LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 719, 9 October 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE STORY OF BERYL KARR. By Mrs Alexander Fraser. (Continued.) ■ No, indeed,' cried Paul, quickly removing her hand from where it rested. < The gas which is being evolved here is the moss subtle and dangerous known to chemistry. You had better come away, Miss Karr.' ' No. I want to know about this subtle and dangerous gas,' she answered wilfully. ' Carl, I did not know you went in for such awful things.' ' That is not one of my experiments. It is hydrocyanic acid that Lennard is preparing,' said Carl.

' Exactly; so you see Misa Karr must be obedient and come away. You have no idea of its properties,' he went on, turning to Beryl. One drop of the pure substance is sufficient to kill; and the preparation of it requires infinite care, since the vapour in small quantities will produce fatal results.' ' Horrible!' cried the girl, her rose-leaf colour fading. You should not tamper with such things. Suppose you killed yourself.'

'lt would not signify much if I did. My life is not of consequence, like Carl's, you know. You may be sure I don't involve him in dangerous experiments.' ' Very good of him, is it not, Beryl, asked Carl. You see, he knows you would miss me so much. But I must go, so au revoir.' Silence lasted for a moment or so after he left. For the first time in her life a strange shyness came over Beryl; for the first time she felt a want of self-confidence. Paul's manner was so different from what she had expected. She had imagined he would be radiant with delight at seeing her; in lieu of which he was stiff, reserved, and almost rude. True, she could not help being conscious that he regarded her with an admiration more eloquent than many words ; but feeling the blood deepening in her cheeks under his gaze, she chose to consider this a fresh cause of offence, and she turned petulantly to go out. 'Since Carl has gone, I will not detain you,' she said with hauteur. She looked so pretty, and yet so angry, that Paul could not resist a faint smile. He understood so well why she had come, and the feelings that actuated her leaving so quickly, that he felt tempted to amuse himself by adding a little more to the fire of petulance before he indemnified himself after his own fashion for the self-denial of the last few days. Even to look at her was such a pleasure to this man, who worshipped beauty, that he longed to make the most of its changing moods. He wanted to watch the sea-shell colour vary, to note each play of the facile mouth, to meet the full glow of her eyes, before he won her back—as he knew he could win her back —to her usual sparkling self. * You do not detain me, I assure you. I must beg of you to believe that I am highly honored by your unexpected visit. My experiments can easily wait your pleasure.' 'lt is not necessary that they should do so,' replied Beryl, fuming inwardly at the formality of his address. My pleasure is to find something more entertaining than chemistry. My curiosity is gratified already.' ' But you have gained no knowledge yet,' he said, laughing. Then he approached her. ' If you are going, you must let me go with you. Since I have been demoralised by a glimpse of your face, I cannot return to the books and gases, I assure you.' She frowned, blushed, and smiled all at once, the flower-like tints of her face growing brighter under his glance. But for all this Beryl was not really appeased. ' I merely came to gratify Carl,' she answered coldly. 'He thinks that before we are married I ought to learn something of his pet pursuit.' ' Yes, it would be enhancing his matrimonial bliss, your doing so,' he told her, with a sneer and with a jealous pang at his heart. 'He values you already so much above his hobby.' ' Of course he values me,' she asserted proudly. ' Take your life back into your own hands, and see if the loss of you stirs his impassive blood at all, he answered. ' If I took it back, what on earth should I do with it ?' she said, with an accent of pathos that was born of hopelessness. She had asked herself this question before, and knew the dreary answer well. ' Shall I tell you ? ' and Paul's voice had an intensity of passion in it. ' No ; how should you possibly know anything about it 1 ' she asked scornfully. 'Rather how can I help knowing?' he said, as her brown eyes met his own. ' From the first minute we saw each other I knew how little Carl was suited to you. Instinct told me. directly I looked into your face that your engagement to him owed, its 1 existence to your own ignorance of your self.'

'An ignorance which you kindly endeavored to enlighten for your own amusement! I owe you no gratitude, Mr Lennard, for that. You have fed my vanity and fanned the discontent of which I was barely conscious until you came and rendered my life miserable; and, as I say again, only for your own amusement.'

*Do you think so ?' he asked, with a sudden thrill in his tone that made her start. ' If I have rendered you miserable,' he went on, drawing nearer and speaking eagerly, ' it has been that I might in turn render you happy—that I might rescue you from the death in life to which you are doomed—that I might give you to the world for which you were born. Beryl, it is useless for me to say that I love you, you know it already; but you will tell me now whether you will tamely accept the life that has been made for you, or whether you will make your life by coming with me. I have no wealth, like Carlton Pelham, to offer you; but I love you, Beryl, and I offer you something better than wealth—freedom !' He uttered the last word in a tone that was like an electric shock to her ; her whole nature seemed to leap up in response. Still Beryl had principle and she did not lose a sense of right. 'You must not talk to me like this,' she said faintly, her face pale and her heart beating fast. 'lt is unkind, it dishonourable. You have no right.' ',No right!' he interrupted angrily. ' I have a right; it rests in my love for you. I ask no other. What does it matter t to me that you -are anianced to Carl? I would walk over a thousand Carlton Pelhams if it were a question of winning you at last.' ' But it is not a question of that,' Beryl said, his imperiousness rousing defiance in her,

' You are right; it is not a question but a certainty, for I will win you, Beryl. I have sworn myself to do it.' 'You cannot win me in despite of myself? said Beryl, to whom this masterful wooing was pleasant; and she looked up and met the pair of eager passionate eyes that were bent on her.

' Will it need to be despite yourself V he whispered in a softer voice. ' Beryl, you do not love Carlton Pelham, but can you not love me V

T To i>B continued.']