The Shadow of a Sin

until she was outside the door, in the free, fresh air; the walls of the old house seemed to stifle her. Her young soul was awakened, but it rose in a hot glow of rebellion against this new devic

ht was in

den paths-"it is not just. Everything has liberty, love, and happiness-why should not I? The birds love each other, t

d not be! She shed passionate tears. She prayed, in her wild fashion, passionate prayers. Better for her a thousand times had she been commonplace, unromantic, prosaic-better that the flush of youth and the sweet longings o

saying how very pleased she should be to pay them a visit with her son Claude. Mrs. Lennox was very rich. Claude was heir to a large fortune

g man with difficulty concealed his annoyance, were given in their honor, and a

ll of graceful lines and curves that gave promise of magnificent womanhood. Her face was of oval shape; the features were exquisite, the eyes of the darkest blue, with long lashes; her lips were fresh and swee

Looking at her, one knew instinctively that she was not of the common order-that something of the poet and genius was there. Her brow was fair and rounded

an about her one day, and she gave him to understand that her granddaughter was engaged. She did not tell him t

he beautiful girl, who might be an heiress or might have nothing-to remember th

t of the Chase grounds, and though he did not utter his displeasure, the stern, angry look that he gave Claude, fully betrayed it. Hyacinth, whose glance had fallen to the ground in a sudden accession of shyness that she scarce understood, at her grandfather's approach, did not see his set, stern face. Nor did Sir Arthur speak to her of the matter. On talking it over to Lady Vaughan, the two old people concluded that a show of open opposition might awaken a favor toward Claude in the young girl's heart to which it was yet a stranger, and they

rley had almost offered him her daughter. Was he to be defied and set at naught in this way-he, a Lennox, come of a race who had never failed in love or war? No, it should never be; he would win Hyacinth in spite of all. He disarmed suspicion by ceasing, when they met, to pay her any particular attention. Hi

t he soon became so interested, that he believed his life depended on winning her. She was so different from other girls. She was child, poet, and woman

ention Hyacinth's name; but as he was going out, he gave one of the footmen a sovereign and learned from him that Miss V

bedience; he talked to her only of love, and of how he loved her and longed to make her his wife. She was very young, very impressionable, very romantic; he succeeded completely in blinding her to the harm and wrong she was doing; but he could not win from her any acknowledgement of her love. She enjoyed t