Cruel As The Grave

"All that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eye."

Sybil Berners was at this time about eighteen years of age--a beautiful,

black-haired, bright-eyed little brunette, full of fire, spirit,

strength, and self-will. She was a law to herself. No one, not even her

aged father, had the slightest control over her except through her

affections, when they could be gained, or her passions, when they could

be aroused; but this last means was seldom tried, for no one cared to

raise the storm that none could quell.

Her father was now nearly eighty years old. And fondly, jealously,

selfishly as he loved this darling daughter of his age, he wished to see

her safely married before he should be called from the earth.

And certainly the beautiful heiress had suitors enough to select

from--suitors drawn no less by her personal charms than by her great

fortune. But one and all were politely refused by the fastidious maiden,

who every one said was so very hard to please.

But even if Sybil Berners had accepted any one among the numerous

suitors for her hand, the conditions of her father's consent would have

been made rather difficult. The husband of the heiress would have been

required to assume the name and arms of Berners in order to perpetuate

the family patronymic, and to live with his wife at the old manor house

in order not to separate the only child from her aged father. And it was

not every proud young Virginian who would have given up his own family

name either for a fortune or a beauty. But none of her suitors were put

to the test, for Sybil promptly and unconditionally refused all offers

of marriage.

And the reason of all this was, that Miss Berners of Black Hall loved a

poor, briefless young lawyer, who had nothing but his handsome person,

his brilliant mind, and his noble heart to recommend him. When, or

where, or how her love for him began, she herself could never have told.

Since his return from the university she had seen him every Sunday at

church, and had grown to look and to long for his appearance there,

until it came to this pass with her soul, that the very house of God

seemed empty until his place was filled. And besides this, she often

saw him and heard him speak at political and other public meetings,

which she always attended only to beam in the sunshine of his presence,

only to drink in the music of his voice. She took in all the local

papers only to read his leaders and dream over his thoughts.

Moreover, she felt by a sure instinct that he passionately adored her,

even while ignorant of her love for him, and silent upon the subject of

his own passion.