, 1872-12-25
minute and then, ssDid you swim the river

me the pleasure-whiei eIse might not have
Ead-of delivering this in safety"
| He drew from his pocket, as he spoke, email
box, carefully and securely tied. The strings
gave way at one impatient jerk OF his fingers,
and, when ne lifted the cover, ne saW-eVen by
the dim frelight-a fresh, half-blown rose,
! lying on q bed OF vet cotton.
It was certainly lovely thing, but I was una
| bio to appreciate it's loyeliness just then. I
looked from it to the man who had ridden thirty
miles, and riskad his life to obtain it; and his
| appearance-epattered with mud from head to
foot, and significant in every line OF utter e1-
| haustion-seemed to rob its fresh beauty of half
the charm rfghtful1y appertaining to it. think
Rosalind felt this aa we'll as I. She certainly
| flushed crimson,. and, when he presented the
flower, hesitated like shy schoolgirl, in doubt
| what to say.
sI am almost ashamed to thank yon," she
said, at last, in q low voice. Instead, ought
having allowed you to incur 70 much danger and
| fatigue for mere capEice-a mere t1itla like
this"
| swell done, Rosalind u thought; and ex-
pected that Stuart would answer at once with
fervent disclaimer Of the danger and the fatigue;
but, to my surprise, he scarcely seemed to un-
| bend, even under the lustrous eyes that were
fastened on him. I could scarcely think that it
was indeed Stuart Carew who answered go co1dly
and BtifHy:
"To have gratifed even your caprice, Miss
| Earle is An honor for which am not migrate
ful, +" he said, little grandioBely. "Both the
I danger and the fatigue are over now, and indeed
we're never worth mentioning. As you reminded
| me this morning, Z have incurred almost as
! much for q canteen Of brandy. But and his
| voice seemed to harden q little here-''if you
| thought that had served you in even the Ieast
| degree, that fact might surely have induced you
| to spare me the unnecessary insult found
| awaiting me- an hour ago on the banks Of the
Wye"
| - AN INSULT" repeated Rosalind, sharply.
| "What do you mean 2"
r{n E,oo .r:t1
infection Of sudden passion, Hh1vering, as 1t
were, the studied coldness in his voice sWhat
else could I mean? mean the contemptuous
words in which you bade me remain where I
across tho river if it had been ten timeg tho
flood it is, to fulfil my word to answer your
challenge, to provo to you that I an not an
saeminase t coward, nor yet presuming fortune
"You do not know what you are skying!" said
Rosalind, for once, moro amazed than naughty.
"You forget yourself, and will try to forget
this folly. Forgive me- it there was anything
with unusual gent1eness. I think the young
fellows pale, passionate face touched her sud
that you had DONE"
II you mean what have done to-day, do not
think OF it," he answered. almost fercely.
'Only your bitter taunts stung me into it. Love
had nothing to do with such service as that
Rosalind Earle. But love has had much-ny
God! it has had everything to do with every
other act Of my life since have known you, and
it-this love which you knew as well as 1-might
have won little belief, little respect from
you, even though you are suffering vanity and
suspicion to eat away your heart"
'Iou-you are mad! said Rosa1ind~ "What
have ever done or said that you should pre-
stme to speak to me like this 2"
II will tell you what you have done and
said,' he answered. "You have showed me,
more than once, that you thought me- mer--
IcourHraf WIN gnakipy
yonr wealth alone, and you have said-in
black and white within the last three hours
words SO full OF scornful contempt, 80 evidently
intended to rebuko any possible presumption on
my part, that even your love. If It were offered
me this moment, could scarcely blot them
OUT
The blaze which had fickered up just after the
speakers entrance, died down now to dull
glow. which barely revealed the outlines of the
two figures facing each other on the hearth.
Even in this obscurity, however, SAN Rosalnd
suddenly put her hands to her face.
"You are hard Oh me-" she said, in q voice
TS could Sc sfaFssl reel think "as her own' T
"Yes, you meant it-an," stuart answered
II, who have loved you as. / can scarcely learn
to love another woman, who have hoped
to your better nature-eyen know that you
meant it. Even have opened my eyes at last
to the bitter realization that 7 have been your
plaything and your slave too long already, and
that, it wish to preserve se1f-respect, mustbe
q free man from tonight"
"Your alayezy was your own choice," Rosa
ind's understanding strangely out Of the Bhad-
ows-said. IT had no share in it.. Your tree~
dom; therefore, is not mine to gTe."
"But it ahau be mine to take !" he said, with
passionate vehemence, which must have thrilled
her, for it thrilled oven me. n have sworn it,
and will do it. II it can be accomplished in no
ftfs 1theF Way wi" never see your face again after
She started slightly, but laughed-a faint, ner-
Youa sound.
"Is it necessary to be go melodramatic ?" she
asked. "suraly my poor face can do you no
great amount Of harm"
HARM" he answered, bitterly. "A1e1odramatic!
That is what people like you-people who have
no passion-always say Of those who are fools
enough to give you their hearts. Mine has
troubled you for the last time, however" No
doubt shall DO sorry tomorrow that I have
been sufficiently mad to utter all this, but can
not be sorry nov. could not leave you forever
without having spoken the truth. It is folly to
love you IS we'll as have done, let me beg you
to doubt him less than you have doubted me-
He turned from her abruptly with those
words, and walked straight to the door-straight
past me, whoEe presence he had quite forgotten
as if be feared to trust his resolution minute
longer in her presence.
70 my surprise, Rosalind followed him quick
ly, and laid her hand on his arm as he WAS OPEN
lux Ll6 lOOAs
aWhat is the meaning Of this7" she asked.
imperious1y. "Where are you going?"
at you will be kind enough to make my
excuses to Colonel Beresford," he said, II am
going back to X-.'
s'You do not mean that you will cross that
river again?"
''What have done once, can certainly do
again." he answered, coldly. "Pa1don me-, Miss
Earle, but will you let me pass2"
" One minute" said she, with something-s
strange thriu-in her voice. 'Y You have been
very harsh, very unkind to me- and that, too,
just after you have laid me under such an obi
cation; but have not forgotten that it is Christ
mas-eye, and have not forgotten, either, that I
promised this morning to grant you the right Of
asking Christmas gift in return for tho one
you we're to bring me-the oneyou hare brought:
Stuart II cannot: express the goftness and
sweetness OF her tone as she spoke his name
shave you none to ask ?"
Although wag at some distance, heard the
young man draw in his breath With q quick gasp
before he answered. Then it was very hoarsely.
'Rosalind, why are you tempting me- like
this why can you not let me- go? It can be
nothing h11t vanity whicll rnAkea Won want tha