Part 15 (1/2)

”The air--is--close!” gasped Hepsy.

”You are fainting!”

”No; I am--better now.”

Hepsy made a desperate effort, and conquered her emotion.

Chester, always delicately thoughtful of the feelings of others, except when his enthusiasm carried him away, proceeded with his description, every word of which burned like fire in the poor girl's heart. And he--fond soul!--deemed that he was pouring the balm of comfort and the precious ointment of joy upon her spirit! For how could he pause to consider and know that every charm he ascribed to the professor's daughter demonstrated to the unhappy creature more and more vividly, and with terrible force, that she was utterly unlovely and unblest?

Contrasted with the enchanting valley of his love, how arid and desolate a desert seemed her life!

Meanwhile Miss Josephine Smith had early discovered the absence of Chester from the circle, and looked about to find him. She could not rest where he was not. Becoming thirsty again, she made another errand to the water-pail in the kitchen; but she drank only of the cup of disappointment. As soon, therefore, as she could do so, without making her conduct marked, she sought her loadstar in the parlor.

”How dreadfully tholitary you are to-night!” she exclaimed, with a smile which showed all her teeth. ”Do extricate yourself from that frightfully lonethome corner.”

She suddenly discovered that, still beyond the chair in which Chester was seated, there was another, not unoccupied.

”Ho, ho! what charmer have you there? You are getting to be an awfully dethperate flirt, Chethter Royden. Oh! n.o.body but Hepthy!”

”n.o.body but my good cousin Hepsy,” replied Chester, coldly.

”Dear me! I wouldn't have _thuthpicioned_ you could be tho fathinated with her!” she cried, in a tone she deemed cuttingly sarcastic.

”Miss Smith,” said Chester, quietly, ”you need not think, because _you_ happen to have _peculiar_ charms of person, that no others have graces of a different sort.”

”Oh, what an egregiouth flatterer!” returned Josephine Smith, shaking her meager curls. ”Come”--and she boldly seated herself,--”let me know what your interesting conversation is about.”

”We were just speaking of going into the sitting-room,” answered the young man, rising.

He stooped, and whispered to Hepsy.

”Leave me alone a few minutes, then I will come,” she murmured.

He pressed her hand, and walked away.

”Don't you thuppose, now,” said Miss Smith, following, and taking his arm familiarly, ”I think you have grown wonderfully handthome, thince you have been at school?”

Chester made some nonsensical reply, and, having conducted her to the sitting-room, coolly turned about, and reentered the parlor.

Hepsy's face was hidden in her hands. She was weeping convulsively.

”I thought what I said would make you happy,” he whispered.

Hepsy started; she choked back her sobs; she wiped her streaming eyes.

”It should make me happy,” she articulated, in broken tones.

”But,--leave me alone a little while--I shall feel better soon.”

”You are too much alone,” said Chester. ”You must come with me now.”