenly. "Would you care if I left you by 
 yourself a few moments?" 
 
 "No," she answered, simply, and he thanked her 
 and walked to the other side of the deck. 
 
 He was her husband, this fair-haired handsome man, 
 pacing up and down in the starlight, and this was her 
 wedding-day. How strange it seemed to be. 
 
 Royal Montague and his young bride were not the 
 only passengers that boarded the steamer at Peekskill : 
 the boat was just leaving the wharf as a young man 
 sprung aboard, almost missing his footing upon the 
 gang-plank in his eager haste. 
 
 It was Osric Lawrence. He had quitted Linden 
 Villa immediately after his encounter with Lillian HalL 
 
 He had not waited to see the bridal party enter the 
 magnificent rooms he had decorated ; what cared he for 
 lovely brides and happy bride-grooms? 
 
 lie had made up his mind to return to New York. ! 
 Upon inquiring when the next train left the village lie 
 was informed that it left at midnight but if he wished 
 to go by water, he could take the steamer at the pier 
 in an hour s time. 
 
 LTpon what slight threads do the destinies of human \ 
 lives often hang ! 
 
 Osric Lawrence knit his brows in a frown. 
 
 "Much as I dislike traveling by boat I suppose I may 
 as well take it as to wait for three hours to catch the 
 train," he mused, and that decision was the turning 
 point in three lives. 
 
 He sauntered out upon the deck. The first person 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 153 
 
 upon whom his eyes rested was a slim young girl, in a 
 fawn-colored traveling dress, sitting quite alone at one 
 end of the steamer. The white plumes drooping over 
 the jaunty hat, and the white lace scarf which half 
 concealed and half revealed a rose-bud mouth and 
 dainty dimpled chin formed a charming picture, which 
 almost irresistibly attracted Osric Lawrence to that 
 end of the boat, and he sat down upon one of the 
 folding-chairs opposite to her. 
 
 He was looking in her direction, when suddenly she 
 turned toward him and their eyes met. 
 
 With a hoarse cry Osric Lawrence sprung to his feet 
 and gained her side, even in the shadowy uncertain 
 light he recognized her. 
 
 Rose!" he cried, "Rose! I have found you at last!" 
 
 Great Heaven, had the grave given up its dead? Was 
 she mad or dreaming? Was this Osric Lawrence, 
 whose tragic death she had read of standing before 
 her alive and well? 
 
 Her white lips parted in a low moan. 
 
 Despite the disguise he wore looking into his eyes 
 she knew him. And she recoiled from his eager out 
 stretched hands in frantic terror pitiful to behold. Then 
 reckless courage came to her aid. 
 
 "Do not touch me !" she cried, vehemently ; "I should 
 die if your hand clasped mine." 
 
 Osric Lawrence s face darkened with terrible wrath, 
 but before he could speak she went on wildly : 
 
 "f know who and what you are, I know all. How 
 dared you, whose hands and whose conscience were 
 stained with crime, lure an innocent, foolish girl into 
 wedding you? What infamy! I wonder Heaven did 
 not strike you dead at the altar!" 
 
154 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 "Rose," he said mournfully ; "oh, beautiful Rose, who 
 lured me into loving you by the mad witchery of your 
 wondrous beauty and deserted me, fled from me in the 
 dark hour of my sorest trials. I pray you be more 
 merciful to me. No matter who or what I am, you 
 have linked your life with mine. You are my wife ! " 
 
 Her face blanched with terrible fear. What if 
 Royal should come up to where they stood at any mo 
 ment, and turn inquiringly upon the stranger standing 
 by her side- what should she say to him? 
 
 Since the hour she had parted from Osric Lawrence 
 on the sands, she had not seen him ; and the oblivion 
 that had fallen over his memory after the report of his 
 death made her lot perhaps easier to bear. But now 
 that he stood before her in the flesh, the disgrace, the 
 humiliation, the degradation of her position flashed 
 across her. At any moment this man a criminal 
 might publicly claim her as his wife. If she knew what 
 he intended to do, it would be easier to bear. 
 
 Then came the thought like a flash of doom, that the 
 knowledge of this man s existence tore her from Royal 
 Montague s arms tore their hearts asunder, cast them 
 as far apart as though a grave lay between them. 
 
 Why had Heaven given her Royal Montague s love 
 her heart s desire if he was to be taken from her? 
 What had she done that God s mercy had not been 
 shown her? 
 
 Her whole soul was racked with terrible suspense 
 and anguish, by the torture of shame and fear of ex 
 posure. 
 
 At the very sight of Royal she could have cried 
 aloud in her anguish. Only the tight clinching of the 
 white hand^ in her lap betrayed what she suffered, 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 155 
 
 >ric Lawrence came nearer her her fair beauty 
 rendered him desperate. 
 
 " Rose," he cried, and there was the sound of a sob in 
 his voice, "be more merciful to me! give me one kind 
 word. I thought it would be so different. I never 
 meant you to know the story of my sin. Oh, Rose, if 
 you knew what I suffered, the torture I have exper 
 ienced in longing for one glimpse of you ! I am a wicked 
 man. My crime was great ; but my sufferings have 
 exceeded it a thousand-fold. I bade you good-bye on 
 the sands that night, expecting to return in a few 
 short hours and take you away with me so far away 
 that no one would ever see me who would recognize 
 me. Can you imagine what I endured when they cap 
 tured me and took me away? I fell on my face like 
 one dead with one word on my lips the word Rose 
 it was more bitter than death !" 
 
 "You should have expected punishment for your 
 wretched sin/ she replied, icily ; "but the greatest sin 
 you have committed, is blighting my life. You came 
 to me in the guise of a gentleman. You were not an 
 honorable man you were a felon fleeing from justice 
 from the just wrath of men! How dared you persuade 
 a young and innocent girl, so ignorant of the ways of 
 the world, into marrying you a felon?" 
 
 A low cry came from his lips. 
 
 "Oh, Rose, Rose, you wound me ! I can not bear the 
 sound of such words from your lips ; let my love plead 
 for me. I have loved you so madly !" 
 
 She raised her white hand with an imperative ges 
 ture. 
 
 "Your lord" she repeated in proud scorn. "I abhor 
 the word upon your lips!" 
 
156 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 "You cared for me once/ he said. 
 
 Then a terrible white pallor spread over his face; 
 a fearful thought came to him. 
 
 What if she had learned to care for any one else? 
 But no, it should not must not be. He would rather 
 see her lying dead before him than see her happy in 
 the love of another. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 The steamer glided on through the blue, starlit 
 waters ; but those two standing there, Rose and Osric 
 Lawrence, were oblivious to their surroundings. The 
 agony of death was written upon one face; on the 
 other, determination. 
 
 "Now that we are brought face to face with each 
 other again, what do you propose to do?" she asked, 
 faintly, gazing at him with large, startled eyes. 
 
 The answer was just what she knew it would be, yet 
 it shocked her to the heart s core. The wonder is that 
 she did not drop dead at his feet. 
 
 "I shall claim my wife," he answered. "Will it be so 
 much of a hardship for you to follow my fortunes, 
 Rose?" he asked, noting the deathly whiteness of her 
 beautiful face. "You are far above me now," he went 
 on, steadily. " I have heard all about how you left the 
 old light-house to share the palatial home of a wealthy 
 relative and to become her heir ; but that does not daunt 
 
 me, Rose you are still mv wife." 
 
 j 
 
 Should she tell him of Royal Montague, who was the 
 other half of her very soul? Should she tell him that 
 that very day she had stood at the altar with him? 
 Oh, the torturous agony of the bitter-sweet memory. 
 

 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 157 
 
 No, no; she would not she could not speak to this 
 man of Royal Montague and her love for him. 
 
 "You can claim me, but I shall never go with you 
 never !" she cried, wildly. "I would throw myself into 
 the river first !" 
 
 He gazed at her steadily, and the gaze drove her to 
 desperation. 
 
 "What is it that you wish me to do, Rose?" he 
 asked abruptly. 
 
 "Oh, Osric ! if you would but go away, and leave me 
 in peace ! " she moaned. 
 
 "After losing you, and searching so long for you, that 
 is what you desire me to do?" he said, slowly. 
 
 "Yes," she said, eagerly, her dark eyes brightening 
 with hope. 
 
 "Then," he replied, "you are more heartless than 
 even I took you to be. If you read of my incarcera 
 tion, you must have read of the report of my death ; 
 yet you are not glad to know the rumor was false. I 
 see now that you would have been glad had it been true 
 then you would have been free." No answer fell 
 from Rose s white lips ; she knew that all he said was 
 quite true. "But why is it you are so ready to cast 
 me out of your life?" he asked, suspiciously, gazing 
 down into those dark, frightened eyes. 
 
 " Because I have never really loved you, Osric," she 
 answered, falteringly. 
 
 "You are very candid," he snid, bitterly. "Tell me," 
 he cried, grasping the slim white hand that lay upon 
 the rail, his face darkening with rising passion "tell 
 me that you have not learned to love another since I 
 left you." 
 
 She made no reply. Not to have saved her life would 
 
158 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 she have denied her love for Royal Montague. His 
 kiss was still warm upon her lips those lips, should 
 never deny him. He saw that the face on which he 
 gazed grew whiter still. 
 
 "You do not speak," he added, gloomily. "By Heaven, 
 Rose, if I thought you had learned to care for another, 
 I would well, no matter what I. would do. I do not 
 wish to frighten you ; yet, all the same, I must have 
 your answer. I will know if you care for any one 
 else!" he cried his grasp tightening- on the slim white 
 hands and the lurid light deepening in his eyes. 
 
 Not far from where she sat Royal Montague, who 
 would have shielded her with his very life, stood, 
 carelessly smoking his cigar and in animated conversa 
 tion with a gentleman friend. 
 
 Yet in the hour of her deadly peril when she stood 
 upon the deck of the steamer in the grasp of the half- 
 maddened man there was no one near to help her or 
 raise a hand in her defense. 
 
 She was no coward. Her courage rose equal to the 
 emergency. 
 
 " Loosen your grasp Osric ; you pain me." she said, 
 quietly. "Let us walk to the other end of the boat, 
 where we can talk this matter over calmly without fear 
 of being overheard." 
 
 Oh, if she could but bribe him to go away and leave 
 her in peace. Wealth had been showered upon her; she 
 would give him every dollar of it if he would but 
 promise to go away at once and leave her in peace. 
 She had.no time to shape her after-course just then. 
 
 She broached the subject timidly enough. Osric 
 Lawrence s wrnth rose to a white-heat as he listened 
 to her. Hope died out of her heart when he answered: 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 159 
 
 "All the gold in the world would not tempt me to 
 give you up, Rose ! You are mad to hope for it. I will 
 never give you up !" 
 
 Those words brought the despair that possessed her 
 to a climax, and rendered her recklessly desperate. 
 
 "There is a way in which you could be forced to give 
 me up," she cried. ."If I were to cry out, This man 
 is Osric Lawrence ! how long would you be permitted 
 your freedom ? You forget the precipice on which you 
 stand when you refuse to make terms with me. You 
 are in my power, instead of I being in yours. Leave 
 the boat at the next landing, if you would save your 
 self." 
 
 "Would you betray me?" he asked, steadily, and 
 gazing unflinchingly into her beautiful white face, a 
 dark flush that boded no good stealing over his own, 
 his eyes flaming with fierce light. He moved nearer 
 her, and his hot breath scorched her cheek. 
 
 The very tone of his voice might have warned her. 
 He clutched the white hand he still held, harder. 
 
 " And the lips that I have kissed would denounce 
 me ! " he said, hoarsely. " I am glad I have discovered 
 your intention. You shall never accomplish it; I will 
 prevent you." 
 
 " What do you mean to do ? " she cried, attempting 
 to draw back from him, and wrench her hand from his 
 cruel grasp. 
 
 Before he could utter the retort that sprung to his 
 lips the hand of Fate tore them rudely asunder. 
 
 It will never be known how the accident happened. 
 The huge hull of the steamer quivered a little, and an 
 explosion followed, completely demolishing that part of 
 the deck where Rose and Osric Lawrence had so lately 
 
160 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 stood. When the steam cleared away they were no 
 where to be seen. 
 
 In the confusion which ensued, Royal Montague 
 rushed frantically to the spot where he had left Rose. 
 Great Heaven, she was not there! He shouted her 
 name like one distracted. 
 
 In vain the captain reassured the startled passengers 
 no serious damage had been done, no one was hurt. 
 Royal Montague hurried among them, frantically call 
 ing upon the name of Rose ; no Rose answered. 
 
 With white appalled faces they searched the deck, 
 the cabin, and state-rooms but the beautiful young girl 
 whom they remembered so well was missing. 
 
 Royal s Montague s grief knew no bounds. The 
 ladies gathered around the bereaved young husband 
 and wept for him ; gentlemen grasped his hand in token 
 of sympathy more eloquent than words. 
 
 Boats were lowered and sent out in all directions but 
 one by one they returned with the sad tidings: they 
 had searched carefully among the debris that floated 
 upon the water; but one trace of the young lady could 
 be found a bit of lace found floating, which Royal 
 recognized at once as Rose s handkerchief, and which 
 he had seen in her hand when he parted from her a few 
 minutes before. 
 
 There was but one conclusion to be arrived at the 
 shock had precipitated her into the water and she hid 
 been struck by a plank, or, perhaps by the plunging 
 wheel of the steamer and sunk to rise no more. 
 
 Another passenger was found missing, a man, who * 
 had boarded the steamer at Peekskill and who was 
 booked as Henry Smith. Poor fellow he must have 
 slmiv fate. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 161 
 
 Every effort was made to recover the bodies, but the 
 waters rippled on under the dancing starlight, refusing 
 to reveal the secret they held. 
 
 As all further attempts were useless, the steamer 
 resumed her course again. 
 
 Royal Montague shut himself up in his state-room, 
 refusing to be comforted. 
 
 Poor beautiful Rose ! he had never known how dear 
 she was to him until the hour when she was so cruelly- 
 snatched away. 
 
 Never more would the sweet crimson lips be held up 
 to him for love s caressing kisses. Never more would 
 the white arms wreathe themselves about his neck, 
 while the dark head nestled upon his shoulder, and his 
 lovely young bride whisper to him how much she cared 
 for him. 
 
 Royal Montague so tender of heart, sobbed aloud in 
 the fullness of his terrible grief. 
 
 Poor Rose, poor pretty Rose, who had loved him so 
 well! 
 
 How should he take the story back with him to the 
 proud old grandmother who had loved her darling so 
 fondly and to Lillian who had worshipped her fair 
 young sister Rose? How could he tell them what had 
 befallen her? 
 
 Why was he not by her side in the hour of danger? 
 - Ah, how he reproached himself for leaving her so long 
 by herself. 
 
 Had she cried out to him in her moment of peril, had 
 his name been the last upon her lips? 
 
 Frojn that moment lines of care settled upon Royal 
 1 Montague s face that were to leave it nevermore. 
 
 There was great mourning at- Linden Villa, when 
 
162 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 the lengthy telegram announcing the terrible news 
 reached them, even the servants refused to be com 
 forted, she was so well beloved. 
 
 The proud old lady who had loved beautiful Rose 
 so well, listened to the telegram in awful, rigid silence. 
 
 Those whom we love best are taken from us first," 
 she muttered. "Heaven help me to bear it." 
 
 The grief of Lillian was pitiful to behold. For long 
 weeks she lay upon her couch in delirium hovering be 
 tween life and death, and the one cry upon her lips 
 through the hours of the sunlit day, and through the 
 long watches of the dreary night was : 
 
 "Rose." 
 
 That was the message Mrs. Hall brought to the 
 drawing-room to Royal Montague a lew weeks later, 
 when he presented himself at Linden Villa. 
 
 "Shall I see Lillian before I leave?" he asked, when 
 he had been stopping there a week. "I go to-mor-^ 
 row." 
 
 When the message was taken to Lillian, she bowed" 
 her head in her hands, weeping as though her tender! 
 heart would break between duty and desire. 
 
 "Tell him I will see him," was the answer she sent 
 back. 
 
 Meanwhile, dear reader, you and I will learn the 
 true fate of beautiful Rose. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 A moment after the explosion, Rose found hersel 
 struggling in the water. In vain her piercing cries renl 
 the air; the terrible confusion that reigned on boarc 
 the steamer completely drowned them ; and the piece 
 T>f wreckage to which she clung was drifting further 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 163 
 
 from the steamer each moment. Ere the boats were 
 lowered, she had fallen back into the water wholly un 
 conscious. 
 
 It must have been the hand of Providence that 
 caused her at that critical moment, when certain death 
 seemed inevitable, to become caught and securely 
 wedged in between the driftwood, which cast her at 
 length upon the shore. 
 
 For hours she lay upon the shore before conscious 
 ness returned to her; but. as she opened her dark, 
 dazed eyes and took in the situation, she remembered 
 all that had occurred, and a piteous cry fell from her 
 white lips. 
 
 It was morning; the sun shone upon the water 
 gently laving the moss-grown bank, betraying 
 nothing of the catastrophe those gilded waves had 
 witnessed but a few short hours before. 
 
 Slowly up and down in the sunlight Rose paced, 
 looking her fate bravely in the face. She remembered 
 standing with Osric Lawrence when the explosion oc 
 curred. She had a faint, confused remembrance of 
 seeing- him struggling in the water, striking out for 
 the plank to which she clung, to save her. After that 
 she knew no more. 
 
 He was an expert swimmer. He had not returned 
 to the j=tesrper neither had he been lost, she felt 
 eqtn.Jly sure. Then her thoughts went back to Royal 
 Montague. 
 
 F *Oh. v< mv love, who has been so cruelly 
 
 sennr ; c! fr^tr- <- - <-- \ " she moaned. "Do von r"onrn 
 for me. believiner me lying beneath these wave?? 
 Royal, my darfinqr, you and I are nothing to each 
 other now; he has come between us!" 
 
164 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 The sun s warm rays dried the black curls that hid 
 her face like a mourning veil, and dried, too, the river 
 water that dripped from her clothing. How long she 
 had lain on the shore she never knew. 
 
 She was trying to solve the problem how she could 
 live her life out without Royal Montague s love; 
 for she must not go back to him. The wedding-ring 
 on her finger was the cruelest mockery. She was 
 not Royal s bride : for, Heaven help her, the man 
 whom she believed dead had returned to claim her. 
 She must never cross Royal Montague s path again. 
 The days must come and go, suns rise and set, yet 
 she must not see him ; he must think that the dark 
 waves had taken her from him. 
 
 As for Osric Lawrence she cared little. That he 
 would search for her until he found her again she well 
 knew, that is, if he had but the slightest inkling of 
 what her fate had been that she had been spared. 
 
 But he should never find her, never. She tried to 
 look the future in the face the terrible future that 
 seemed worse than death to her. 
 
 She closed her dazed eyes to the glare of the sun 
 light. She had a dim consciousness of hearing the 
 blithe whistle of farm laborers as they crossed the 
 fields to their work, and then all became blank. 
 
 Two persons, by chance, chose the river road that 
 morning, sauntering leisurely along on their way to 
 market they were Farmer Johnson and his wife, and 
 they were in a high dispute in regard to money mat 
 ters. 
 
 The wife s shrill tongue came to a standstill, how 
 ever, as her sharp eyes discerned something very like 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 165 
 
 the outlines of a human figure lying among the tall 
 reeds. 
 
 " Jonas ! " she cried shrilly, grasping her husband s 
 arm in afright and pointing toward the object; " what 
 on earth is that ? " 
 
 " It looks like the figure of a woman ! " exclaimed 
 the astonished farmer. " Why, by George it is a 
 woman ! " he cried, quickly gaining the spot, his wife 
 close at his heels. 
 
 In a moment the good little woman was down on 
 her knees beside the prostrate form, pushing the damp 
 curls back from the white face. 
 
 "It s a young girl!" she cried. "Oh, Jonas, do 
 look and see how pretty she is, her face is like art 
 angel s. What are you standing there staring fof 
 with your hands in your pockets? she demanded 
 sharply ; " pick her up and bring her back to the cot 
 tage. I ll see what can be done for the poor lass." 
 
 " Wouldn t it be better, Ruth, if we took the girl 
 down to the village tavern ? " timidly suggested her 
 better half. 
 
 " Will you hold your tongue, Jonas, and do as 
 you re bid?" exclaimed his wife; "the tavern, indeed^ 
 for that grasping old landlord to run up a bill on the 
 poor pretty creature, when like as not she hasn t, a 
 cent in her pocket. Lift her up and be lively; don t 
 you see she s in a dead faint?" 
 
 The angry light in the black eyes turned upon him 
 warned the farmer that it were better to obey without 
 further remonstrance; he plainly saw that his wife, 
 had made up her mind. 
 
 He lifted the slim figure with alacrity, and in a few 
 
166 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 moments more they had reached the farm-house, cut 
 ting across lots through the wheat fields. 
 
 A young girl sat in the door-way paring apples ; she 
 sprung to her feet scattering the fruit in all directions, 
 staring in amazement at the strange spectacle that 
 met her view ; her father striding hurriedly along 
 the path bearing a girlish figure in his arms, her 
 mother following up in the rear. 
 
 " For mercy sakes, pa, who in the world have you 
 got there? who is she, and what s the matter with 
 her?" 
 
 "Molly!" exclaimed her mother sharply, "you re 
 like your father for all the world ; stop staring and 
 asking questions; run quick and see if there s hot 
 water on the stove, and bring me the peppermint- 
 bottle and the mustard-jar, towels, hot blankets, and 
 help me get this poor young creature s clothes off and 
 into bed, and " 
 
 " Don t give the girl so many orders at once, 
 mother," expostulated the farmer soothinelv ; "don t 
 
 O * 
 
 you see you have muddled her head so she don t know 
 what to do first? " 
 
 The good woman started kitchenward in high 
 dudgeon. 
 
 " It s always the way, if I want anything done I 
 have to do it myself!" she cried angrily. "You two 
 are a pretty nnir of drawbacks for a smart woman like 
 me to be tied to ! " 
 
 And she flounced out of the best room, leaving the 
 lovely stranirer to the care of the curious Molly. 
 
 She returned in a trice, fairly loaded down with bot 
 tles, blankets and etceteras. The farmer was hastily 
 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL, 167 
 
 invited to vacate the room, then the work of restor 
 ing the beautiful young stranger began at once. 
 
 Slowly the dark eyes opened, but there was no light 
 of reason in them. It was pitiful to see the tears on 
 the long, dark lashes. 
 
 " I m afraid the poor little thing has the fever ! " 
 exclaimed the farmer s wife pityingly ; if she has she 
 won t be able to leave this bed for many a long day ! " 
 
 The beautiful dark eyes regarded her with a 
 frightened light in their depths. The crimsoned lips 
 babbled empty nothings. 
 
 Now and then a word or sentence could be distin 
 guished, 
 
 " Life was so hard to bear,* the quivering lips mut 
 tered over and over again. 
 
 " I m afraid the poor pretty creature has seen some 
 great trouble," the farmer s, wife concluded, and her 
 motherly heart went out to her in kindest sympathy. 
 
 For long weeks Rose remained at the farm-house; 
 she had fallen into good hands and was tenderly cared 
 for. 
 
 Vaguely they wondered who she was and whence she 
 came, and how she came to be lying in a dead faint 
 among the reeds by the river. 
 
 That she was not a creature in want they readily 
 surmised from the texture of her clothing, which was 
 of the daintiest and costliest kind, glittering rings 
 adorned the little white hands, and in the pocket of 
 her dress a handsome purse was found well supplied 
 with bills. 
 
 The mystery that shrouded her appearance there 
 deepened as the days rolled by, and her fever increased. 
 
 If the beautiful stranger died among them there was 
 
168 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 no way of learning her identity. The incident was 
 duly written up by a special correspondent, and found 
 its way into the columns of the New York papers; but 
 the papers of the great metropolis had chronicled like 
 events too often for the general reader to cast more 
 than a passing glance at the article; it was read with 
 out comment and forgotten. 
 
 Meanwhile the dread fever had reached a climax, and 
 the lovely stranger opened her eyes to the cares of life 
 again after weeks of suffering, gazing in dismay at the 
 strange faces and plain homely surroundings. 
 
 " Where am I ? " she asked, blankly raising her eyes j 
 to the face of the farmer s wife. " I have had such hor 
 rid dreams; where is Lillian?" she asked impatiently; 
 (C I want her at once ! " 
 
 Before they could answer her a piercing cry broke I 
 from her lips, a cry so heart-rending that it brought 
 tears to the eyes of those standing around her coitch. 
 
 " I remember, oh, I remember all ! " she moaned. 
 
 Like a flash memory had returned to her. She re- 1 
 membered being carried ashore by the driftwood and 
 of falling into a dazed stupor among the tall reeds near 
 the wheat fields, with the sound of voices in her ears. 
 
 She remembered how she had made such valiant 
 efforts to make her presence known when oblivion over- 
 took her. 
 
 " I found you lying in the path by the river," said 
 the farmer s wife. " I brought you to my own home 
 and nursed you. You have been very ill for long weeks, 
 there was no way by which I could find the address of 
 your friends or I would have sent for them." 
 
 " Oh, they must never find me ! " cried Rose in the 
 keenest alarm. " I am cast adrift from them for ever- 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 169 
 
 more. No one who ever knew me shall see my face 
 again!" 
 
 The day came at length when Rose was able to leave 
 the farm-house. 
 
 Their entreaties to tell them who she was, and 
 whence she came, met with a firm denial. 
 
 " My name is Rose, " she answered them, simply, 
 " further than that I can not tell you. No one in the 
 world ever met with such a fate as I have had, and it 
 has blighted my life; that is all I can say for myself. 
 Yet when I am gone think of me kindly/ she went on. 
 with tears standing in her great dark eyes, " for Heaven 
 knows no girl living has such need of pity and sym 
 pathy as I have. " 
 
 She pressed most of the money her purse contained, 
 together with the valuable rings she wore, into the 
 rough toil-worn hand of the farmer s wife : 
 
 " You have been very kind to a helpless stranger," 
 she said, " let me repay you as best I can ; every kind 
 action to the helpless meets its reward in God s own 
 good time. You will one day meet yours." 
 
 That was the last they ever saw of the beautiful 
 stranger whom they knew only as Rose. 
 
 ^Rose had decided to make her way to Peekskiil. A 
 strange yearning filled her heart to see Lillian once 
 again, then to go far away, whither she cared not 
 
 She would not dare to make her presence known to 
 Lillian, for the startling announcement that she lived, 
 would be sent to Royal Montague at once, and that 
 must not be, for if he should come to claim the bride 
 the ruthless waves had torn from him, she would be 
 forced to tell him the story of Osric Lawrence and his 
 claim upon her. 
 
170 I KKTTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 " Oh, if I had Lilly to console and advise me," she 
 moaned, " but I dare not tell her, she would shrink in 
 horror from keeping such a secret. I will look upon 
 Lillian s face, but she must not know it." 
 
 The train on which Rose was a passenger, sped 
 quickly on through the dusky twilight, and the dark 
 ness of night had fallen ere it reached Peekskill. 
 
 Rose alighted, and drawing her veil closer over her 
 face, started to walk to Linden Villa. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 It was quite three miles to Linden Villa from the 
 depot, and although Rose felt weak from her recent ill 
 ness, still she would take no conveyance, and under 
 took the journey on foot. 
 
 How brightly the moon shone down upon the earth, 
 bathing the trees, the flowers, and white winding road 
 in its silvery light. How the golden stars glowed in 
 the blue sky. 
 
 The birds had folded their wings and sought their 
 nests among the leafy branches. 
 
 The flowers had folded their dewdrops close to their 
 hearts with their tender petals, and were rocked to 
 sleep by the gentle night-wind. 
 
 Rose passed slowly along the well-remembered road, 
 tears falling like rain from her dark eyes. 
 
 Suddenly the sound of a horse s hoofs upon the peb 
 bled road caused her to start, and she drew back into 
 the shadow of the trees until the horseman should pass. 
 
 Ah, how often she had cantered over that same white 
 road riding by Royal Montague s side. How gay and 
 roseate the world had looked to her then. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 171 
 
 Could she be the same creature, changed so com 
 pletely in a few short weeks? 
 
 Nearer and nearer the horseman approached, his face 
 toward her in the clear moonlight. 
 
 He was abreast of the trees now. Ah, Heaven, it was 
 Royal Montague ! 
 
 She never knew how she restrained the mad impulse 
 to cry out to him, " Royal, oh, my love ! my love ! 
 mourn for me no longer, I am here! " 
 
 Then she remembered she would have no right to 
 rest in Royal Montague s arms, to feel his passionate 
 kisses of joy upon her face, to listen to his words of 
 delight upon being restored to him again. 
 
 Her face grew white, her lips pale, her slender figure 
 swayed to and fro. to be so near to him, yet to be 
 parted from him. 
 
 A moment more and he had vanished from sight, 
 leaving the solitary figure behind upon the road. She 
 knew he was going to Linden Villa, he had turned his 
 steed in that direction. 
 
 " Poor Royal," she sobbed, " how unhappy he is ! He 
 is going to the dear old home where v/e met and loved 
 each other. Would Lillian greet him coldly?" sh-e 
 wondered. " Oh, if Lillian would but be kind and 
 gentle with him, speak words of sympathy to him, 
 make him feel at home at Linden Villa ! " 
 
 He had brushed the drooping branches of the trees 
 carelessly aside with his hand as he rode by them. He 
 would never know of the lonely figure that stood under 
 them passionately kissing the green leaves his hand 
 had touched. 
 
 At last the towers and turrets of Linden Villa greeted 
 her view as she turned an abrupt curve in the path. 
 
172 PRETTY ROSJ: HALL. 
 
I KF/ITY ROSE HALL. 173 
 
 tell her truthfully that it was this that had caused her 
 to fly from the old light-house, lest this man should re 
 turn and claim her. 
 
 Oh, how Lillian would gather her in her arms and 
 weep over her as she told her piteous story ! She would 
 readily agree with her that it were best not to make 
 her presence known to Royal or, in fact, to any one 
 else just tnen. She would see that it was the wisest 
 and the only course to pursue. Lillian was so wise, so 
 good, she would plan some way out of it for her. 
 
 Softly the slender figure stole after Lillian as she 
 passed the flower beds, the lilac and magnolia walks, 
 on toward the chestnut grove. Both had crossed the 
 star-lighted park and were nearing the shadows of the 
 trees, but a few feet apart. 
 
 " Lillian ! " called Rose, gently. 
 
 But Lillian did not hear her; her own thoughts en 
 grossed her. 
 
 Rose was silent for a moment. A bird flew from its 
 nest in the nearest tree, a rabbit rustled in the. .brush 
 wood, the wind stirred some fallen leaves, a wocjjjtfove 
 called out to its mate. /. 
 
 " Lilly ! " she called again, more softly than before. 
 
 The girl paused in a startled, solemn wonder. 
 
 <; It must be only fancy," Lillian Hall said*to her 
 self, drawing the i^leecy folds of her scarf closer ab,nt 
 her. l< Even the wind seems to whisper to me with 
 the voice of Rose." 
 
 Before Rose could utter her sister s name again, a 
 light step came swiftly down the pebbled walk, and 
 even before he spoke, poor Rose knew it was Royal 
 Montague advancing hurriedly toward her sister. Oh, 
 how her soul went out to him! Again she drew back 
 
17-4 i RKTTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 into the shadow of the trees until he should leave her 
 sister. It was quite out of the question for her to speak 
 to Lillian now. 
 
 Only the fragrant blossoming lilac branches sepa 
 rated her from Royal Montague and Lillian. He had 
 come up to her sister now. 
 
 " Lillian ! " he cried out in a glad voice. " Here you 
 are! 1 have been searching everywhere for You. I am 
 sure you ran away to avoid me." 
 
 The girl crouching behind the lilacs listened in won 
 der. His voice had never sounded like that when he 
 had addressed her. There was an undercurrent in it 
 that puzzled her. 
 
 She saw Lillian s fair, sweet face flush hotly in the 
 bright white moonlight. She looked up at him with a 
 smile, drawing bashfully away from his outstretched 
 hands, answering, confusedly: 
 
 " I did not know that you were searching for me, 
 that you wanted me, Royal." 
 
 His reply was like the shock of doom to the beauti 
 ful, Hapless creature listening to them both so intently : 
 
 "You did not know that I wanted you! Oh, Lillian, 
 what nonsense! Is there a moment in my life that I 
 do not want you, my darling? " 
 
 These were the words that broke a human heart ! 
 
 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 Clearly through the solemn stillness of the summer 
 night, the words fell from Royal Montague s lips upon 
 the heart of the beautiful solitary figure crouching 
 among the lilac branches. 
 
 Royal believed himself quite alone with Lillian he 
 could speak his thoughts freely now. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 175 
 
 " You avoided me purposely, Lillian, that I might 
 have no opportunity of telling you what is in my heart ; 
 you must have read what it wanted to say in my eyes. 
 You are cruel, clear." 
 
 " Royal," said Lillian, gently, holding up her little 
 white hand warningly. " Remember, you are not to 
 talk to me so, at least not yet, it would almost seem 
 as though we had forgotten the memory of Rose." 
 
 What Royal Montague s answer was, the figure 
 crouching behind the lilac leaves never knew. She saw 
 him clasp the little white hands he held, fondly in his 
 own, raise them to his lips, and kiss them tenderly. 
 
 "Am I mad, or am I dreaming?" sobbed the 
 wretched girl, who watched and listened to the two 
 who were so utterly unconscious of her presence. 
 
 She saw Lillian gaze at him with a grave, thoughtful 
 face. 
 
 " Do not turn from me, Lillian," cried Royal Mon 
 tague? " remember, love-making between us dates lar 
 back. Ah, Lilly," he went on, quickly, " what a love 
 story ours has been ! How strangely we have been 
 separated ; you were my first last and only love, Lillian, 
 always remember that." 
 
 The words fell like drops of molten lead upon the 
 breaking heart so near them. The swaying figure had 
 sunk down among the sharp thorns and the brambles, 
 but she did not even feel the pain of them. The earth 
 and sky^seemed to meet above her. The leaves of the 
 trees seemed to moan in the night-wind. The moon hid 
 her sorrowful face in the white clouds. 
 
 Again Royal Montague s voice broke the silence, and 
 the crouching figure strained every nerve to listen. 
 
 " I do not remember, Lillian," he said, " ever to have 
 
176 TRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 heard a story like ours. What have we not suffered 
 since that sunlit day we parted in the park, going to 
 sacrifice ourselves upon the altar of duty." 
 
 " Do not recall it, Royal," sighed Lillian, faintly. 
 
 " I must refer to it, dear," he said ; " it is all over 
 now, we both did our duty nobly to Rose while she 
 lived, now we must forget her that is, forget all the 
 pain and sorrow, and only remember that we tried to 
 make her happy. If Rose had lived, you and I would 
 have buried our love for each other as deep as the 
 boundless seas. Rose should never have known that 
 there was a secret between you and me, dear." 
 
 If the hand of God had stricken Rose dead, the beau 
 tiful white face upturned to the night sky could not 
 have been whiter. 
 
 The moon in all its rounds, looking down in its pure 
 white light upon sin, suffering, pain, and all human 
 woes, never looked upon a sadder sight. 
 
 " In my thoughts I go over the past time and time 
 again/ continued Royal Montague, slowly. " I was 
 heart whole and fancy free when I first met Rose, to 
 love her, although she was all that was beautiful and 
 good, never occurred to me. Imagine my intense sur 
 prise, Lillian, upon making the discovery in an unex 
 pected manner that Rose loved me. I was amazed, be 
 wildered, that the worshipful love of a human heart had 
 been lavished upon me, who had not sought if. I was 
 intensely sorry for Rose, and my pity for her led me 
 into asking her to marry me. There was no passionate 
 love-making between us never! In the after days I 
 saw the folly of giving the hand where the heart could 
 never go. When I first gazed upon your sweet face I 
 knew then, what the first great and only love of a man s 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 1 / < 
 
 lifetime meant. You and I had met too late, Lillian, I 
 was engaged to Rose." 
 
 They passed on, arm in arm, through the chestnut 
 grove and over the moonlit lawn to the house. Then 
 silence reigned. 
 
 Like a kunted hare Rose sprung to her feet, hurry 
 ing through the pleasure-grounds, through the coppice, 
 and into the heart of the grove. 
 
 No human being was near, but the birds were soon 
 startled by the passionate cries of a broken heart- 
 cries that fell freely and clearly on the soft, sweet air, 
 and seemed to rise to the heavens bitter, passionate 
 cries that took with them the burden of a most un 
 happy soul. After a time they died away; the moans 
 and sobs ended. The girl lay among the crushed gold 
 en-rods, with wide-open, horror-stricken-, somber eyes, 
 looking the terrible future full in the face. 
 
 Carefully, step by step, she went over that past which 
 had seemed such a golden, roseate dream to her, bright 
 ened by love s dazzling flame. It was pity, then, that 
 had prompted Royal Montague to offer her his hand. 
 Oh, the shame of it ! The blood in her veins seemed to 
 turn to fire, and her white face to scorch at the very 
 thought of it. 
 
 Now she understood plainly much that had never oc 
 curred to her before. Now she knew why Lillian had 
 fainted when she had accidentally met Royal Montague 
 in the drawing-room they had been lovers once. 
 
 Royal and Lillian had met after his fatal engagement 
 to her met arid loved each other yet they had parted. 
 " Sacrificed themselves on the altar of duty " those 
 were the words he had uttered. 
 
 Had he but told her oh ! had he but told her that he 
 
178 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 had learned to love Lillian best, she would have given 
 him up to Lillian and gone out of their lives, and they 
 should never have looked upon her face again. 
 
 How cruelly these two had deceived her by hiding 
 their terrible secret love for each other Lillian, whom 
 she had believed as fair and sweet as the angels in 
 heaven, and her lover, whom she had worshipped so 
 blindly. 
 
 So, through all. this time even when they stood at 
 the altar together Royal had not loved her ! 
 
 She had worshipped him. She had made no secret of 
 it ; she had told him so often, with kisses and tears, that 
 life held nothing for her but his love. Oh, the bitter 
 sorrow, bitter shame ! He had listened to her, knowing 
 all the time that it was Lillian whom he loved, and not 
 her! She had talked with him, planned with him the 
 future they were to share together. She had thought 
 of herself as his wife, he had stood by her side while 
 the solemn words were uttered that bound him to her 
 for life, yet all this time his heart had yearned for 
 Lillian. 
 
 Now she knew what the outward coldness meant be 
 tween Royal and Lillian which had always puzzled her 
 so. These two who had loved each other, and parted, 
 could never be cold, calm, formal friends. 
 Oh, if either of them had but told her how matters 
 stood ! Though she knew it would have broken her 
 heart, she would have given him up. 
 
 In that moment the great yearning love in her heart 
 was slain ; no words could picture such a grief as hers. 
 Now she could see why the ham! of Fate had torn her 
 from Royal Montague s arms on their wedding-eve. It 
 would have been a thousand times more merciful if 
 
 " 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 179 
 
 Heaven, in its infinite mercy, had let her die in the cold, 
 dark waters, instead of letting her live to discover this. 
 
 Her future m;.tUirevl iiule enough to her now. She 
 would go quietly away ; Lillian and Royal should never 
 know she lived, lie had not grieved for her untimely 
 fate; it had not grieved him that matters had turned 
 out as they had ; it set him free to woo and win the love 
 of his heart. That she had not died would be no bar 
 rier to his marriage with Lillian. The appearance of 
 Osric Lawrence had snapped asunder the slender cords 
 that bound her to Lillian s lover. 
 
 Silently she turned her beautiful face from all that 
 she had loved best on earth, crept slowly out of the 
 park and away from Linden Villa without casting one 
 glance behind. There were no tears in the great som 
 ber dark eyes ; she was beyond all tha^. 
 
 The sound of music sweet, melodious harp music 
 floated out to her as she moved silently as a dark 
 shadow down the avenue. She knew it was Lillian s 
 fingers that thrilled the chords of the harp until they 
 trembled with the tenderest melody. She could imag 
 ine, with vivid fancy, just how Royal was bending over 
 her. She knew the very look that was on his face, and 
 how the love-light glowed in his handsome eyes. 
 
 That same evening, the solitary fVut-e that had 
 alighted at the Peekskill depot in the dusky twilight, 
 left it again on the midnight train. An hour later, the 
 lights of New York gleamed in the distance before her. 
 
 Rose Hall for such she preferred to still call her 
 self drew the folds of her wrap closer about her, 
 looking wistfully out of the car window. She had never 
 been alone, at night, in the streets of New York. She 
 quite dreaded it, for she had not the least notion of 
 
380 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 where she intended to go, when she reached there. 
 She told herself, at length, that she would wait in the 
 depot until daylight. 
 
 There was the usual bustling throng of people hu try 
 ing to and fro, as the train slackened at length in tht 
 depot. 
 
 One man stared in undisguised astonishment as the 
 hesitating girlish figure that alighted from the tram, 
 quite alone, timidly entered the waiting-room and took 
 a seat. Another moment and he had crossed the room, 
 stopped Directly in front of her, laying his hand heavily 
 on the girl s shoulder. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 181 
 
 into the beautiful face turned impatiently away from 
 him, determining to know more of its owner. 
 
 There was no one to warn her that the young man 
 standing before her was one of the most dangerous 
 roues in New York. Well bred, polished, aristocratic 
 he certainly was ; but these attributes do not always 
 proclaim a gentleman. 
 
 Willard Sinclair was a wealthy down-town dry-goods 
 merchant, and a bachelor. He was immensely popular 
 with all the belles and marriageable ladies, but he 
 might not have been such a favorite in exclusive soci*- 
 ety if some of the events of his private life had been 
 made public, and the breath of scandal fanned certain 
 whispers into life. 
 
 The young merchant had a passionate love for pretty 
 faces, and as he looked down into the exquisite inno 
 cent face of Rose Hall, he told himself that she was by 
 far the most beautiful girl he had ever beheld. 
 
 There was no one to tell Rose that the clever story 
 of " the governess he had expected on that train " was 
 purely a fiction he had woven together for the express 
 purpose of affording him an opportunity of speaking to 
 her. 
 
 Young girls who read the story of Rose Hall should 
 profit by what they read. It should be a warning to? 
 them to be chary of exchanging a word with a stranger. 
 
 Willard Sinclair smiled as Rose turned her face 
 away. He had gained this much knowledge, that the 
 name of the beautiful young girl was Rose Hall. 
 
 Looking closer at her, he saw the traces of tears on 
 her fair face. 
 
 " You are a stranger in New York, are you not?." he 
 asked, questioningrly. 
 
182 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Again Rose bowed, and he went on : 
 
 " Most young girls who come to the city alone are 
 in search of friends or employment. I hope the former 
 is your case." 
 
 ;< I have no friends," replied the girl, lifting those 
 wondrous dark eyes of hers to his face. " I am quite 
 alone in the world, sir/ 
 
 The retort that sprung to his lips died away upon 
 them ; he could not utter the words while those dark 
 eyes were upon his face. 
 
 "If you are in search of employment, perhaps I can 
 be of assistance to you," he said, with a more courteous 
 bow than before. " Perhaps it was a kind fate which 
 threw me in your path. Would yon like to take the 
 place of governess this Miss Gordon has failed to 
 claim? " he queried. 
 
 In case she answered " Yes," which he quite believed 
 she would, he made up his mind what course he should 
 pursue ; he would not count the cost. A girl who is 
 ready to accept as truth the plausible story of a 
 stranger, must not find fault with the consequences if 
 they discover at length that they have been willfully de 
 ceived. 
 
 Rose s answer saved her from a terrible fate. 
 
 " You are very kind, sir, but I could not accept such 
 a responsible position as governess, for several rea 
 sons." 
 
 He bit his lips with vexation. 
 
 " Perhaps you have something better in view," he 
 said, twirling his tawny mustache with his white hand, 
 upon whch a costly diamond gleamed. 
 
 " Xo," said Rose ; " it is not that. I think if I were 
 
PRETTY ROSE IIAI^L. 183 
 
 to find employment in some store, it would be best for 
 me." 
 
 A peculiar smiie curved his lips. " Wiry not let her 
 try the hardships of clerking 1 in a. store for a little 
 while?" he argued within himself. 
 
 " Again kind fate may have sent me to your rescue," 
 he said, pleasantly. " I can procure you just such a 
 situation. Call to-morrow morning at eight o clock, 
 sharp, at this address," he said, producing a card from 
 his case, " and we will see what can be done for you. 
 What -do you intend to do that is, where do you in 
 tend to go in the interim? " he asked, abruptly. " You 
 can not think of remaining in this waiting-- room until 
 to-morrow morning; it is oaly a little after midnight 
 now. I should advise you to go to a boarding-house 
 and seek rest/ 
 
 Rose flushed with painful embarrassment, remember 
 ing how little money there was in her attenuated purse 
 wherewith to purchase such a needful luxury. 
 
 He saw the flush on the lovely face, and quite under 
 stood the cause of it; but there was a certain dignity 
 about this young and lovely girl which made him hesi 
 tate about offering her assistance ; he concluded he had 
 better not. 
 
 He was loath to leave her side, yet he could find no 
 reasonable excuse to remain. 
 
 " You will be sure to come to-morrow morning to 
 the address indicated on the card?" he asked. 
 
 " I shall be on!y t<x> thankful to come. I am very 
 grateful, indeed, for the kindly interest you have mani 
 fested in me, sir," said Rose, great tears shining in her 
 dark, velvety eyes. 
 
 " Do not mention it I pray you," he replied ; " any 
 
184 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 gentleman ought to be only too pleased to render a 
 helpless woman all the assistance in his power. That 
 is my name/ he continued, pointing to the first name 
 on the card. " I shall be very glad to serve you in any 
 way." 
 
 He touched his hat and walked away. 
 
 " How kind Heaven is to have raised me such a good, 
 noble friend in my hour of need ! " thought Rose, gaz 
 ing after him. She remembered that she was Rose 
 Hall, the petted heiress, resplendent in glittering dia 
 monds and costly robes, no longer. Now she was Rose 
 Hall, an alien from home and friends, dependent upon 
 her own exertions, thrown upon the world s mercy. 
 
 She had often met poor, tired working-girls walking 
 to and from their labors, as she rode by surrounded by 
 all the trappings of wealth ; but let this be said for her, 
 she had always looked upon these noble young work 
 ing-girls with profound reverence and pity in her beau 
 tiful eyes* even while little dreaming that the day 
 would come when she would be. one among them, earn 
 ing her bread as they did. 
 
 The long hours till daylight wore away slowly. 
 
 Rose watched the pink flush creep into the eastern 
 sky from the window with thankful delight. 
 
 She purchased her slight breakfast at the lunch stand, 
 and smoothing out her tangled curls, and freshening 
 her appearance in the dressing-room, was soon ready 
 to seek the address contained on the card. 
 
 " MESSRS. SINCLAIR & HOLLISBURY, 
 Dry Goods Emporium B way." 
 
 The card contained an engraving of the building, and 
 Rose saw that it was a mammoth establishment. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 185 
 
 Eight o clock found her there, and she made known 
 her errand in faltering words it was her first battle 
 \vith the great world. 
 
 " Oh, yes," answered the manager, " you are the per 
 son no doubt to whom Mr. Sinclair had reference this 
 morning. You are to take charge of the ladies kid 
 glove department, the last counter to the right, and 
 facing the private office." 
 
 " Can I not commence at once? " asked Rose, and to 
 this the manager assented ; he had received his order 
 previously. 
 
 " Step this way, Miss Miss " 
 
 " My name is Rose Hall," she said, quietly. 
 
 " Follow me, Miss Hall." And he led her through 
 the throngs of richly dressed patrons, past the array of 
 clerks and salesladies, who watched her with furtive 
 glances, back to the department indicated. " Miss Car 
 son," he said, sharply, addressing a tall, slender girl 
 standing behind the counter, " Miss Hall is to have 
 charge of this department henceforth : be good enough 
 to show her the private marks, the cost prices, and so 
 forth, without delay." 
 
 Turning on his heel, he walked away leaving Edith 
 Carson and Rose Hall standing gazing into each other s* 
 face. 
 
 Timidity shone in the dark eyes of Rose, bitter dis* 
 like in the gray eyes of Edith Carson. 
 
 Willard Sinclair sat in his cushioned arm-chair, in his 
 private office, watching Rose through the plate-glass 
 window, with a curious smile on his face. 
 
 " She is more beautiful than I even imagined her to 
 be," he thought, complacently. 
 
 Rose secured lodgings with two or three of the other 
 
186 I RKTT 
 
 girls employed in the store. Then the great struggle of 
 life began, with its hardships, its petty jealousies, and 
 all the heart-aches that fall to the lot of a girl \vho is 
 forced upon the cold world to earn her bread. 
 
 If Rose Hall had been plain of face, and timid and 
 unobtrusive in manner, her life might have been un 
 eventful enough, but with a face as gloriously beautiful 
 as a dream, in its rich, dark, glowing beauty, many a 
 pitfall was dug for her unwary feet. To Rose Hall 
 beauty was a curse instead of a divine blessing. It was 
 not long before it was noticed how Willard Sinclair, 
 the handsome young proprietor, watched her as he 
 passed through the emporium, and from the office win 
 dow; this alone was enough to rouse the bitterest 
 hatred against poor hapless Rose in the hearts of the 
 other young salesladies. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 The summer days had given place to autumn, and 
 autumn had settled into the dread frosts of winter, and 
 still Rose Hall remained at the mammoth dry-goods 
 emporium of Sinclair & Hollisbury. 
 
 A few days after Rose had entered the establishment, 
 Willard Sinclair had been hastily called away on busi 
 ness ; therefore the little plans he had laid out, in which 
 beautiful Rose was the principal figure, had to be laid 
 by for a time. The snowflakes were flying in the crisp 
 December air ere he returned, lie found Rose paler, 
 but quite a pretty as ever. 
 
 In the interim, Rose s life, either at the store or at 
 her lodgings, which she shared with Edith Carson, had 
 little sunshine in it. It was exceedingly hard to get 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 187 
 
 along with Edith she was so jealous of the attentions 
 one and all paid to Rose. 
 
 Straightway Edith had informed her of their hand 
 some young employer s reputation outside the limits of 
 the social world. She " posted her thoroughly," to 
 use her own expression, on the danger that lurked in 
 Willard Sinclair s smile. 
 
 " I would advise you to turn your head away when 
 you see him coming in your direction, and avoid see 
 ing or speaking to him when you can," pursued Edith 
 " of course you wouldn t dream of such folly as set 
 ting your cap for him, for I warn you he is not a marry 
 ing man or, if he ever did marry, it would be some 
 grand society belle worth her millions, not one of his 
 poor dependent salesladies, you can depend on that ! " 
 " I shall remember all you say, Edith, and profit by 
 it," declared Rose. 
 
 And she did remember. Hearing so much of the gos 
 sip of the young girls concerning him caused Rose to 
 have quite a dread of Willard Sinclair by the time he 
 returned. 
 
 Employment for the hands and employment for the 
 
 * brain, together with constant companionship, is the 
 
 j greatest panacea for human woes that the world has 
 
 ; ever provided. With all the tragic sorrow Rose Hall 
 
 I had gone through, she would have died, or gone mad, 
 
 ! had she not thrown herself into the vortex of work. 
 
 She had no time to think no time to brood over her 
 
 ; sorrow ; if she had allowed herself to think of Royal 
 
 Montague and Lillian she could not have endured it. 
 
 One thrilling incident alone broke upon the weari 
 some monotony. 
 
188 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 One day a customer had returned with a pair of 
 gloves, which she wished exchanged. 
 
 Rose took the package from the lady s hands, unfold 
 ing the bit of newspaper which the customer had 
 wrapped about them. She was just about to brush it 
 into the waste-paper basket when one of the headlines 
 caught her eye, and held her spellbound. 
 
 Long after the customer had left her, Rose Hall 
 stood there, white as marble, staring at the bit of 
 crumpled newspaper she held in her hand. 
 
 The date was intact two days subsequent to the dis 
 aster to the steamer, that terrible night on the Hudson, 
 which had so nearly cost her her life. 
 
 The headline bore this startling caption : 
 
 " THE TRUE FATE OF OSRIC LAWRENCE! " 
 
 Half a column was devoted to the article. It spoke ; 
 of the rinding of the body of a man which the waves 
 had cast up on the shore near Fishkill, and the thrill 
 ing discovery that the man had been disguised. The 
 body had been identified as that of Osric Lawrence, one 
 of the convicts who had been supposed to have lost his 
 life at the time of the prison fire, the incidents of) 
 which had been chronicled in those columns at the 
 time, together with Osric Lawrence s history. 
 
 The description of the disguised body tallied with 
 that of the passenger who had been lost off the 
 steamer. Thus it was that Osric Lawrence, who might 
 have been an ornament to society, through his pleas 
 ing manner, his gifts of mind and accomplishments, 
 had met an untimely fate. 
 
 The newspaper item closed with these words, which 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 189 
 
 seemed to dance in letters of fire before the eyes of 
 Rose Hall : 
 
 " The body of the other passenger who was lost on 
 the ill-fated steamer that night a young and lovely 
 bride has never been recovered." 
 
 Rose Hall drew a deep breath. So Osric Lawrence 
 was really dead at last. He would cross her path 
 never again. 
 
 There had been a time when she would have cried 
 out to Heaven in thankfulness, not for the death of a 
 human being, but because she had been set free from 
 the terrible fetters that were wearing her life away. 
 
 Osric Lawrence s life or death mattered little to her 
 now. She had believed him to be a barrier between 
 Royal Montague s love and her own ; but she had been 
 all wrong, it was Lillian whom Royal had loved, not 
 her Heaven help her ! 
 
 Rose was more quiet than ever the remainder of that 
 day, and her face was paler. This was all that be 
 trayed the emotion she felt. 
 
 Willard Sinclair had been home a week. Each day 
 he passed and repassed Rose s department ; but the 
 girl s eyes were sure to droop when she heard his foot 
 step and she never raised her white lids until he had 
 passed her. 
 
 This state of affairs rendered Willard Sinclair bitter 
 with anger. 
 
 " The idea of a pretty shop-girl whom I rescued from 
 the very jaws of starvation taking such high and 
 mighty airs with me," he muttered. " By the eternal, 
 I ll not brook it ! The little beauty shall feel my power 
 here." 
 
 Once Rose had been sent for to come to the office, 
 
190 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 and the way her employer took her hand to lead her to 
 a seat, and the glance he bent from his bold eyes upon 
 her, caused Rose s heart to throb with alarm at once. 
 
 She snatched her little hand from his grasp with a 
 flash of the rising-, willful anger and impetuosity of old. 
 
 " You sent for me, Mr. Sinclair/ she said, stiffly. " I 
 prefer to stand and learn what it is that you want 
 with me." 
 
 " Come, come, Miss Hall/ he said. " I do hope we 
 are not going to quarrel. I want to become the best of 
 friends with you, if possible/ and again that peculiar 
 look flitted over his face as he gazed at pretty Rose, 
 while he twirled the ends of his tawny mustache with 
 his white aristocratic hand. 
 
 Wild and reckless though this handsome young mer 
 chant prince was, he never forgot the graceful dignity 
 with which this fair young girl drew herself up proudly 
 as she answered : 
 
 " There is one way, sir, and one way only in which 
 you could command my respect and friendship." 
 
 " I should like to be enlightened/ he declared, iron 
 ically. 
 
 " That one way," repeated Rose, raising those won 
 drous dark eyes to his face, " is to leave me quite 
 alone." 
 
 Willard Sinclair opened his eyes very wide. 
 
 " Dictated to by one of my salesgirls ! " he muttered 
 under his breath. " Well, well, this is decidedly rich ! " 
 
 Had he met beautiful Rose Hall in the great world 
 of society he would have been the pink of propriety 
 and chivalrous courtesy, but with a paid dependent in 
 his own establishment that was quite a different affair. 
 Her evident scorn and disgust piqued him. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 191 
 
 " I will show her," he thought, " that those little airs 
 and graces are lost upon me." 
 
 He did not mean to be rude to her, still he intended 
 that she should worship at his shrine, as the generality 
 of women did. 
 
 He would w r in her heart he promised himself, and 
 after that ah, well the young debonair merchant 
 never worried himself in thinking of the dark clouds 
 in the future : the heart of a young girl was nothing 
 to handsome Willard Sinclair. 
 
 " So you wish to know why it is that I sent for you 
 this morning, fair Rose," he said musingly. 
 
 " If you please, sir," she said with dignity, her cheeks 
 flaming scarlet with wounded pride at being addressed 
 so familiarly, " I should be very grateful if you would 
 not talk to me so ; I " 
 
 A low mocking laugh interrupted her. 
 
 " I sincerely hope you are not going to be prudish, 
 Miss Hall," he said ; " if there is anything I do detest it 
 is a prude; really, now, prudery does not become fresh, 
 fair, pretty faces like yours ; leave that for homely old 
 maids ; my advice is wholesome I assure you." 
 
 Rose shrunk from him in unspeakable horror, scorn 
 and disgust blazing from her great black eyes, and be 
 fore he could utter another word she had turned and 
 quitted the office. 
 
 It happened to be Saturday afternoon when this little 
 episode occurred, and an hour later when the office-boy 
 brought around the small envelope containing the 
 money for the week s work, Rose discovered to her 
 great dismay that half of her slim salary, which 
 amounted to but five dollars per week, had been de 
 ducted. 
 
192 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Rose put the remainder in her purse and walked 
 home with a death-white face and troubled sinking of 
 the heart. 
 
 " I shall leave at once if I am to be treated as badly 
 as this, Rose concluded, " and get into some other 
 place where I will meet with due respect." 
 
 The next morning upon reaching the emporium Rose 
 was informed that she had been transferred to the cos 
 tume department. 
 
 " I m sorry for you, Rose," declared Edith Carson, 
 while at heart she was secretly delighted. " You will 
 find it was perfect heaven here compared to what it is 
 there; you will earn all you make in the costume de 
 partment I assure you." 
 
 There was one thing Rose was thankful for she was 
 removed from the constant gaze of Willard Sinclair. 
 
 The forewoman of the costume department looked 
 at Rose s slim white hands with forbidding eyes. 
 
 " It s very particular work here," she declared ; " and 
 a novice would ruin the fine imported silks and velvets. 
 The order we have to fill now is of the most particular 
 kind; I do not know whether I ought to trust you to 
 run up the seams or not ; it s a wedding-dress a gor 
 geous affair of white satin and lace. It s for a wealthy: 
 young society gentleman s bride-elect, who is too sen-j 
 sible to send off to Worth to get her wedding-dress- 
 made; and a fine young lady handsome Royal Mon-| 
 tague will get when he weds her why, by the way| 
 her name is your own a common enough name in thif 
 country I should say Hall Lillian Hall is her name, 
 but instead of being dark like you she is as fair as 
 angel ! " 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 193 
 
 The girl standing before her as pallid as death itself 
 made no reply. 
 
 It was Lillian s wedding-dress then that was to be 
 made. Lillian was to wed the lover who had wrecked 
 the life, love and happiness of hapless Rose Hall. 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 " An elegant wedding-dress, isn t it? " continued the 
 forewoman, shaking out the rich, gleaming satin and 
 foamy lace. " How beautiful she will look in it. Her 
 handsome lover will be proud of her and no wonder. 
 Why, what are you doing, girl?" cried the forewoman 
 in alarm. " You are ruining the goods ! " 
 
 The shimmering white satin had slipped from Rose s 
 nerveless fingers, and she had fallen face downward 
 among the soft laces in a dead faint. 
 
 4i Dear me, what in the world could Mr. Sinclair have 
 meant to send any one addicted to fainting fits ! it 
 really won t do." 
 
 Still she felt sorry for Rose when the girl s dark 
 :yes opened, with the dreariest look in their dark 
 depths that she had ever beheld. 
 
 "Are you ill?" she queried, gazing down into the 
 white face. 
 
 " It was only a sharp pain at my heart," replied Rose, 
 " I I am used to them." 
 
 " I do hope you haven t ruined Miss Hall s wedding- 
 dress. I- 
 
 She did not finish her sentence, for at that moment a 
 tall, graceful girl clad in rich blue velvet and ermine 
 fur, opened the glass door at the other end of the apart 
 ment and glided in. 
 
 " Dear me ! " cried the forewoman, gathering up the 
 
194 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 satin and lace with alacrity, " speak of angels and you 
 hear the rustle of the wings ; if here isn t Miss Lillian 
 Hall herself. Just step in behind those curtains, these 
 very fine young ladies often object to curious appren 
 tices being present when they come to see about their; 
 dresses." 
 
 Rose staggered back into the little recess indicated, 
 barely in time to escape observation. 
 
 With hands clasped tightly over her beating heart^ 
 Rose listened intently to every word that fell fromi 
 Lillian s red lips. 
 
 She drew the heavy curtains ever so slightly apart, j 
 that she might have a full view of her sister s face. 
 
 Ah, me, how happy Lillian looked ; the light of lovej 
 beamed in her blue eyes, a happy smile played abouq 
 her lips. 
 
 She had come to give the necessary instructions in r 
 gard to her costumes. 
 
 Rose heard her tell, in her sweet, hesitating way, tha 
 her marriage was to take place on Christmas Eve. Sh 
 intended to pass the winter abroad, and in all proba 
 bility they would return home the following spring 
 Mr. Montague was building a residence on Fifth Ave 
 nue, and it would not be ready for occupancy till ther 
 
 The darkness of death seemed to close around Ros 
 as she listened. 
 
 How completely they had forgotten her, these two 
 she was less than nothing to them. They would marr 
 and be happy, for they loved each other. 
 
 She was not the first young girl in this world who! 
 loved with all the passionate, worshipful love of her \ 
 heart, one of whom in turn, loved another. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Lillian had won Royal Montague from her, yet, in 
 her heart, she could not quite hate her for it. 
 
 In the past, Lillian and Royal had loved each other. 
 She could not help remembering Lillian s heroic self- 
 sacrifice in the past, when, without a murmur, she had 
 given up the lover, whose love was more to her than all 
 else on earth. 
 
 One of the cash boys from the emporium appeared at 
 length with a message that Mr. Montague was in his 
 carriage before the door awaiting Miss Hall s pleasure. 
 Lillian blushed, as she always did when her lover was 
 mentioned, and a few moments later took her depar 
 ture. 
 
 Rose strained her eyes to watch them as they drove 
 away behind a handsome pair of bays. 
 
 She noticed how tenderly he lifted Lillian into the 
 vehicle, and how handsome he looked as he took his 
 seat beside her, and the glittering equipage dashed out 
 of sight. 
 
 Lillian had caught sight of the white, tear-stained 
 face pressed close against the window-pane, and she 
 sunk back among the garnet cushions with a little 
 stiffed cry, clutching eagerly at her lover s arm. 
 
 " Look, Royal," she cried out, in a fluttering voice 
 ** look at that face up at the window there ! It reminded 
 /ne so much of of our poor lost Rose/ 
 
 \Yhen Royal Montague raised his eyes to the window 
 indicated, the face had disappeared. 
 
 " It was merely your fancy, my darling," said Royal, 
 
 uler iy. " You are nervous you must not allow your 
 thoughts to dwell upon it. You and I both know that 
 
 r poor Rose lies beneath the waves of the restless 
 
196 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Hudson. We will not refer to the past the subject is 
 such a painful one." 
 
 He talked to Lillian upon other matters, and by the 
 time they reached home he had succeeded in banishing 
 entirely from her mind the memory of the face at the 
 window which had startled her so. 
 
 When Royal Montague had gone to Mrs. Hall, long 
 months after the supposed death of Rose, and asked for 
 the hand of the granddaughter, Lillian, Mrs. Hall had 
 been greatly surprised. She could not understand how 
 one who had loved beautiful, daring, willful Rose could 
 learn to love gentle, fair-haired Lillian, who was quite 
 the reverse in all things of her lovely young sister. 
 
 Tears welled up in the eyes of Mrs. Hall. 
 
 "I had hoped to see you the loving husband of dar 
 ling Rose," she said ; " but now that she has been taken 
 from you, and you will one day marry, no doubt it may 
 ^s well be Lillian as a stranger that is, if you can care 
 for each other." 
 
 That was the answer Royal took back to Lillian, and j 
 the announcement of their engagement soon followed. 
 
 Mrs. Hall made preparations for a handsome wed-- 
 ding, but never, even for one moment, could she forget 
 Rose the beautiful dark face with its roguish dimples,- 
 and saucy, smiling, crimson mouth, and the great, dark; 
 Hmpid eyes were ever before her. She had made anj 
 idol of Rose, and our idols are always shattered. 
 
 Meanwhile the days that were speeding on were dart 
 days to Rose Hall. There was scarcely a day when she 
 was free from the persecutions of Willard Sinclair; hi: 
 open flattery annoyed and oppressed her. More thai 
 once she had encountered him on her way home, ant 
 
r PRETTY ROSE HALL. 197 
 
 of late he had dropped into the habit of calling at her 
 lodgings op slight excuses. 
 
 This terrified Rose more than all the rest, and at last 
 she made up her mind to quit the establishment of Sin 
 clair & Hollisbury and seek employment elsewhere, 
 where she could have peace. 
 
 Willard Sinclair s anger, when she sent in her resig 
 nation, knew no bounds. 
 
 On the self-same evening she encountered him on her 
 way home. 
 
 It had been snowing hard all day, and the streets 
 were quite covered with the white snow-drifts. Still 
 the snow was falling heavily, rendering near objects, 
 in the fast-gathering darkness, almost indiscernible. 
 
 Rose was making her way through the heavy drifts 
 when a hand was laid heavily on her arm, and, glancing 
 hurriedly up, she found herself face to face with Wil 
 lard Sinclair. Her heart gave a quick throb of fear, for 
 she noticed that his face was flushed with anger, and 
 the fumes of wine were upon his breath. 
 
 " I understand you are intending to leave us, pretty 
 Rose/ he said, grasping the girl s arm firmly, forcing it 
 within his own, compelling her to walk on with him. 
 
 " What s the reason of that, may I ask? " 
 
 " Pardon me, sir ; I should not care to reveal to you 
 the exact reasons for leaving your employ ; you ought 
 to be able to guess what they are. I would be glad if 
 you would kindly leave rne ; I prefer going to my lodg 
 ings by myself." 
 
 Willard Sinclair laughed uproariously, grasping the 
 slender arm still closer. 
 
 " Do you think I shall lose you so easily as that? " he 
 cried, his eyes blazing. " One does not care to see a 
 
198 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 beautiful bird fly away that he has had so hard a time 
 in caging." 
 
 Rose saw that the young man was beyond reasoning 
 with. 
 
 " If I were to permit you to go," he went on, quickly, 
 " I would not only lose sight of the prettiest face I have 
 ever beheld a face that has driven me to despair with 
 its wondrous beauty but I might hear the story of my 
 infatuation for my pretty saleslady gossiped over by 
 idle tongues, and I could not brook that. You shall not 
 repeat the story elsewhere; I shall prevent it." 
 
 " I should never think of mentioning your name when 
 I leave your employ, I assure you," declared Rose, 
 haughtily. " On the contrary, it will be a great pleas 
 ure to me be able to forget you." 
 
 He bent nearer to the girl s lovely flushed face. 
 
 " What if I cared for you enough to marry you 
 what then, Rose?" he asked. "What if I told you I 
 loved you ? " 
 
 " Please do not mention love to me, Mr. Sinclair; I 
 could not endure it. Let me think as kindly of you as 
 I can, by leaving me at once." 
 
 " I shall never leave you again, beautiful Rose! " he- 
 cried, angered intensely by her persistent entreaties. 
 " I shall not only prevent you from repeating what has I 
 happened, but I shall make you mine, whether you 
 will or no ! " 
 
 The influence of the wine was strong upon him ; he 
 scarcely realized what he was doing when he clasped 
 his arm about the slender figure and kissed the beauti 
 ful face of the girl struggling so frantically in his firm 
 embrace. 
 
 A piercing cry sprung to Rose s lips that brought 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 199 
 
 Willard Sinclair to his senses ; but before he could re 
 lease her and frame any sort of apology, a young man 
 walking behind them, who had taken in the situation 
 of affairs at a glance, suddenly sprung forward, his 
 honest face fairly glowing with rage and indignation. 
 
 " Take that for annoying a lady, you scoundrel ! " he 
 cried, and in an instant the young merchant prince, the 
 courted, petted lion of society,, measured his length in 
 the white snow-drifts, by a well-directed blow, from 
 the strangers muscular arm. 
 
 At the first vibration of the stranger s voice, Rose 
 had shrunk back pale as death, drawing her thick veil 
 hurriedly over her face. It was Royal Montague! 
 
 Willard Sinclair rose to his feet, white with rage. 
 
 " You shall render an account to me for interfering 
 in my affairs ! " he said, furiously. " Give me your ad 
 dress." 
 
 " I am at your disposal at any time, sir," said Royal 
 Montague, tossing his card at him. " Suffer this young 
 lady to pass you at once, or I shall repeat the lesson I 
 have just given you. Stand aside, I say ! " 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 " Allow this young lady to pass," repeated Royal 
 Montague, haughtily. " Stand aside, I say ! " 
 
 Willard Sinclair turned abruptly on his heel. 
 
 " We shall meet again, Mr. Montague," he said. 
 " And, as for you, girl/ turning to Rose, " you have 
 made a relentless enemy to-night ! " 
 
 The next instant he was walking rapidly away. 
 
 "Can I assist you further?" asked Royal, kindly, 
 turning to the slight figure so closely veiled. " You 
 have had a most unpleasant adventure." 
 
200 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 You have been very kind ; you can render me no 
 further assistance, thank you, and good-night," an 
 swered a low, musical voice that struck Royal as sound 
 ing strangely familiar. 
 
 He raised his hat courteously, the girl bowed and 
 glided swiftly away. 
 
 Royal stood gazing thoughtfully after her. 
 
 " I can not rid myself of the impression that I have 
 met that girl before the voice, the inclination of the 
 head, the gesture of the little hand seem oddly famil 
 iar/ he mused. 
 
 He hailed a passing coupe, sprung into it, and was 
 soon whirling rapidly homeward. An hour afterward 
 he was in Lillian s presence, and had quite forgotten 
 the little incident. 
 
 Words are powerless to express the feelings of Rose 
 Hall as she wended her way through the snow-drifts 
 to her lonely lodgings. 
 
 At the first glance at his handsome face, the vibra 
 tions of the beloved voice, the heart in her bosom 
 seemed to stand still ; a mad impulse came over her to 
 fling herself at his feet, crying out, " Oh, Royal, Royal, 
 don t you know me ? Take me back to your heart ! 
 Love me a little, or I shall die ! " 
 
 Only Heaven knew what the girl suffered in the 
 effort to repress the despairing cry trembling on her 
 white lips. 
 
 " I wrecked his life and Lillian s once. I must not 
 do it again," she muttered, pressing her hand over her 
 throbbing heart. " He would hate me for it, and I 
 could never bear that." 
 
 Oh, if he had but loved her, now that there was no 
 
PRETTY KOSI-; MALL. 201 
 
 barrier between them, how different life might have 
 been for her! 
 
 She had tried to school her heart to think of him 
 calmly, but at the very sound of his voice all the smold 
 ering flame of love burst into life again, all the old, pas 
 sionate love sprung into her heart a thousand times 
 stronger than ever. 
 
 That night the dark head of Rose Hall tossed rest- 
 on her pillow, and in the solemn hush of the 
 : ght hour, strange thoughts came to her. Why 
 should Lillian be happy in his love, while she was 
 doomed to the bitterness of despair. It would be so 
 easy for her to part them. All she would have to do 
 would be to make her presence known to Lillian, and 
 claim Royal Montague as her own wedded husband. 
 No one knew the story of the past. There was but 
 one witness against her to step out of that dark, dim 
 past the register in the vestry of the dim, old church 
 at \Yilton ; she remembered what was recorded there 
 carriage of Osric Lawrence and Rose Hall. 
 
 " Let me try to forget that one act of folly," she cried 
 out, sharply " let me think that my life dates from the 
 moment I first met Royal Montague ! " 
 
 She could not still the passionate yearning of her 
 heart that cried out so strongly for Royal Montague s 
 love. 
 
 Oh, the mighty power of unsubdued love that 
 throbbed in her heart, influencing every thought and 
 shaping every action ! 
 
 Yes, she could claim him. No one would know. 
 
 Let this much be said for her poor, hapless Rose 
 Hall she did not realize the terrible sin in which she 
 
L0_ PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 was about to plunge herself; she was blinded by the 
 mighty power of love. 
 
 She loved him so well, death would have been easier 
 to bear than to see him pass out of her life forever. 
 She saw a way by which he might be hers. 
 
 It would not be so hard for Lillian to give him up as 
 it would be for her to lose him ; for had not Lillian 
 given him up once before, when she learned how dearly 
 she Rose loved him? How she would kneel at Lil 
 lian s feet and pray her not to hate her for separating 
 them. 
 
 Lillian was as sweet and good as an angel. She 
 knew that she would clasp her white arms around her 
 and tell her, " Do not grieve for me, Rose dear I will 
 give him up to you without a murmur, since it is God s 
 will. You are restored to us from the very grave that , 
 will be recompense and solace enough for me." 
 
 How should she account for the time that had inter 
 vened since the night of the explosion up to the present 
 time? She would tell them how she had been picked 
 up unconscious on the white sand by the old farmer 
 and his good wife, who brought her to their home, nurs 
 ing her carefully back to life through her long and 
 dangerous illness. She would not tell them she had 
 been there but a few brief weeks ; let them think she 
 had been there long months, if they would up to the 
 present time. 
 
 The more Rose pondered over the matter the greater 
 her yearning became to take her place in the great 
 world again by Royal Montague s side. She had 
 fought a great battle with herself, and found that she 
 could not give him up to Lillian. What would life be 
 worth to her without him? 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 203 
 
 " He cared for me once," she told herself, leaning 
 her dark head upon her folded arms. " Even if it were 
 but a passing fancy, why may I not fan that fancy into 
 flame? A great love wins love; his heart may turn to 
 me at last. It must turn to me! I will win him by my 
 great devotion my deep, absorbing love. I will be as 
 patient as Griselda. Yes, the time will come when he 
 shall love me ! " 
 
 It is hard to change a woman s resolution when love 
 urges her on. 
 
 The next morning Rose made her toilet with feverish 
 haste, and bidding adieu to the lonely room where she 
 had seen so much privation and misery, turned her 
 steps toward the aristocratic portion of the city, and 
 to the home of luxury in which Lillian dwelt. 
 
 She knew the habits of the family well. At that 
 hour her stately grandmother would be taking her 
 chocolate in her ow r n room. 
 
 Lillian would be cutting flowers in the conservatory 
 for the breakfast-table. 
 
 She would go to the side entrance it would be best 
 to meet Lillian first and alone. 
 
 The footman stared amazed at the shabbily dressed 
 young person so closely veiled, who stood on the 
 marble steps requesting to see Miss Lillian. 
 
 * You ll have to go round to the basement door and 
 wait there for her," he answered, gruffly. 
 
 But at that moment Rose caught sight of Lillian s 
 dress at the lower end of the corridor, and quick as 
 thought she had dashed past him and gained Lillian s 
 side/ 
 
 Lillian turned quickly about, gazing in kindly sur 
 prise at the slender young girl before her. 
 
204 PRETTY ROSE IJALL. 
 
 " Who is it you wish to see? " she asked, gently. 
 
 " You, Lillian/ came the choked, sobbing answer 
 from behind the folds of the thick, dark veil. 
 
 Lillian Hall started violently the cluster of roses 
 she held in her hands fell to the floor unheeded who 
 was this young girl who came to her in the garb of a 
 stranger yet with a voice so like the voice of Rose? 
 
 It was not Celia Derwent, for she was abroad, had 
 been abroad long months, and she would not return 
 like this. 
 
 No, it was certainly not Celia; yet, who could it be 
 who spoke her name thus familiarly? 
 
 She trembled in spite of her efforts to speak calmly, 
 as she endeavored to pierce the folds of the stranger s 
 veil. 
 
 " Be seated," said Lillian, pointing to a chair. 
 
 " Are> we quite alone? " asked the sobbing voice. 
 
 * In Heaven s name tell me who you are ! " cried 
 Lillian, in great agitation. u Your voice affects me it 
 is so like the voice of a dear one whom I have lost! 
 Raise your veil, and tell me what you wish x)f me we 
 are quite alone here." 
 
 Ah, how fair Lillian looked, standing there before 
 her, the sunlight drifting in from an adjacent window 
 streaming upon her golden hair and gentle face. Rose, 
 knew what her coming would bring to poor Lillian. 
 She would gain a sister, but, ah, she would lose a lover. 
 She would lose the one to whom her heart had gone 
 out. Would Lillian greet her with joy, or would she 
 look upon her sudden reappearance with horror? 
 
 Would her sister s love fail her now that they both 
 loved the same man ? 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 205 
 
 She was dashing the cup of happiness from Lillian s 
 lips for evermore. 
 
 Slowly she drew aside the folds of the veil and stood 
 before Lillian. 
 
 A moment of thrilling intensity followed, which was 
 broken by a piercing cry from Lillian s lips ! The sis 
 ters stood face to face at last. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 Lower and lower dropped Rose s bowed head under 
 the horror-stricken gaze of Lillian s eyes, and a voice 
 like no other voice like nothing human said : 
 
 " Lillian, darling, do you not know me? Am I so 
 greatly changed?" 
 
 " I am dazed, bewildered, alarmed ! " cried Lillian. 
 " If it were not that I know her to be dead, I should 
 have mistaken you for my lost Rose you are so like 
 her." 
 
 " I am Rose," said the girl, humbly. " I am your lost 
 sister, restored to you. Oh, Lillian, Lillian, have you 
 no welcome for me? I have suffered wreck and illness 
 that brought me to the very gates of death; but I es 
 caped all to come back to you ! " 
 
 Lillian Hall was too utterly shocked to find words in 
 which to answer. 
 
 * Lillian," cried Rose again, coming and kneeling at 
 her feet, " welcome me, dear ! Are you not glad that 
 my life has been spared to you?" 
 
 It was this appeal that brought Lillian to her senses. 
 The shadow of doubt cleared from her noble face, she 
 opened her arms with a sobbing cry, and in an instant 
 the dark head of Rose was pillowed on her faithful 
 breast. 
 
PRETTY ROSK HALL. 
 
 Lillian realized instantly what Rose s coming meant 
 for her, but she put the thought from her. Better that 
 true love lay slain and dead a thousand times, and have 
 Rose, her darling Rose, spared to her. She would have 
 given up not only love, but life itself for Rose. 
 
 The excitement and enthusiasm Rose s return created 
 knew no bounds. How her grandmother received her! 
 how she seemed to worship her ! to hang upon every 
 word and look ! The restoration of her darling seemed 
 almost as wonderful as though she had arisen from the 
 dead. When she found herself alone with Lillian, Mrs. 
 Hall laid her hand on the girl s arm with a white, dis 
 turbed face. 
 
 " It was well that Rose returned to us in time, dear," 
 she said. " How can we break the news to her that 
 that the young husband from whose arms she was so 
 cruelly torn on the night of that terrible explosion, was 
 soon to wed you, Lillian? It will break her heart." 
 
 " Then, why need we ever tell her, grandma ? " 
 sobbed Lillian. " Her heart must never be wounded by 
 the knowledge. I I could not bear to stay here, now 
 that Rose and Royal will be united. I will go quietly 
 away Rose need not know why. I am sure Royal 
 will wish it so." 
 
 Have you sent for Royal?" asked Mrs. Hall, ab 
 ruptly ; " if not, let it be done at once, and upon you 
 Lillian, devolves the task of breaking the news to him." 
 She drew nearer to the girl, looking anxiously into her 
 blue, upraised eyes; the muscles of her dear old face 
 quivered \vith motion. "You will not forget, child," 
 she whispered, " that all is over between you and 
 Royal, for evermore ; he is your lover no longer. Do 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 201 
 
 not encourage him to regret Rose s restoration if you 
 see such a tendency " 
 
 " Grandma," said the girl, her fair face drooping, 
 " you have no need to remind me in which path duty 
 and honor lie. Pie is Rose s husband, therefore quite 
 safe from my love." 
 
 " Let not a moment be lost, Lillian," said Mrs. Hall, 
 huskily. " Send for Royal at once." 
 
 Silently she turned to do her bidding. She walked 
 quickly to her own room, indited a brief note request 
 ing his immediate presence, rang the bell for the ser 
 vant and dispatched it. Then she sat quite still, look 
 ing her future in the face, telling herself that all hope 
 lay dead now ; her happy love-dream was over. 
 
 The few lines she had written was the letter of a girl 
 whose heart was breaking eloquent, passionate, de 
 spairing, there was no attempt to reason it, or tell him 
 why she had sent for him so hurriedly. 
 
 An hour or more she sat there. She did not cry out 
 or utter any moan, but, sinking down on her knees, 
 lifted her white arms to the sunlit sky with a tremulous 
 sigh, murmuring, brokenly: 
 
 " Let my sorrow be bridged over by remembering 
 that Rose my darling Rose has been returned to 
 us!" 
 
 Heaven knew best why her happiness was to be laid 
 a second time in ruins. 
 
 Hastily rising from her knees and brushing away 
 all traces of tears from her face, she went -at once to 
 Rose s boudoir to prepare her for Royal s coming. 
 
 Tenderly she arrayed her in one of her own robes, 
 smiling through her gathering tears to see how fair 
 Rose looked. 
 
208 
 
 No wonder Rose looked pale, passing through the 
 terrible experience she had related to them. 
 
 " If you had but telegraphed or written to us while 
 you were at that farm-house we would have gone on 
 there an*a fetched you home, oh, so gladly ! " said Lil 
 lian. " You were by far too weak to travel home alone. " 
 
 Rose wondered what Lillian would say if she knew 
 the real truth. She saw how pale Lillian s face was, 
 and she knew what brought that whiteness there ; but 
 it was too late to draw back now, and give him up to 
 Lillian besides, she told herself, Lillian s love for 
 Royal was cold and calm compared to her own pas 
 sionate, idolatrous love for him. The power of love 
 urged her on no, she could not give him up to Lillian, 
 and live. 
 
 Royal Montague was sitting in the private office of 
 his father s bank when Lillian s note was brought him 
 by a special messenger. 
 
 He blushed like a school-boy when he saw the mono 
 gram on the envelope ; he knew it was from Lillian. 
 
 He smiled when he saw the dainty chirograph^! 
 penned by the hand he loved so well, and the smile 
 deepened on his handsome face as he noted the words, 
 " in haste," written in the corner. 
 
 He wondered what his darling had to say to him in 
 such haste as to cause her to write. 
 
 He tore open the envelope, glancing with mystified 
 eyes over the tear-stained page. He could not make 
 out the sense of it he simply understood that some 
 thing unusual had happened, and Lillian wished his 
 presence at once. 
 
 His sleigh stood before the door, and. drawing on his 
 
PRETTY ROSI-: HALL. 
 
 gloves, he left the office, and, running lightly down the 
 steps, sprung into- it at once, turning his horse s head 
 in the direction of Lillian s home. 
 
 As he passed a florist s window he espied great clus 
 ters of dewy carnations and, thinking Lillian would be 
 sure to be pleased with them-, selected a large bouquet 
 for her. 
 
 A few moments later he had reached the house. He 
 was a privileged person there, and went at once to the 
 morning-room, where he believed he should find his 
 sweetheart. No graceful form sprung to meet him 
 with outstretched hands no rosy, blushing face was 
 turned expectantly from the sunlit window when the 
 door was opened the room was quite empty. 
 
 He laid the carnations down upon the table, and 
 touched the bell. 
 
 " Tell Miss Lillian I am here," he said to the servant 
 who answerd the summons. 
 
 A half hour passed, yet Lillian did not make her ap 
 pearance. She had sent for him " in haste," yet seemed 
 in no hurry to come to him. 
 
 At length he heard footsteps approaching slowly in 
 the corridor without, and he heard the rustle of a 
 woman s dress. 
 
 He knew it was Lillian, for her approach was always 
 heralded by the faint odor of heliotrope. 
 
 He sprung from the sofa on which he had been 
 seated, advancing to meet her with eager warmth and 
 open arms, love-light shining on his handsome face and 
 in his eyes. 
 
 His arms fell motionless by his side, and a cry of as 
 tonishment burst from his lips at the white face that 
 was turned toward him from the door-wav. He would 
 
210 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 have sprung to her side and clasped her in his arms, 
 bnt she shrunk from him with a pained, scared face. 
 
 ;< You must not touch me, Royal," she whispered, 
 standing before him, with her big blue eyes raised 
 piteously to his face and her little hands locked tightly 
 together. " Something has happened which parts us 
 forever." 
 
 " Lillian ! " cried Royal Montague, in the most in 
 tense astonishment, "what on earth do you mean? 
 You are trying to get up a sensation to frighten me, 
 dear, and to test my love for you ! " 
 
 "Hush, Royal!" she cried. "It is quite true. A] 
 barrier has risen suddenly between us, which " 
 
 He looked at her curiously. It was no girlish jest, 
 he was beginning to comprehend ; the sad blue eyes, 
 with the great circles under them, were too serious for 
 that. Had she heard anything regarding him? No, it 
 .could not be that; his life was as clear and open as the 
 page of a book. 
 
 " I think," said Royal, " that I need ask Heaven for J 
 patience. You have promised to be my wife, and now 
 you tell me some barrier has risen between us to part 
 us ! You are cruel to me, Lillian. Fate parted us once 
 before; you must not take it into your hands to try toj 
 make me miserable again." 
 
 " Hush, Royal ! " cried the girl ; " I can not bear it 
 Don t you see that my heart is broken? If you speak 
 harshly to me I shall surely die ! " 
 
 " Lillian," he asked, abruptly, " has your grand 
 mother repented giving you to me at the very last 
 moment almost because I was once the husband o: 
 your sister Rose? " 
 
 " No," said Lillian, faintly ; " it is not that." 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 2.11 
 
 " Then I will listen to nothing else/ he declared, im 
 patiently. " I will not hear one word more ! Nothing 
 under heaven shall take you from me, I promise you ; 
 I love you too well for that! " 
 
 " Listen to me one moment, Royal/ she said, catch 
 ing her breath falteringly. " It is not the grave of Rose 
 that stands between us it is a living presence!" 
 
 " Lillian," he said, seizing her cold little hands and 
 gazing steadily down into her white face, " do you 
 know you look at this moment just as you did on that 
 night when you decided we must part that we must 
 both be sacrificed on the altar of duty to Rose that we, 
 who loved each other so, must bury our love and meet 
 as strangers. Now it is very different with us, Lillian. 
 We are free to love each other and to find happiness 
 at last ! " 
 
 " Let me tell you while I have the strength what the 
 barrier is that has risen between us, Royal," she 
 gasped. " This is why our love for each other is over 
 for evermore Rose still lives ! " 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 A thunderbolt falling from a clear sky could not 
 have startled Royal Montague more than the words 
 that fell from Lillian Hall s lips : 
 
 " Rose still lives ! " 
 
 Was Lillian mad or dreaming? 
 
 She saw the look of bewilderment on his face and 
 crept nearer to him. 
 
 " It is quite true, Royal/ she whispered, " Rose did 
 not die in the cruel waves that night. Heaven has re 
 stored her to us. 
 
 And in a pained voice, catching her breath at every 
 
other word, Lillian told him the story of Rose s ex 
 perience as it had been related to her. 
 
 Royal Montague scarcely moved, scarcely breathed 
 as he listened. 
 
 When Lillian had finished, these two, who were to 
 have been wedded in three short weeks, and who loved 
 each other so well, stood looking into each other s eyes 
 with a blank, awful look, thinking of the terrible gulf 
 that now lay between them. 
 
 It seemed that they were not destined to be happy in 
 
 each other s love it was not to be for the second time 
 
 t 
 
 their hearts had been torn asunder. 
 
 " Heaven knows, Lillian, that I do not grudge sweet 
 Rose her fair, young life, but, oh, you and I, Lillian, 
 we are parted more cruelly than if one of us lay in the 
 grave ! My heart is with you, and I am the husband of 
 Rose!*" 
 
 Lillian put up her hands with a passionate gesture, 
 she would not hear him he must not speak to her so 
 he must love Rose, who had been so miraculously re 
 stored to him from the very arms of death. 
 
 He laid his head back against the sofa upon which 
 he sat, covering his face with his hands. 
 
 Lillian came and knelt before him, but he dared not 
 lay his hand on the golden head, or take one of the 
 white hands in his, Lillian was not for him. 
 
 " Royal/ she said, gently, " I am going to fetch 
 Rose to you, and I pray you here on my knee, by the 
 love you have borne me, be kind, gentle, and loving;: 
 with her, she has been through so much. Do not let* 
 her feel that you are not overjoyed at her restoration to 
 you. Remember how she loves you, Royal, you are her 
 God has given her back to you, accept her as 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 213 
 
 a gift from a divine hand. Rose must never know how 
 near we came to being- wed, Royal. The knowledge of 
 it would break her heart, it must be a dead secret be 
 tween us for evermore. I am thankful that our engage 
 ment and notice of wedding was not announced. It is 
 a great blessing to Rose that we intended to have such 
 a quiet one." 
 
 She rose, and was about to quit the room, but Royal s 
 voice arrested her steps. 
 
 " Lillian," he called, hoarsely, " give me at least a 
 brief half hour in which to recover myself ; the startling 
 news has unmanned me. I must be calmer before I can 
 see Rose. I can almost fancy myself in a dream from 
 which I shall waken presently." 
 
 " Promise me you will take Rose in your arm?, 
 showing her only love and kindness," pleaded Lillian, 
 earnestly. 
 
 " I promise you to do my best," said Royal, huskily. 
 
 How the moments passed he never knew. At length 
 he heard footsteps, and raising his face he saw the two 
 sisters enter the room side by side. 
 
 The wonder drifted across his brain that both of 
 these young girls, so gloriously beautiful, each with a 
 different kind of beauty, should love him so well. 
 
 With steady hands that never trembled or faltered, 
 Lillian took Rose s hands in her own and clasped them 
 about Royal s neck. Another moment and they were 
 alone toeether. 
 
 There had never been a greater sensation than that 
 r hich was caused by the announcement in the papers 
 the wonderful restoration of Royal Montague s bride, 
 lorn he had mourned as dead for Ion" 1 months. 
 
- 
 214 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Those who remembered reading the account in the 
 daily papers at the time, of the beautiful bride who was 
 thrust from the bridegroom s arms on her wedding eve, 
 and was cast into the seething water by the accident 
 to the steamer, and for whose body search had been 
 made all in vain, read, with tears of joy in their eyes, 
 how she had been saved. Cast upon the shore uncon 
 scious, and how she had been cared for by humane 
 people until the ravages of brain-fever left her, and she 
 was abte to proceed home to her overjoyed husband 
 and friends. 
 
 It was fortunate for Rose that all the accounts con 
 cerning her always mentioned her as Royal Montague s 
 young bride. The salesladies in Messrs. Sinclair & 
 Hollisbury s dry-goods emporium read the " romance 
 in real life " with great interest; but not one of them 
 ever dreamed that the young bride mentioned was Rose 
 Hall, who, not long since, had been among them. 
 
 The forewoman in the costume department read the \ 
 brief article with wonder. 
 
 " His bride restored to him just as he was about to j 
 be married to beautiful Lillian Hall! Dear me, what 
 a dilemma ! " she thought. " I wonder what Miss Hall , 
 will do with her beautiful wedding-dress now? I am 
 glad that the other poor young creature did not lose 
 her life ; still, I can t help feeling sorry for poor Miss I 
 Lillian she was so sweet and good. Royal Montague 
 seemed to fairly worship her." 
 
 That afternoon the half-finished wedding-dress was I 
 sent for by Mrs. Hail. When it arrived, she put it 
 quite out of sight. She knew it would have been a 
 painful thing for Lillian s eyes to rest on. and if Rose 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL.. 215 
 
 had beheld it she would have been all wonderment over 
 it. 
 
 That same afternoon Royal took Rose away. He 
 could not remain there ; the presence of Lillian seemed 
 to unman him. They went to Washington. Society 
 received them with open arms. No one dreamed not 
 even Royal Montague himself what a pitiful skeleton 
 lay in their closet, which would one day burst forth 
 from its narrow confines. 
 
 Lillian read, with tears in her eyes, what a genuine 
 sensation her beautiful, brilliant sister was creating at 
 the capital, and of Royal Montague s constant devo 
 tion to her. 
 
 " God grant that their love will end happily," mur 
 mured the noble girl. 
 
 From the moment of Rose s return she had heroically 
 battled with her. own love for Royal. There are many 
 who would have nursed a secret, yearning love for him 
 down deep in their hearts. Not so Lillian Hall. She 
 was too pure, too noble to give a loving thought to one 
 who belonged to another. 
 
 She took up the burden of life again cheerfully, not 
 despairingly, and those about her, who knew her secret, 
 If and guarded it so well for her, wondered at her great 
 fortitude. 
 
 But, ah, how fared it with beautiful, peerless Rose? 
 The days sped on and lengthened into weeks and 
 f| months. A year had marked the flight of time since 
 Royal and Rose had taken up their residence in Wash 
 ington. 
 
 Royal Montague had set himself the task of learning 
 to love Rose, and the task was not a hard one to ac 
 complish. 
 
216 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 There never was a face so fatally lovely in its dark, i 
 witching beauty. 
 
 Her very love for him would have won his love in 
 return in spite of himself. 
 
 There was a magnetism about her that men could not 
 resist. 
 
 Royal Montague had wisely put all thoughts of .{ 
 Lillian from him, devoting himself to his fair young 
 wife. 
 
 Once Mrs. Hall wrote to Rose that a gallant young 
 officer was greatly infatuated with Lillian, and that if 
 Lillian could be induced to look upon his suit with 
 favor, a wedding might be the result in the near 
 future. 
 
 Rose looked up at Royal with startled, earnest eyes, ; 
 as she read aloud those lines of her letter. 
 
 A momentary throb shot through his heart for an in- ^ 
 stant, then he looked up with a pale, thoughtful face, 
 remarking: 
 
 " Perhaps it would be better for Lillian to marry, if f 
 the young man is worthy of her." 
 
 The same mail that brought Mrs. Hall s letter, also 
 brought one from Celia Derwent announcing her inten 
 tion of paying them a visit. 
 
 " I suppose we must bow to the inevitable," sighed 
 Rose, " and tell her to come." 
 
 She remembered what a " dead set " Celia had made 
 to capture Royal. 
 
 " Miss Derwent wi-ll probably not wait for permis 
 sion," remarked Royal, dryly, "she will take matters 
 into her own hand and follow her letter at once." 
 
 His surmise proved quite correct. The next day the 
 charming blonde arrived, bag and baggage. 
 
A S 
 
 PRETTY ROS1-: HALL. 217 
 
 season in the gay capital was what she desired 
 above all things. 
 
 " What a delightful home you have, Rose," she cried, 
 glancing around her with innocent eyes and a heart 
 fairly bur; ting with envy. " How happy you must be 
 to be sure ! " 
 
 Celia meant to make the most of her stay there She 
 would not return to New York without being engaged 
 or married, if it lay in human power. 
 
 She had not lost an hour s sleep grieving over the 
 loss of Royal Montague and his wealth, but had set 
 about looking for the next eligible man without delay. 
 It had not been her fault that they slipped through her 
 fingers. 
 
 It would have been better for Rose if Celia Derwent 
 had never crossed her threshold. Her coming was like 
 the coming of the serpent into the Garden of Eden 
 it was the beginning of the bitter end. 
 
 The shadows of doom were beginning to gather over 
 Rose s head, silently but surely. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 Cecil Derwent had not been in Rose s home two days 
 before she discovered a subtle change in Royal Mon 
 tague s bride. 
 
 " What is it that has changed her so greatly, I won 
 der?" pondered the lovely blonde, "she does not seem 
 happy. There s something wrong somewhere, I must 
 find out what it is." 
 
 As for Rose, she was no insensible heroine, this un 
 happy, erring girl, who had taken honor in one hand, 
 love and pitiful deceit in the other, deliberately choosing 
 the latter. 
 
218 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 She had told herself that she would forget the bitter 
 past, that her life should begin from the moment she had 
 stood at the altar with Royal Montague. 
 
 She had blindly duped herself with that promise, but, 
 ah, the reality was very different to that future which she 
 had pictured to herself. 
 
 She tried to comfort herself with the whispered assur 
 ance that the world would never know the story of her 
 folly. 
 
 The old register in the stone church by the sea-shore, 
 would keep her terrible secret safe from Royal Montague 
 and the world. Osric Lawrence was dead, she was quite 
 safe now. 
 
 But Heaven never . meant that a sin should prosper. 
 The conscience of beautiful Rose was. never at rest. 
 
 She could see that she was very dear to Royal Mon 
 tague now, and terror thrilled her soul lest she should 
 lose him. 
 
 Her life was cursed with the thought that she had taken 
 him from Lillian, would not Heaven in turn take him 
 from her who claimed him through the most pitiful of 
 frauds ? 
 
 Her great idolatrous love for Royal Montague was to 
 be the sword which should slay her. Rose did her best 
 to drown all regrets and be happy. 
 
 Even Celia Derwent, who enjoyed gayety with a keen 
 best, was almost astounded. 
 
 There was no cessation of pleasure in the life Rose led ; 
 balls, fetes, charade parties, dinner parties, archery meet 
 ings, croquet parties every variety of amusement that it 
 was possible to imagine followed each other in rapid sue- 
 cession, no clay passed without some kind of entertain- 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 219 
 
 ment. Rose seemed to dread only one thing, and that was 
 time for thought and leisure. 
 
 Celia Derwent had grown tired of asking herself what 
 had come over Rose, that she should be so recklessly gay. 
 
 Even those who shared Rose s hospitality, began to talk 
 of her, and say that it was sad to see one so young and 
 beautiful giving up heart and soul to the pursuit of 
 pleasure. 
 
 Royal was the only one who saw no great fault in this 
 he made all allowances. He said to himself : " That all 
 young brides would most naturally enjoy their first season 
 at the gay capital, providing they had wealth lavished 
 upon them to gratify their every desire, so why should 
 not Rose? " 
 
 Once a thought came to him how different a wife gen 
 tle Lillian would have made him, but he put the thought 
 from him as an unworthy one, Rose loved him so well it 
 was wrong to give one thought to another. 
 
 One afternoon Rose, and Celia had gone to the Art 
 Academy together. There was to be an exhibition of rare 
 pictures from the old masters. Tickets had been sent to a 
 select few, and the affair promised to be a very enjoyable 
 one. 
 
 Rose and Celia stood by the western window admiring 
 one of the pictures, when Celia turned to her suddenly: 
 
 " Rose," she exclaimed, under her breath, " who is that 
 gentleman leaning against the marble pillar to the right of 
 us? For the last five minutes he has not taken his eyes 
 from your face. He must be an acquaintance of yours, 
 and as your market s made, if he is a rich bachelor or 
 widower, pray introduce me." 
 
 Rose turned her dark eyes from the picture she was 
 contemplating, to the person indicated. The floor seemed 
 
220 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 to- rock beneath her feet, the grand pictures in their gilded 
 frames to whirl around her, the air to grow dense and 
 stifle her. She knew him in the first instantaneous glance, 
 Willard Sinclair, the- dry goods prince of New York. 
 
 No mask could have been whiter or colder than her 
 face, but in that moment her composure did not leave her, 
 although she saw that he was studying her face with 
 eager intentness. 
 
 " Do you know the gentleman ? " queried Celia, anx 
 iously. 
 
 " No," said Rose, turning abruptly away. 
 
 Willard Sinclair had given a violent start when his eyes 
 first encountered Rose. 
 
 " Heavens ! " he exclaimed, under his breath, " how like 
 the face of pretty Rose Hall! Can it really be she I 
 wonder ? " 
 
 He looked at the costly plush robe and sables she wore 
 at the diamonds that flashed from her person, in con 
 siderable doubt. 
 
 Could this elegant young girl be Rose Hall, for whom 
 he had been searching for long months, and who seemed 
 to have vanished as completely from New York, as though 
 the earth had opened and swallowed her? He was mys 
 tified. 
 
 At that moment, one of Celia s admirers stepped up to 
 them, and a few moments later had taken Celia to the 
 other end of the gallery to admire a favorite picture. 
 
 Rose sunk clown upon a velvet divan, glad to be left 
 alone. 
 
 If Willard Sinclair had recognized her, he would not be 
 apt to permit her to leave the gallery without attempting 
 to speak to her; better that an opportunity should be af- 
 

 
 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 221 
 
 forded him when she was quite alone. Not for worlds 
 would she have him recognize her before Celia. 
 
 Her heart sank when she saw him making his way to 
 ward her. 
 
 Once or twice he passed her, but the proud eyes he 
 hoped to catch, looked directly over his head. 
 
 He would not be repulsed in this manner, he would sat 
 isfy himself beyond a doubt whether she was Rose Hall 
 r not. 
 
 At last he stopped before her, raising his hat with a 
 courteous bow : 
 
 " I beg a thousand pardons for usurping a ladies pre 
 rogative of recognizing an acquaintance, but I must know 
 whether or not you are Rose ah, pardon me again if 
 you are Miss Hall or not ? " 
 
 It was one thing to address one of the pretty salesgirls 
 in his employ by her given name, but quite another matter 
 to dare use the same unpardonable familiarity toward the 
 elegant young lady before him. 
 
 She raised her dark clear eyes to his face, with well- 
 assumed haughty surprise: 
 
 " You are evidently in error, sir," she said, with cutting 
 coldness. " I am not the person you refer to." 
 
 There was nothing else to do under the circumstances 
 but to apologize profusely and move on, but as he walked 
 away the conviction fastened itself strongly upon his mind 
 that she was Rose Hall. 
 
 He had seen that lovely face too often to be deceived 
 in it. But what motive could she have for thus denying 
 her identity? Had she married rich, and wished to con 
 ceal the fact from the fashionable world that she had ever 
 been a New York shop-girl ? 
 
 He set his white teeth together. 
 
222 PRETTY KO^i: HALL. 
 
 " Yes ; that must have been her reason." 
 
 He drew his breath hard as he looked back at her. She 
 had been pretty before, but she was more than beautiful 
 now. The dark, glorious face, set of! by its costly adorn- 
 ings, was magnificent What a superb wife she would 
 have made for him I what an honor she w r ould have been 
 to him! He would have been the envy of every man in 
 New York. 
 
 He clinched his hands tightly together as he gazed at 
 her. Even in her humble obscurity and poverty she had 
 despised and scorned him! If she were beyond his reach 
 now. how glorious it would be to take revenge upon her 
 for scorning him how it would pull down her haughty 
 pride to spread the gossip about that she had once toiled 
 for her bread ! 
 
 Rose sat on the divan like one dazed until Celia re 
 turned to her. Acquaintances smiled, bowed, and spoke to 
 her as they passed her by, but she neither heard nor saw ; 
 her thoughts were in the wildest confusion. 
 
 Dear Heaven 1 what if Willard Sinclair should, by 
 chance, ever breathe to any one who knew her who 
 might, in turn, relate it to Royal and her relations the I 
 horrible truth that she had been for long months in his em- I 
 ploy in New York, for then the truth would come out that, I 
 instead of flying directly to Royal Montague s arms upon ] 
 her recovery, she had hidden from him. The amazement 
 of all would know no bounds. She could not tell them 
 that she dared not return to Royal on account of Osric 
 Lawrerrce, for then all the pitiful story would be sure to 
 be discovered, and then 
 
 Willard Sinclair kept strict watch upon the beautiful, 
 slender figure until he saw her enter her carriage and dis 
 appear. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 223 
 
 " Can you tell me who that beautiful lady is the dark 
 one, I mean, who just entered that coach?" he asked of 
 one of the attendants of the academy. 
 
 " I have heard the name, but I can not call it to mind 
 just now," answered the man ; " she comes here to the 
 weekly Thursday receptions. She s married." 
 
 Wiliard Sinclair s eyes glittered. 
 
 " Can you find out her name and address for me? " he 
 asked, slipping a silver dollar into the man s hand. 
 
 " Yes, sir," said the attendant, touching his hat re 
 spectfully to the liberal stranger. " Call any time after 
 next Thursday, and I will have it for you." 
 
 " It seems to be a case of love at first sight with him," 
 muttered the man, looking after the tall, aristocratic figure 
 of Sinclair until it vanished from sight ; " and it didn t 
 seem to make any difference, my hint to him that the 
 beauty was not for him she was not free to be wooed 
 and won." 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 Wiliard Sinclair did not receive the desired informa 
 tion concerning Rose which he had so ardently hoped for, 
 for ere the next Thursday rolled around, Royal received 
 letters which necessitated a sudden trip to Boston. 
 
 It was quite possible that business might require his 
 presence there for at least a month, and it was decided 
 that Rose should spend that month at Peekskill. 
 
 Cecil Derwent, who was making the most of her visit, 
 heard the news with the greatest dismay. 
 
 " What ! leave Washington and the season at its height ; 
 why, Rose, how can you consent to such a thing?" she 
 cried ; " it s a positive shame for Mr. Montague to ask 
 
224 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 you to go to that horrid country-seat in the dead of win 
 ter; you ll break your heart with loneliness! " 
 
 " Grandma and Lillian are there," replied Rose ; " and 
 they don t find it so very dull ; besides, I am tiring of so 
 much gayety I shall appreciate a month s quiet." 
 
 Celia held up her white hands with a gesture of disdain. 
 
 " You could never like what Lillian would care for," 
 she said, and she wondered why Rose gave such a terrible 
 start at the words, and why the book she was holding fell 
 to the floor with a crash; there was certainly nothing in 
 her words to startle her like that, and bring that hunted 
 look to her dark eyes. 
 
 Two days later Rose and Royal had reached Peekskill. 
 Celia, who had made many friends in Washington, took 
 advantage of their hospitality to remain with them until 
 Rose s return. 
 
 It was nearly dusk when Royal s carriage rolled up the 
 broad avenue that led to Linden Villa, and the first face 
 that Rose saw as she looked eagerly out of the carriage 
 window was the sweet, pale face of the gentle sister she 
 had betrayed. 
 
 She took Rose in her arms, and with tears in her eyes 
 kissed the lovely face. 
 
 " Welcome, darling," she said, " welcome home again." 
 
 It was pitiful to see how Rose watched the greeting that 
 passed between Royal and Lillian. 
 
 At the sight of Lillian s face would the old love be 
 awakened in his heart? Had she done right in allowing 
 Royal to accompany her here? 
 
 Lillian held out her white hand with a kindly smile te 
 Royal Montague. 
 
 " Welcome to Linden Villa, brother Royal," she said. 
 
 Royal took the little white hand in his own a moment, 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 22o 
 
 and replied heartily and sincerely to her greeting, then 
 turned to Rose, and the smile that crept into his eyes as 
 they rested upon her bespoke a heart s true affection. 
 
 " He may have loved Lillian well in the past," thought 
 Rose ; " but I thank Heaven that his every thought is mine 
 now." 
 
 The next day Royal journeyed on to Boston, leaving 
 Rose at Linden \ r illa. 
 
 Although Lillian had schooled her heart to meet Royal 
 calmly, it was a relief to her when he took his leave. 
 
 Lillian had anticipated that it might be dull for Rose at 
 Linden Villa, and had invited a gay party of friends to 
 meet her. A ball was to be given the first week of her 
 return, and it was to end in a charade, and one scene from 
 a tragedy which was creating a great furor on the New 
 York boards, was to be rendered by a company of French 
 artists, who had been especially engaged for the purpose 
 and sent up from the metropolis. A stage had been 
 erected at the end of the ball-room, concealed when the 
 dancing was going on by heavy silken curtains. 
 
 Rose was delighted with the programme. 
 
 " It will be quite a novelty, Lillian dear/ she said ; " I 
 always liked private theatricals ; but what is the scene to 
 be? it is a pity to see but one act of a really enjoyable 
 play; if the actors are well up in their parts perhaps we 
 might have at least two acts." 
 
 " They have been rehearsing the third act of The 
 Gypsy Girl s Warning, it is more than interesting," an 
 swered Lillian. 
 
 It was a merry throng that gathered together to enjoy 
 the grand ball at Linden Villa a few days later. 
 
 After the dancing, and the feasting in the beautifully 
 decorated dining-hall was over, the merry guests waited 
 
226 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 patiently for the tableaux, and the act of the great play 
 to begin. 
 
 Rose was in one of the front seats which commanded 
 a perfect view of the stage, every whisper must reach her. 
 
 The orchestra played a brilliant overture, the curtain 
 went up, and the piquant French actress stood bowing 
 a moment ere the play went on. 
 
 How beautiful she was, this imperial bewitching 
 French beauty, and more than one of the guests started to 
 see what a striking resemblance she bore to the sister of 
 their hostess Rose Montague. 
 
 Such a thought even flitted over the mind of Rose her 
 self. 
 
 Pen pictures but illy describe the thrilling events of a 
 realistic scene upon the stage, it is the tone of voice in its 
 varied emotions, the wondrous play of the features and 
 the gestures, as well as the spoken words which render 
 the effect perfect. 
 
 The play represented a young and beautiful girl who 
 had committed an act of unpardonable folly which, had 
 it been known to the world, would have banished her 
 forever from the pale of honorable society. 
 
 Yet, burying the past as deeply as though it had never j 
 been, she had dared to become a nobleman s bride and 
 reign in the society world its queen. 
 
 One day in walking through the sunlit streets she \ 
 chanced to pass a group of gypsy minstrels. 
 
 My lady passed them by with haughty tread, drawing , 
 her rich velvets and costly ermines rudely away lest con 
 tact with the poor street waifs might contaminate her. 
 
 One among the group a dark-eyed gypsy maid gazed 
 upon my lady s face, and despite the trappings of wealth 
 knew her. as she was in that dark past. 
 
" Would 
 
 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 227 
 
 "ould you like your fortune told, fair dame ? " she 
 cried, glancing up into the proud cold face with her bright 
 eyes and courtesying ; " cross my hand with silver and you 
 shall know the past, present, future and " 
 
 * Out of my way ! " cried my lady harshly ; " how dare 
 such as you address me! " 
 
 The gypsy girl s brows darkened, her eyes flashed fire, 
 all the bitter resentment of her race rose up within her. 
 
 " Beware, my fine lady ! " she hissed aloud ; " you soar 
 high to-day, but to-morrow shall see your downfall. A: 
 crime lies at your door; a sin is on your soul; and the 
 wages of sin is death ! No crime goes long unpunished." 
 
 White as marble grew my lady s face, ruin, disgrace, 
 exposure, stared her in the face. To be thrown from her 
 proud pedestal, to be sneered at by women, scoffed at by 
 men, her lordly husband s love turned to hate, was more 
 than she could bear. She drew a long, thin golden pin 
 from the coils of her beautiful hair, and in an agony of 
 remorse plunged it in her snow-white breast. Thus was 
 the gypsy s prophecy fulfilled, the wages of sin was 
 death ! 
 
 Rose looked and listened, every sob from the lips of the 
 hapless girl brought tears to Rose s eyes. By the great 
 est effort she prevented herself from swooning outright. 
 
 How eagerly she listened for the comments of the 
 guests when the play was over. The scene had been 
 so terribly like her own dark past. No one pitied the 
 beautiful girl who had sinned. The popular verdict was: 
 
 " She must expiate her sin. Her death was a fitting 
 finale, for it would have been unjust had she been for 
 given and lived happily afterward." 
 
 Rose listened with white lips. This, then, would be 
 the verdict of the world if it kfcew her story. 
 
228 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Once in the past she had tried to induce Royal to have 
 the marriage ceremony read over them again. Let him 
 call it a whim, a caprice, she knew why she wanted it 
 done, of what vital importance those few words would 
 be to her. 
 
 But it seemed that fate itself had a hand in defeating 
 her her pretty pleadings with Royal were quite in vain. 
 
 " I stood at the altar with you once, Rose," he replied, 
 " and the words spoken then bound us together for all 
 time. In my opinion it is sacriligious to play at such a 
 solemn ceremony as marriage. Once wedded, we are 
 always wedded until death separates us. Say no more 
 about having the ceremony repeated, Rose." 
 
 She had ceased to urge her prayer long since. She 
 had given herself body and soul into the hands of fate, 
 let the result be what it might. 
 
 She lived her life, content in Royal Montague s love, 
 forgetting the past and reckless of the future. Poor, 
 misguided Rose, she deserved a better fate. 
 
 Like Celia Derwent, Lillian soon noticed the great 
 change that had come over beautiful, willful Rose. 
 
 At times she was wretched almost to the verge of ill 
 ness, then again feverishly gay, plunging into an excess 
 of gayety that both frightened and pained Lillian. 
 
 (< You are very ill, my darling," Lillian would exclaim, 
 " do let me send for a physician to prescribe for you." 
 
 A wild laugh, that was half a sob, broke from Rose s 
 red lips. How could she tell her sister that it was not 
 a disease of the body, but her conscience which was 
 troubling her so. She knew that she was standing on a 
 shoal that might slip beneath her ieet at any moment. 
 
 She had a great desire to know what Lillian would 
 think of such a story as her own, if she heard it repeated 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALE.. 229 
 
 as an incident that had once been read in one of the 
 papers. 
 
 It was evening the two sisters sat alone in the draw* 
 ing-room before a bright sea-coal fire. 
 
 " Now is the time, if ever, to tell her," thought Rose, 
 with a throbbing heart, but at the last moment her 
 strength almost failed her, the terrible words died on her 
 white lips. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 Rose sat down beside her sister in the soft crimson 
 glow of the tender firelight. 
 
 Lillian was trying to interest her in conversation, but 
 her words fell on deaf ears. Rose s thought were upon 
 a vastly different subject. She was asking herself how 
 her folly and sin would look in the eyes of other people* 
 She wanted to know what Lillian would think of it. She 
 could rest no longer unless she knew. 
 
 " Lillian," she said, thoughtfully, " the play we wit 
 nessed last night reminds me of of a^story I once read, 
 and which I have never been able to quite forget. It wa? 
 of a young girl who was coaxed persuaded into a secret 
 marriage." 
 
 " A secret marriage ! " repeated Lillian, shudderingly 
 " How horrible ! " 
 
 " Horrible ? " repeated Rose, faintly. " Why do yotf 
 call it that, Lillian?" 
 
 " Because it is," declared Lillian. " No girl with any 
 self-respect would ever make a secret marriage. I should 
 think they only take place when the man who marries 
 is ashamed of the girl, or the girl is ashamed of the man< 
 Too much can not be said against them." 
 
230 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 " But, Lillian, if yon knew any one who was married 
 secretly say a girl, for instance, like one of us 
 
 " It would be impossible for such a thing to happen to 
 any girl like either of us ! >} cried Lillian. 
 
 " Yet, supposing a young girl did marry secretly, what 
 would you think of her, Lillian?" 
 
 " I should think that the day would come when she 
 would be obliged to expiate her folly ! " declared Lillian, 
 emphatically. 
 
 " I should like to tell you this girl s story, Lillian, * said 
 Rose, wistfully. " Perhaps you could not find it in your 
 heart then to judge her so hardly." 
 
 The subject had not the slightest interest for Lillian, but 
 if Rose wished to discuss it, she would listen patiently 
 enough. 
 
 Rose knelt upon the hassock at her sister s feet, laying 
 her dark, weary head upon her knee. 
 
 " It is a pitiful story of a young girl, living in a lonely, 
 isolated place, who met, by the merest chance, a young 
 and handsome man. He captivated this girl s fancy but, 
 oh, Lillian, it was not the love that brightens and blesses 
 a human life that beat in her unsophisticated heart; yet, 
 she did not realize it then. They met in a very romantic : 
 fashion, and at the expiration of the first week in which 
 she had known him, he had persuaded her into a secret 
 marriage." 
 
 " What a very foolish girl to have married a stranger, i 
 of whose existence she was ignorant one short week be 
 fore ! Why, it almost seems incredible that any one could 
 be so unwise ! " cried Lillian, becoming interested in spite 
 of herself. 
 
 " I grant she was very foolish pitifully so," said Rose, 
 striving to keep back the tears from her eyes ; " but, oh, 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 331 
 
 Lillian, she was very young only sixteen and knew 
 nothing of the world, nothing of life. 
 
 " I should say not," assented Lillian. 
 
 " On the same day that they were wed/ continued 
 Rose, " the bridegroom went away, with the understand 
 ing that he was to come back within a fortnight and claim 
 his bride. Long months rolled by, he never returned to 
 her, and the next report that reached her was that he was 
 dead." 
 
 " The usual case of desertion, followed by a girl s 
 broken heart," said Lillian. 
 
 " But that was not the end of the sad affair," mur 
 mured Rose, " it was but the beginning of the end the 
 sequel was more sad than tongue can tell. When the 
 bride learned of the death of this husband she had mar 
 ried in secret she tried hard to forget him ; she realized 
 then that she had never really loved him. Soon after she 
 met one whom she did care for one whose love was like 
 the very light of heaven to her one whom she worshiped 
 with all the strength of her heart, with all the depth of 
 her soul! Her one cry to Heaven was to give her his 
 love, or to let her die ! " 
 
 " It was wrong to idolize a man as much as that," said 
 Lillian, gravely ; " no good could ever come of it, I fear." 
 
 " You are right," sighed Rose ; " no good did come of 
 it it was productive of evil from first to last but to con 
 tinue the story : This unfortunate girl married her heart s 
 choice, and, on her bridal eve, as she was standing quite 
 alone, a few hours after the ceremony had been per 
 formed, who should appear suddenly before her, without- 
 warning, but the husband whom she had married in sr 
 cret, and whom she had believed dead ! " 
 
232 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 " What a sad, sad dilemma ! " said Lillian. " Of course, 
 she was obliged to go with him/was .She not? " 
 
 " He had come to claim her," said Ros, and the keen 
 pain in her voice caused Lillian to look at her with 
 startled wonder. " He had not heard of the second mar 
 riage, hut, if he had, it would have made no difference 
 with him ; but, in the very hour that he stood beside her, 
 vowing that she should go with him, the hand of fate 
 struck him down to death. Then, Lillian, the real trag 
 edy of her life began. A strange temptation came to her, 
 blinding her to reason and to the realization that carrying 
 out her plan would be to steep her soul in sin. She was 
 not a wicked girl, this hapless creature whom a cruel fate 
 had singled out as its prey she was as tender of heart as 
 a little child. Yet when this subtle thought came to her, 
 that, now that this man whom she had believed to be dead 
 was in truth swept from her path forever, why should she 
 reveal the story of that dark past to the man she had just 
 wedded, and whom she loved with all the mad, deathless 
 love of her heart? She resolved that he should never 
 know." 
 
 " But," cried Lillian, " the appearance of the first hus 
 band would render the marriage to the one whom she had 
 that day wedded invalid ; she knew that, of course, did she 
 not? She should have told him the truth at once." 
 
 " Heaven help her, she did not quite realize that, when, 
 in a moment of madness, she flew to her lover s arms 
 again. The power of love urged her on she was only 
 human; she loved him better than life itself! She knew 
 he would be lost to her forever if she revealed the truth, 
 and death itself would have been easier to endure than 
 that ! " 
 
 "I can not quite agree with you there," said Lillian. 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 233 
 
 "If the man had loved her and of course he did, or he 
 would not have wedded her when she told him her story 
 he would have taken steps at once to have the marriage 
 ceremony repeated without delay that she might be legally 
 his. Surely she was not so lost to honor lost to the 
 sense of right as to continue to live with him ! * cried 
 Lillian, in horror " surely she did not openly defy the 
 pure laws of Heaven in that terrible way ? " 
 
 " That is just what she did," asserted Rose : and the 
 wailing of the night-wind outside was not more piteously 
 
 d than the girl s plaintive voice. 
 
 " I will not listen to such a story," cried Lillian, utterly 
 shocked. " A young girl so lost to honor should not be 
 discussed by you and me, Rose dear." 
 
 " Oh, Lilly, Lilly ! you who are so pure, so true, so 
 guileless should find pity in your heart for that unhappy 
 girl. Remember it was love that blinded her : she was 
 sure she would have lost him if the slender thread by 
 which she held him, in the eyes of the world, had been 
 snapped asunder; she felt sure she would have lost him. 
 She tried every means in her power to invent excuses by 
 which the marriage service could be read over then 
 again ; but the hand of Fate always interfered, and she 
 grew reckless in her despair and accepted the situation 
 just as it was." 
 
 " What a wicked creature worse than that ! " cried 
 Lillian. " Heaven will find no pity, no mercy for her 
 when she. comes to die ; she will meet with just retribution 
 sooner or later. Heaven could not, would not, prosper 
 any one who was guilty of so deep a sin as that to dupe 
 a good and innocent man into the belief that she who 
 shared his home, his love, and his thoughts was his wife, 
 when in reality she was not. I wonder that God s ven- 
 
231 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 geance was not swift in punishing her, when by a few 
 words on that bridal eve she might have made the wrong 
 right by a truthful confession. Yet how did it turn out, 
 Rose? there must have been an end to it, and a moral, or 
 else the terrible story would not have been in the papers. " 
 
 " No one ever knew until she died," said Rose, faintly, 
 and she little dreamed that there was a prophecy in her 
 words. Poor Rose! if she could but have seen the terri 
 ble future which her words foretold ! 
 
 " You shouldn t trouble your pretty head with such 
 sad stories, dear," said Lillian, brightly ; " you might 
 dream of them, and come down to-morrow morning pale 
 and nervous, and that wouldn t do at all ; for to-morrow 
 is the day of our sleigh-ride party, and I wish my brilliant 
 sister to look particularly beautiful." 
 
 She kissed her good-night, and the sisters parted. 
 
 Lillian could not help but remember how wan and white 
 her sister s face looked as she kissed her good-night. As 
 she passed Rose s room, half an hour later, seeing the 
 door slightly ajar, she pushed.it open and entered. 
 
 Rose was sleeping, but it was not a happy face on 
 which the pallid moonbeams fell in their pale radiance. 
 With gentle hands Lillian put back the clustering, curling 
 hair from the beautiful face, but the loving touch of those 
 gentle hands did not awaken the sleeper. 
 
 The white lips moved, and Lillian bowed her head to 
 listen. 
 
 The sin was beyond all forgiveness," the pale lips 
 murmured. " Man could not forgive nor could God for 
 get it. Oh, the pity of it the pity of it." 
 
 Lillian drew back impatiently. 
 
 " I was quite sure Rose would dream of that ridiculous 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 23-J 
 
 story ; her sympathetic heart was so touched by it," she 
 thought. 
 
 It would have been better if poor Rose had died that 
 night ; then the thrilling event which was so soon to hap 
 pen would never have drawn tears from those who had 
 learned to love the memory of poor, hapless Rose, a4 
 who can still find pity for her, despite the act of folly that 
 blighted her young life. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 The next morning dawned bright and clear. The hand 
 some double sleighs, with fur-lined robes and prancing 
 steeds, stood before the door awaiting the pleasure of 
 the gay party who were to take possession of them. 
 
 Rose and Lillian were just about to enter their sleigh 
 when the postman appeared with the morning mail* 
 There were two letters for Lillian one for Rose. 
 
 Mine can wait until I return," laughed Lillian. 
 " They are probably invitations to a ball or a party from 
 some of my dear five hundred friends." 
 
 " While they are arranging the robes I will see if 
 Royal is well," said Rose. " My letter is from him." 
 
 She tore open the envelope and turned her dark eyes 
 on the page. Suddenly, and without warning, a terrible 
 cry broke from her lips, and without a word she fell face 
 downward among the snowdrifts in a deep swoon. 
 
 In an instant the greatest confusion prevailed. Loving 
 hands lifted the slender form and bore it into the house 
 again. All thoughts of the sleighing party were aban 
 doned by Lillian, though she begged of the rest not to re 
 main, for Rose would doubtless have fully recovered 
 within an hour. When Lillian was alone with the old 
 servants, who were using every effort to arouse Rose 
 
236 PRETTY UOSE HALL. 
 
 from the death-like stupor into which she had fallen, the 
 first thing she did was to gently take the crumpled letter 
 from Rose s clinched hand and read it. Had anything 
 happened to Royal? Perhaps he was ill, dying. The let 
 ter must certainly have contained some terrible news to 
 cause her to swoon. 
 
 The letter trembled in Lillian s quivering hands. She 
 dreaded to read it. Yet she must know for Rose s sake 
 what it contained, that she might know how to comfort 
 her. 
 
 As Rose had done, she ran her eyes swiftly over the few 
 lines contained in the page, from beginning to end. Then 
 a look of the most intense wonder crept into her aston 
 ished eyes. There was nothing in it apparently to pain 
 her. 
 
 Again Lillian read it over, not once, but a second time. 
 We will glance over the lines with her. 
 
 It was dated at Boston, and ran as follows : 
 
 " MY DARLING ROSE I arrived here safely three days 
 ago, and hope to adjust my business matters so satisfac- < 
 torily that I may be able to return to Linden Villa early 
 next week. 
 
 " I see by the society papers that the ball given in your 
 honor was a brilliant event. The special correspondents | 
 were warm in their praise of my beautiful wife, which 
 made me both proud and happy as I read. 
 
 " By the way, I had almost forgotten to mention to you 
 that I have donated a beautiful memorial window to a 
 church in the village of Wilton, a small place upon the 
 coast of Maine. The minister who married us, my dar 
 ling, at one time had charge of this old church. 
 
 " Yet this is not the only reason why my heart turns 
 
PRETTY RUSK HALL. 237 
 
 toward it. I do not think I have ever mentioned the fac i 
 to you, love, that my mother was wedded in that church 
 long years ago; the record still bears evidence of the 
 event. It will be a great pleasure to me to search the 
 register for the names recorded there so many years be 
 fore. I shall do all I can to promote the prosperity of the 
 old church at Wilton. 
 
 The workmen write me that the memorial window 
 will be completed by Thursday next ; I will take a run tip 
 from the city to see it. Remember me lovingly to all, ac 
 cepting my deepest and most profound love for yourself, 
 dear. Yours in great haste, " ROYAL." 
 
 Lillian read the letter over and over again with intense 
 wonder. She could certainly see nothing in those loving 
 lines to cause Rose to faint. She could not understand it, 
 and concluded, at length, that it could, not have been the 
 letter which caused it. 
 
 It was long hours before Rose awoke to consciousness, 
 and when she opened her eyes they fell upon Lillian s pale, 
 anxious face. 
 
 " Oh, my darling! " cried Lillian, sobbingly ; " what in 
 the world made you faint? We have been all so fright 
 ened over you, _dear ! " she cried out, in alarm at the burn 
 ing hot hands that clutched at her own, clinging to them 
 so tightly. 
 
 " You are very ill, Rose/ she exclaimed. " I am going 
 to send at once for a physician. You are trembling with 
 cold, yet your hands burn/ 5 
 
 " It is not an illness of the body," sobbed Rose. Then 
 she raised her dark eyes to her sister s face. " Oh, Lilly, 
 you are so pure and so good your prayers will be heard 
 
238 PRETTY ROSE IIALL. 
 
 in heaven ! " she murmured. " Pray for a soul in terrible 
 paiti. Sin must be found out ! " 
 
 Lillian listened to the wild, incoherent words, believing 
 them to be the idle vagaries of a wandering mind. 
 
 She touched the bell to send for a physician, but Rose 
 sprung from the couch, grasping her hands. 
 
 " Send for no one, Lilly, dear," she sobbed ; " all I 
 want is to be quite alone away from all sight and sound 
 of human faces and human voices. Send Mistress Pom- 
 pey to me ; she will watch over me while I sleep. Every 
 one else must be barred out even you, Lilly dear." 
 
 Perhaps it would be best to humor her, Lillian decided. 
 There was not much the matter with her ; all she needed 
 was rest and quiet, and she should certainly have them. 
 Pompey, the old colored nurse who had been in Mrs. 
 Hall s employ for long years, and who was fond of Rose, 
 would be only too pleased to sit and watch by her bedside. 
 
 Mistress Pompey responded to the summons with alac 
 rity. In response to Rose s whim, she had locked and 
 bolted them all out of the room, and sat down in the arm- 
 chair by the bedside. Then, in an instant, Rose had : 
 sprung- from the couch, and was kneeling at the old ser- 
 vant g feet. 
 
 "Hush, Pompey!" she cried, sharply; "do not speak i 
 do not give an outer}-. Oh, Pompey, if you have ever 
 loved me, heed me and help me in this, the darkest and 
 most bitter hour of my life! I am in sore trouble, Pom 
 pey. and I can trust my terrible secret to no living human 
 being not even to Lillian, and not even to you, though 
 you must help me. I am neither mad nor out of my head, Jj 
 Pompey. Promise me you will aid me, or I shall die ! " 
 
 " Good Lord, chile," gasped the old servant, " I ll help 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 239 
 
 you, o* course, honey! But don t look up at me with 
 sech big eyes. You ter fy me you do indeed, honey ! " 
 " You must promise to aid me, Pompey, and to let no 
 human being know," whispered Rose, her breath com 
 ing and going with convulsive gasps. " In Heaven s 
 name, promise quickly ! " 
 
 It was not in old Pompey s power to refuse her no 
 matter what she wanted her to do the girl s piteous, 
 tearful pleading would have melted a heart of granite. 
 
 " I ll do what you want me to do, chile. No one shall 
 know. You can trust Mistress Pompey," she said, sol 
 emnly. And Rose knew that she could trust old Pom 
 pey to death itself. She would never break her word. 
 
 " I must go on- a sudden journey to the Maine coast 
 this very night, Pompey," she uttered, in a whisper. " I 
 must go as soon as darkness sets in ; but no human being 
 save yourself must know it. If you love me, aid me in 
 this terrible hour ! " 
 
 " Oh, Lord, bless the dear girl ! " cried Pompey, hold 
 ing up. her hands in alarm. "You to take a journey, as 
 weak as you are ! It couldn t be done, pend upon it. Let 
 me go for to do it, chile." 
 
 " No one could do what must be done except myself, 
 
 Pompey. You are to remain here and bar out every one. 
 
 Say to all that come to the door, my orders are they must 
 
 s-not disturb me. It will be no untruth, Pompey that is 
 
 ; my order to you. I shall have gone upon my errand, ac- 
 
 L ^complished it, and returned within two days at most. Be 
 
 ! sure to see that the side gates are left unlocked at night 
 
 p^for me, that I may have no trouble in gaining an entrance 
 
 unobserved-. It is a case of life and death the price of 
 
 a tortured, sin steeped soul. You must help me. to save 
 
 it, Pompey." 
 
2 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 The bitter agony of the white face, the streaming, dark, 
 mournful eyes were too much for tender-hearted Pom- 
 pey. And when Rose bound her to a solemn vow that 
 she would never betray her, come what would, the woman 
 unhesitatingly accepted the trust. 
 
 Night came on, dark and starless. The snow, which 
 had fallen silently and steadily since early morning, had 
 deepened into a terrible storm. The snow-drifts were 
 almost impassable in the country roads of PeekskilL It 
 was the most bitter storm that had been known here 
 abouts for long years. 
 
 Yet, through the intense cold and the huge drift s of 
 freezing whiteness, a dark-robed figure, draped in a long, 
 thick cloak, her face hidden by the folds of a veil, at 
 length made her way iitto the Peekskill depot and pur 
 chased an eastern ticket. 
 
 " It s a bad night for traveling," said the station agent, 
 stamping the bit of pasteboard and tossing it out, noticing \ 
 the slim, white, graceful hand, and wondering what the; 
 face was like. 
 
 Rose bowed silently, vouchsafing him no word in reply.) 
 
 The train steamed in at last, and Rose boarded it, sink-! 
 ing into the first seat, trembling with fatigue and excite-l 
 ment. 
 
 Oh, how slow the train seemed to creep to her excitedj 
 fancy! She was quite insensible to the bitter cold about 
 her her heart was on fire. Oh, if kind fate would bu 
 let her reach the old stone church at Wilton in advance o: 
 Royal Montague! Heaven help her if, in searching the 
 register of the marriage record, his eyes should by chanci 
 fall upon what was written against her name ! 
 
 She must reach there in advance of Royal, and she 
 must seize the old record and destroy it it was a terrible 
 
E HALL. 241 
 
 witness against her. Surely Heaven in its mercy would 
 not let her arrive there too late, when so much was at 
 stake. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 The sun was shining brightly upon the snow-clad hills 
 and fields of the little village of Wilton, the next morn 
 ing as Rose wended her way up the quiet streets. 
 
 She knew this was the day on which Royal Montague 
 was to arrive there, but fate had shown her mercy. The 
 Boston express was not due until noon, she would have 
 fully three hours in advance of him, and in that length 
 of time she could decide the fate of two lives. 
 
 She shuddered as she looked about at the old familiar 
 scenes how well she remembered that never-to-be-for 
 gotten night when Osric Lawrence had brought her there, 
 and together they had climbed the mossy hill that led to 
 the old church. 
 
 A shuddering cry of horror broke from her lips as she 
 thought of it, she almost wondered if she could be the 
 same creature who had stood before that dim old altar 
 while the marriage-service was read over her and Osric 
 Lawrence ? 
 
 Could she be the same girl who was stealing quietly 
 there, praying that fate would not punish her for destroy 
 ing all traces of that hated marriage? 
 
 Rose made her way up the snowy lane, starting back in 
 alarm as she saw the old sexton sweeping the snow-drifts 
 away from the plank walk. The door stood open. 
 
 " I should like to enter and rest awhile," faltered Rose, 
 trembling so that she was obliged to lean against a gnarled 
 oak-tree for support. 
 
 " You can with pleasure," responded the old sexton. 
 
242 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 heartily, " it s a bitter morning, and there s a good cheery 
 fire inside. A party of gentlemen are expected up from 
 Boston ; one of them, bless his kind soul, has had the old 
 church comfortably fitted up, and not only put in a hand 
 some window, but has paid for the winter s firing besides 
 a long life and a happy one may he have," added the 
 old sexton, fervently. 
 
 Rose could not reply. 
 
 She crept into the old church, gazing hurriedly about 
 her. Yes, she remembered where the vestry was, the first 
 door to the right led to it. 
 
 There was no one to observe her actions and she crept 
 silently toward it, gazing like one fascinated at the me 
 morial window as she passed it by. 
 
 She entered the vestry gazing around in affright for 
 the register. Yes, it occupied the same place, and it 
 seemed to Rose scarcely more than yesterday that she 
 stood there by Osric Lawrence s side signing her name. 
 
 With death-cold hands she opened it at the eighty- 
 seventh page. 
 
 Ah, Heaven! There was the names standing out in 
 bold relief Osric Lawrence and Rose Hall. 
 
 There was no time to listen to the voice of conscience 
 crying out against the wrong that she was about to com 
 mit. The happiness, the love, of a human life was at 
 stake. 
 
 The names on the register must not appear as silent 
 witnesses against her, a bit of written paper should not 
 stapd between her and Royal Montague s love, when the 
 <lc -lro\ ing of it would be so easily accomplished. 
 
 toment more and the deed was done. With the 
 
 e in her fluttering, terrified bosom, she crept noise- 
 
 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 243 
 
 lessly as a phantom spirit out of the dim old church again, 
 out into the clear, beautiful sunlight 
 
 Let Royal come now. She was quite safe. Tke old 
 register would reveal the. secret of that past nevermore t 
 She was safe. Ah, how sweet the thought was to her ! 
 
 She dare not destroy the paper then and there. She 
 would wait until she returned to Linden Villa. 
 
 How she accomplished that journey home she never 
 remembered. The darkness of night had settled over 
 Linden Villa ere she reached it again. Most of the house 
 hold were asleep in their beds as she opened the entrance 
 gate and entered softly. 
 
 What should she do with the paper that still lay like a 
 dead weight against her heart, she asked herself? Should 
 she take it to her own room and bum it? That would 
 mean the arousing of Pompey s curiosity. A sudden 
 thought occurred to her. Why not cast it into the depths 
 of the pond which the lindens skirted? It was frozen, 
 but in the center she espied a broken space through which 
 the water bubbled up. 
 
 Why not cast it in there? The water would never 
 ^reveal the secret buried beneath its smooth surface. Be- 
 bsides she could make assurance doubly sure by weighting 
 I the paper with a heavy stone bound in her handkerchief, 
 
 It was but the work of a few moments to accomplish 
 this. Then quick as thought she dashed it from her into 
 the stream, remembering too late that the daioty bit of 
 linen bore her name stamped in the corner. But after all 
 what did that matter? The handkerchief and torn page 
 were weighted so securely with the heavy stone that they 
 could never rise up and confront her. No one would ever 
 know of it. 
 
244 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Ah, poor hapless Rose) Was she quite sure that nol 
 one knew no one saw her? 
 
 A pair of pale blue eyes had been watching intently! 
 from the curtained window the strange actions of thej 
 dark-robed figure among the lindens. The same eyes had] 
 beheld Rose when she tossed the bundle through the openj 
 space in the middle of the pond. 
 
 Celia Derwent for it was she watched with breath-3 
 less interest. She had but just returned to Linden Villa 
 that night quite unexpectedly, and had not yet retired. 
 
 Now, what in the world can such strange actions! 
 mean, I wonder? " she asked herself breathlessly. " What! 
 could that white package contain that was cast into the! 
 pond ? They tell me Rose is ill, confined to her bed," shel 
 mused. " Yet, if ever I saw and recognized a form be-] 
 fore I should say that the person who stood beside the] 
 pond to-night was certainly Rose. What could it have! 
 been, I wonder, that was consigned to the dark waters?! 
 I must and will know. 9 
 
 Meanwhile Rose had silently entered the house andl 
 gained her own apartments unobserved, falling cold, wet,! 
 and exhausted into the amis of faithful Mistress Pompey j 
 who had carried out her orders to the very letter. 
 
 Not a soul save Pompey knew that Rose had stolen! 
 away from Linden Villa so secretly, and as secretly re-| 
 turned to it. 
 
 Those who had come to the door in the interim had re 
 ceived the same answer : " The young lady s orders were 
 that she was not to be disturbed." Even Lillian was 
 obliged to submit to this decree. 
 
 The next morning Lillian went early to Rose s door, 
 this time she was not denied admission. Rose lay upon 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 245 
 
 her couch sleeping the sleep of exhaustion, the result of 
 her wearisome journey. 
 
 How beautifully flushed the white cheeks were the 
 look of terror had vanished from her face. She opened 
 her eyes, holding out her hands smilingly to Lillian. Ah, 
 how happy she was, for the first time in her life she fe t 
 safe. 
 
 There was no fear of detection now ; her secret was 
 safe for evermore, she could have cried aloud in her joy. 
 
 " I have news for you, my darling," said Lillian, ten 
 derly ; " we have received a telegram from Royal he will 
 be with us by noon would it not be best, if 3-011 feel weU 
 enough, dear, to come down to the parlor to meet him? 
 
 Rose assented eagerly. 
 
 " She was feeling better that morning than she had felt 
 for long years," she declared. 
 
 Never had she appeared more vivacious than at the 
 breakfast table. 
 
 Those who loved her so well looked at her in pleased 
 wonder; they quite believed that it was the news o? 
 Royal s return that made her so happy. 
 
 Celia Derwent looked at her curiously, saying nothing. 
 
 Early that morning, before the servants were astir, she 
 was out in the grounds ; she saw the footprints in the 
 snow which led from the entrance gate to the pond be 
 neath the lindens, and from there they led directly to the 
 house. 
 
 " The dainty imprints could certainly belong to none 
 other than Pose/ she told herself, " what had caused 
 her to go in the darkness of night to the deep pond what 
 was in the white bundle she had cast into its silent 
 waters?" 
 
246 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 She made up her mind she would know ere the mor 
 row s sun shone. 
 
 Royal came while the family were at breakfast. Lillian 
 greeted him kindly, but beautiful Rose sprung toward 
 him with outstretched arms that wreathed themselves 
 tightly about his neck. 
 
 Ah, how dearly she loved him, this handsome young 1 
 husband, whom fate had so nearly snatched from her. 
 
 He was just in time for a cup of chocolate, and as he ; 
 sat down at the table, he entertained them in his own 
 graceful way, by a relation of the incidents connected with 
 his trip to Boston, and to the old gray-stone church at I 
 Wilton. 
 
 " It just occurred to me, my dear," he said, turning to | 
 Rose, " that you used to live in that vicinity had I had 
 time, I should have taken great delight in visiting your 
 old home. I will take that trip, however, later on, when -j 
 you can accompany me perhaps you will wish Lillian to 
 come, too." 
 
 He could not understand why Rose looked so pale and | 
 nervous, while Lillian appeared so pleased with the 
 project. 
 
 " There is one other little incident that happened that I J 
 <[uite forgot to mention," continued Royal; " upon glanc 
 ing over the register of the old church at Wilton, I was 
 surprised to find that it had been mutilated. The sexton, 
 whose attention I called to the matter, evinced the most 
 intense surprise. It was not in that condition last night, 
 sir/ he declared, for I had occasion to refer to it myself. 
 and I am sure it was all right then. 1 Then he looked at 
 me in a startled way. It must have been done by the 
 hand of the strange young woman who visited here this 
 morning, 1 he said, she came as silently as a shadow, beg- 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 2-iT 
 
 ging to rest awhile in the church, then as silently she de 
 parted. It will be a source of regret to them always that 
 the eighty-seventh page of the old register is missing." 
 
 There were the usual comments concerning the affair 
 by the family. 
 
 Rose sat through the conversation with a face white as 
 marble. It was only by the greatest effort that she could 
 restrain herself from crying out. 
 
 Yet she turned to Royal outwardly calm ami self- 
 possessed, but there was one at that table watching her 
 keenly, who was not blinded by her forced smile that 
 person was Celia Derwent, who had already commenced 
 weaving the fatal web of a tragedy. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXJX. 
 
 An hour later, while Rose and Lillian were in the draw 
 ing-room entertaining friends, a curious scene was being 
 enacted in the grounds of Linden Villa. 
 
 Immediately after breakfast Celia Derwent had gone to 
 Mrs. Hall with a strange request and a sad story : that at 
 an early hour that morning a little lad in crossing the 
 grounds had chosen the path by the pond, and that the 
 treacherous ice had broken, precipitating him into the 
 water, where he would certainly have perished had she 
 not been close enough at hand to throw him her scarf and 
 thus save him. 
 
 " Danger lurks in that spot, Aunt Margaret/ she con 
 cluded ; " and I suggest that it be drained immediately 
 and filled up." 
 
 Royal Montague, who was present, listened with in 
 terest. * 
 
 " I should have such a dangerous locality attended to by 
 all means." he said ; " Miss Celia is right, it is quite a 
 magnetical spot for the neighboring children I perceive; 
 it should certainly be drained and filled up without delay, 
 despite the weather." 
 
 "If you think so, you might see about its being done 
 at once," assented Mrs. Hall ; " better to lose the pond 
 
than to allow the children to risk their lives. Celia s 
 story of the little lad s narrow escape there this morning 
 has quite shocked me. It might be fenced around to be 
 sure, but fences are no obstacle to the lads. No, the pond 
 must go, then there will be an end of the danger for ail 
 time to come." 
 
 Celia Derwent could scarcely repress the smile of 
 triumph that crept up to her thin lips. Now she would 
 discover what the white parcel was that was cast into the 
 pond by the dark-robed ftgure which so closely resembled 
 Rose. 
 
 The sleighing was fine. Rose had promised to accom 
 pany Lillian for a ride, and together they set out laughing 
 and chatting gayly. Never again after this memorable 
 morning would the lips of beautiful Rose part with merry 
 laughter and dimpling smiles, ah, never again. 
 
 Royal had declined joining them, giving as a reason 
 that he had a little matter to attend to for Mrs. Hall, 
 which would keep him busy during the greater part of 
 the morning. 
 
 Heaven help poor Rose. The thought never occurred 
 to her to ask him what that " little affair " was ; he would 
 have told her readily enough and she could have prevented 
 it, but it was not to be. 
 
 He bent over and kissed the beautiful face, -nodding 
 gayly to Lillian, who touched the spirited horse and they 
 shot forward into the feathery snow-carpeted road amid 
 the jingle of the bells. Surely it was the prettiest sight 
 that ever a young husband s eyes gazed after; then he 
 turned and walked back into the grounds to give direc 
 tions to the workmen who had just arrived, about the 
 drainage of the pond ; that part of the work would be quite 
 finished ere Rose returned. 
 
 It was no easy task, yet experienced hands were about. 
 it, and the water commenced to diminish rapidly, and the 
 workmen promised Royal that within half an hour the 
 bottom would be reached. 
 
 "It was an ugly spot," they said ; " and the owner of 
 

 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 24- 
 
 Linden Villa was wise ki ordering it drained and rilled 
 Up." 
 
 It was the cheeriest, brightest winter morning that had 
 been known that season ; Rose laughed to see how the lit 
 tle children enjoyed it as they trooped to school that win 
 ter day; how their eyes shone and their red cheeks 
 glowed, and their merry laughter rang out as they pelted 
 each other with the new-fallen snow ; how bright th** 
 world was, how much joy there was in it. 
 
 It was almost with regret that they turned their horse ? 
 head, at length. 
 
 They saw strange workmen in the park, but neither 
 of them questioned what they were doing there. 
 
 Both Lillian and Rose leaped lightly from the sleigh, 
 threw the reins to a groom, ran swiftly up the broad stone 
 steps, and entered the house. Mrs. Hall sat before the 
 fire, in her favorite chair, reading. Celia Derwent stood 
 at the lace-draped window, watching eagerly over the 
 white fields. 
 
 Lillian had passed to her own room to lay aside her 
 wraps ; Rose lingered by her grandmother s side. 
 
 " \Yhere is Royal ? " she asked, glancing around ; and 
 at that moment he entered the door, just in time to hear 
 the query. 
 
 " I have been busy at work, my darling," he said, smil 
 ingly, as he crossed over to her side. " I have been super 
 intending the workmen who are engaged in draining and 
 refilling the pond by the lindens ; they will reach the bot 
 tom of it in a very few moments now." 
 
 The girl threw up her hands with a bitter cry a cry so 
 horror-stricken that it haunted those who heard it to 
 their dying day. 
 
 " Draining the pond ? Oh, God ! pity me pity me ! " 
 
 Like one mad she sprung toward the door and wrenched 
 it open.- They heard her cry out that the work must be 
 stopped. But it was too late ; the hand of Fate, that 
 measures out sure atonement for every sin committed, 
 had tracked her down. 
 
 What use were prayers now I 1 Useless useless ! Even 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 while she gazed, with horror-stricken eyes and pale, hor 
 rified face, one of the workmen was seen leaping from 
 tke pit with something white in his hand. Heaven help 
 her! She knew what it was that he held in his hand 
 oh, she knew ! 
 
 In that instant every nerve in her body seemed par 
 alyzed. She heard the man s voice, like the rushing of 
 waters, calling for Royal Montague, saying that a 
 woman s handkerchief was found in the bottom of the 
 pond, and there seemed to be something heavy securely 
 tied in it. 
 
 Oh, how the poor soul strained every nerve to call out 
 to the man hold out her white hands to him and claim it 
 grasp it tightly! But in that awful moment Heaven 
 seemed closed against her. She could neither move hand 
 nor foot her tongue clove to the roof of her mouth the 
 wild, anguished words of a breaking heart died on her 
 lips. 
 
 In that terrible moment of bitter anguish, when she 
 was suffering the tortures of death in life, surely some 
 mercy should have been extended her. 
 
 Royal had followed her out in wonder and dismay. 
 Then the workman stepped up to him and put the bundle 
 in his hands. 
 
 ""We fo i -ud it lying in the bottom of the pond, sir/* 
 she hear.; v.n say. 
 
 ..-rwent looked on in the greatest curiosity. No 
 
 --J would tell them what it was very soon. In- 
 
 !)ening it before them, he tuTned toward the 
 
 ied his writing-desk, and laid it in one of the 
 
 IKS, securely fastening the desk again, saying, 
 
 hurriedly, " I shall soon have time to examine its contents 
 
 at my leisure ; the mysterious package must keep its secret 
 
 until then." 
 
 Rose had a respite. No one noticed that she slipped 
 from their midst no one noticed the white-faced girl, 
 with the agony of death in her eyes, who crept up the sun 
 lit stairs to her own room. 
 
 It \\as of no use now to crv out for mercv her :.in 
 
. 
 PRETTY ROSE HALL. 251" 
 
 had found her out in less than an hour, the lips she 
 loved would blazon her story to the world, yet she woGld 
 not have cared for the whole world if she had not lost 
 him the love of her heart, the other half of her soul. 
 
 He would learn that she who claimed him had no right 
 to his love no right to share his home and bear his narn e. 
 
 He would see that her marriage to Osric Lawrence h$d 
 occurred before she had ever met him, and he knew all 
 the world who read the papers knew that Osric Law 
 rence s death had not taken place until after that second 
 marriage, and he would believe that she must have known 
 all this and gone through the ceremony to dupe him, and 
 how he would loathe her for it. 
 
 He would know then whose hand had torn the page 
 from the register, lest it should ever appear as a witness 
 against her he would understand all. She would be 
 driven from among them they would never forgive her 
 even Lillian could find no pity for her. Oh, it was hard 
 hard. 
 
 If she had but told him all from the very first if she 
 had but told her story, and abided the consequence, how 
 different life might have been for her. She had shad 
 owed her soul with a secret, and the end had been that 
 she had sinned to keep that secret, and the sin had found 
 her out at last. 
 
 With unsteady steps she gained her own room. She 
 meant to gather up the few jewels that were hers and fly 
 from their midst, fly like some haunted creature from out 
 raged love, humiliation, and disgrace, but the moments 
 flew quick-winged past her. 
 
 Long and earnestly she gazed into the mirror that re?- 
 fleeted that death-white face, alas, so beautiful still in all 
 its pallid loveliness there were few snch faces in the 
 world. 
 
 " All in vain," she said, " beauty was given me all in 
 vain." 
 
 She had betrayed her gentle sister to win Royal Mon 
 tague s love! she had taken him from Lillian, claimed 
 him by a terrible fraud, a pitiful preter. 
 
hour he would kno\v lunv she had deceived him. He 
 would know the wretched story of her folly. He would 
 wonder in horror how she could have steeped her soul in 
 such a deadly sin ! 
 
 Oh, cruel power of love that had blinded her so to the 
 sense of right, that had deadened the voice of conscience ! 
 
 An open book lay on the table, and the first words that 
 met her gaze were these, " Every sin must be atoned for 
 sooner or later it -is the just decree of Heaven." She 
 sunk clown in a chair by the table. She laid her hands 
 over the printed words to shut them out of her sight 
 they caused keen pain, in her fluttering heart, and her 
 brain reeled. 
 
 She did not weep now as she had done months ago, 
 when she wept for the love that had gone out to another. 
 The time for tears was over with beautiful, unhappy Rose. 
 
 She had taken Lillian s love from her, but no good had 
 come of it. 
 
 "My life has all gone wrong!" she cried; "wrong 
 from beginning to end ! Nothing can undo it ! " 
 
 She opened the locket she always wore about her neck, 
 and which contained the handsome, smiling face of Royal 
 Montague, and covered it with passionate, agonized 
 kisses, but no tear fell from the burning eyes upon the 
 loved features. Royal s eyes looked up reproachfully, 
 accusingly, to hers. She dared not meet the steady gaze 
 lest it drive her mad. 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 Few sndder splits were ever witnessed than that pre 
 sent cl by the beautiful girl as she bent in an agony more 
 criu-1 than death over the pictured face of the man she 
 loved so well. No idle sophistries came to her in this hour 
 to ease her conscience of one pang of remorse. She stood 
 face to face with the sin she had committed. She saw 
 clearly as she had never seen before what a terrible thing 
 she had done in claiming Royal Montague. 
 
LMvKTTV K(SK HALL. 253 
 
 She heard Royal s step in the corridor below, and a mo 
 ment later the library door close after him. She knew 
 what that meant, and she realized that in a few brief sec 
 onds he would be standing in her room, the torn page in 
 his hand. 
 
 She had forgotten that she had intended to fly from him 
 to fly at once from Linden Villa, and cross its threshold 
 never again. 
 
 A card lay on the table. She took a pencil and mechan 
 ically wrote these words to Lillian : 
 
 " MY POOR SISTER When you read these lines I shall 
 have left you. You remember the sad story of the young 
 girl which I related to you a few evenings since. Oh, 
 Lilly, Lilly, pity me that story was my own ! I feel that 
 I am going. My heart is slowly breaking as I write. Be 
 kind to Royal, Lilly, if I should die. In time try to make 
 him happy, but do not let him curse my memory. If I 
 have sinned I have suffered a punishment more cruel than 
 death -" 
 
 Steps sounded without. She knew it was Lillian, and at 
 the same moment she could hear the library door open, 
 and Royal Montague dashed up the steps toward her 
 room. 
 
 Rose s frightened eyes turned toward the door. A 
 world of agony and piteous entreaty was frozen in them. 
 The white lips moved. * Royal my love I The 
 white fingers clutched the pencil convulsively. There was 
 a terrible throb at that heart that had borne so much a 
 grayish pallor crept over the beautiful face and the 
 chord of life snapped suddenly in twain. 
 
 It was Lillian s hand that swung open the door. Royal 
 was but a step behind her ; and, just as hapless Rose had 
 foreseen, he held the fluttering page in his hand, his face 
 white with horror. He had read the record. He knew 
 the pitiful truth. 
 
 cthin^ in the pallid face so white, so still, so set, 
 the y.v-rds on his lips. Too late! Never again in 
 
PRETTY UOSK HALL. 
 
 this world would words of anger, sorrow, or reproach 
 harm her. Her ears were closed to all mortal sounds. 
 The penalty of sin had wrapped, its mantle closely about 
 her wrapped her close in the folds of death ! 
 
 " Lillian," cried the young husband, springing into the 
 room, then reeling back with a horrified cry. Oh, 
 Lillian, look! She is dead!" 
 
 Lillian s grief was as frantic as his own, and their 
 cries soon brought the servants flocking in terror to the 
 rot>m. Royal Montague knew what had caused her death 
 so suddenly, and his heart bled. 
 
 He saw the card on the table addressed to Lillian, which 
 might reveal her story, and he transferred it to his pocket 
 together with the torn page ere others came hurrying into 
 the room. 
 
 The scene that followed they never forgot. Royal 
 Montague could not be persuaded to leave the darkened 
 room where the dead girl lay. He would have given his 
 life to have saved her. Oh, how different life might have 
 been if she had made a confidant of him from the very 
 first! 
 
 He forgot her sin remembering only how he had loved 
 the beautiful, brilliant girl who lay before him with her 
 white hands crossed over her pulseless breast. Never 
 more would those hands caress him, nevermore would 
 the dark eyes brighten, the tender, laughing lips smile for 
 him. She lay silent Heaven alone would judge beauti 
 ful, hapless Rose. 
 
 The funeral was over at last, and when all that was 
 mortal of the lovely girl had been laid to rest, then, and 
 not until then, did Royal Montague give Lillian the card 
 which her sister had left for her. 
 
 Royal and Lillian were the only ones who ever knew 
 her story, and they wisely decided to bury it forever from 
 the eyes of the world. The words on the marble shaft 
 that pointed heavenward, and around which the wooing 
 breeze and the robins loved to linger, read : 
 
PRETTY ROSE HALL. 255 
 
 ACRED TO THE MEMORY OF ROSE, 
 BELOVED WIFE OF ROYAL MONTAGUE, 
 AGED EIGHTEEN YEARS. 
 May she sleep in peace. 
 
 Celia Derwent never knew the fatal revelation the 
 weighted handkerchief revealed. Nor did Willard Sin 
 clair learn, when he read the sad story of the death of 
 Royal Montague s young wife, that it was the same girl 
 whom he had known as Rose Hall. 
 
 From the moment beautiful Rose was laid to rest, Mrs. 
 Hall commenced to fail visibly. She loved Lillian gen 
 tle Lillian who was spared to her but, ah, Rose had been 
 her idol! 
 
 She never knew the pitiful story of Rose s life. Lillian 
 and Royal mercifully spared her the knowledge of the 
 tragedy that had passed beneath her very eyes. It was 
 better so. 
 
 A year or more after the death of Rose the dear old 
 lady lingered, but she was never known to smile again. 
 [And when at last the end came, and she knew that Lillian 
 would soon be left alone and friendless, she sent for 
 Royal Montague. " I commend her to your care, Royal/ 
 she said. Those were the last words she ever uttered. 
 
 There was but one way in which Royal Montague knew 
 how to properly care for gentle Lillian Hall, and that was 
 to marry her. 
 
 At first sweet Lillian demured, tears falling like rain 
 from her blue eyes. 
 
 " Oh, no, no ! She could never take the place of beau 
 tiful, hapless Rose." 
 
 Gently he led her to the desk, where they kept the card 
 Rose had written that last solemn farewell and he read 
 Rose s last words to her : " Try to make him happy." 
 
 "Do you realize what she meant by that, dear?" he 
 asked, gently drawing the slender, shrinking form toward 
 him. " It means that we shall marry, if we can lean- t<> 
 love each other, and we know by past experience that lov 
 ing each other will be no difficult task." 
 
- ) .* PRETTY ROSE HALL. 
 
 Her answer must have pleased him, for, on one of the 
 outward-bound steamers that sailed for Europe not long 
 after, were Royal Montague and Lillian his wife. 
 
 Celia Derwent never married. Perhaps fate si 
 avenging hand in condemning her to a loveless life. 
 
 There is little more to add. Royal and Lillian are 
 happy now. 
 
 They have been married several years, and two children 
 bless their union a sturdy boy with blue flashing eyes, 
 and a little g irl-^ a timid, beautiful little creature, with 
 great dark soulful velvety eyes, a lovely face like 
 son heart of a passion-flower, and a grac 
 crowned with a mass of jetty curlinghair. 
 
 The boy they call Royal, and the dark-r 
 maiden is named Rose. 
 
 Though Lillian and Royal are happy in their perfect 
 love, and know it was the will of Heaven that they should! 
 be given to each other at last, in the sunshine of their: 
 happiness they never forget that other Rose whose mem* 
 ory is ever dear to them, and many a tear they dropj 
 among the beautiful crimson blossoms that wreathe trMj 
 
 grave of hapless Rose. 
 
 . 
 
 THE END. 
 
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