The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-07

ut lengthi g you had better write ut once" She
started and pushed back her. hair.
lce. VIII do II ut once" She said and dip
ping tn" pen In tho Ink hastily wrote n few
incs. which shc banded to mo for inspection.
cusead herself on tho plrn Of y hradnchr.
Have YOU an cnyrlop"2" she asked. ns I
gave her back thu not, can't 6nd one"
was in tn dining room. When returned sid.
ney sGi,i hnrri"Ils; |oh. I'm sorry to have
an.r ali Their. is the NOT" and She Minded I" I,
To- ~" srnrd and addressed,
., For nhT ihe stcrcotypcd excuse ia not = ~,
Tor my head does really nrhr distrnctingly.' she
nIlnl. passing her hand over her forehead.
| 'h,nk thrr, Is ihund'r in the air. lwill 20
dinner, SO plense don't let me b disturbed. II
| mn, better toward : u''ln"k | shall 20 md
7p"nl mn hour 1T a." : Cottns".'" ,,
my cousin. Lldy IIiilynr,l. WAS the next house
to nin". and tho two gardens r"n,inuni 'nted by
means oi n door IN nm ,yy;roy@r.d wall.
" y" 50. my lear. Lady Hiynrd Is always
clnd I" sr' you.' answered
Sue paused u r"rl"nt NJ the door. turning the
knob IN her hnnd then coming suddenly hnck
To my aid" abe put her hanlS on my shoulders
moss ~ hrr handsome dark eyrsI
Dearest, kind"St. hos, oi Runtics. forgive
your grn"ci"sss nirrr." sh" snid, with y irrinu-
lou~ smile; forgive me. not only for d",riying
you. hnt for nil my cnuri"n anil ingratitudr
Tell me that"-hrr heat drooprd on my
shoulder" tell mc Tint you love TIE little in
NV poor child. c,n Won doubt it?" cxclaim-
eI. much touched. stroking the brnids oi her
Shn lifted her ia'c md Kissed mo once--,wire
anu irt tear on my chrck the next moment
shr was gone. md was left to my own mediia-
tions.
Tint they were not altogether pleasant onra
may I've Imagined. TIL" more ! reflected ON
whnt had pnseed. md the oltrn"r ! read my
brnthcrs letter. III" morr anxious grew
, hf conld hn'' bni one reason Tor obrrting to
hrr int"rrours" with the Ltrhtwouds. and when
remembered Tint sh" had h'en In constant
communication With them Tor the Past three
months. with nlmos' daily, npportuuiiirs ~
ANYTHING hut comfortable.
lonR~l tor my brothers arrival, and vet half
temper.
1t was not wonderful that had but little ap-
polite for dinner that day.
My solitary meal was soon over md I re-.
turned To- the drawing room. and tried ~ ocru-
~ mySen as usual. hut found that | WIS too
The heat. instead ~ Diminishing. seemed 10
Increase rs the evening advanced. There WAS
a"urious hush nnd stiffness. ike the stillnrss
~ dread. in the sultry air, broken only hv the
distnnt mutt"ring Of thunder. AMI tho fright
ened twiiter nj bird hdinc beneath the leaves
Night came down with rush" las In the
'roricsl An hour before its time. ut O'clock Il
was dnrk-so dark that looking out through
room. could not even trace the outline of the
shrnblcrr trees all WAS n vague. black void.
10, Tor goodness sake. mh'nm. shut the win
dow. rrird my odd servant. Carter. when she
cana In with n Gun Of coffee: ." thu storni'll hc
ubN'h We ulONlfs anu. " 1 IN niN M
taken; It'll DO the worst we've had this many n
ycnr.'
The words were hardly out OF her mouth when
Tn" outer darkness was suddenly rent by mn
awful binding fash ot lightning which literally
seemed I" set thr sky on flre. and, barely a mo-
ment after the thund"r crashed close above thu
roof 10 close that invountarily crouched and
! put my hands to my heni.
carter screamed. and chung to me. Ior' a
mercy! IT'S like the day o Judgment" she
shut all the doors aud windows" said.
. INNf1l uaRae Na..a NJ.
b, Better l-av" Mas Sidney TO herself. mn'am.
! u you'll "Ncns" me- Carter replied. in her
/ So" Il shr was frightened. anil would like me tn
/ 81 with her. anl ~" answered. very short that
shr had s"cn 'nn"h wor~" storms than this
W. %. I'M mn ,t' JaI, wan, my company
=, don, know, maom spoke to her through
Tho storm proved indcod the worst we had
known ior years tn; SKY was III up almost
though none y the .ae sfn {. is s M1 90
nwfnlly vivid as the first the ;hundrr I,'.nl.l IA
II AZ hcny-n's artillery had op"n.d mr." on the
earth. and the rain came down Ike n .'ntarart
sheer ind strong. and loud" In liitr NOR.
Than hall an hour. however. 1t hal sr"nt It's
and the rnin abniei, threw the window open
again, and admitted n steam OF cool. delicious
air; thin, turning w the lamp, which | had
lowered during tho storm took up my work
! and sat down nn the sofa.
had get the door open. so that could see
/ across th- hall and half way up the stairs. and
kept 4inncing M from my work in IN" expec-
mtion Of se-ing sidney descend. for it was now
Within anil without tho house was profoundly
si!ll, md the measured tick tack" ~ the old
fashioned co-S on the stairs sounded unnatur-
/ lei; lonely and unaccountnby depressed.
! and began 10 wish impatIrnty that Sidney
/ would come down and keep me- company.
is too nte now for her u 20 to Lady Hill
yards. rrfle ted. - the clock struck eight
ins tow"rd III" stairs. saw her da ." linz
/ she nal changed nor dress Tor darker ons.
and wore q long. black cashmere mantle, the
I mood OF which was drawn over her head. Her
lace, In its dark frame. looked startlngly
She came noisela.sly down stairs and ncross
the hall opposite t.i- draw ne room door she
paused md looked In nj me. but did not speak
rc ssptss{; yog 1re not folng to the Cottage TO-
ply. but passed on out OF sight
Something IN her looks and manner made me
caused me 70 stnrt TO my leet. Suppose she
! wns not going b. Indy Hillyard's nf,'r MI !?
lions. hu, threw down my work and fello Sed
| hrr. She had already quilted the house. leav-
ing the front door partly open.
Going out into tn. verandah. saw hor walk
ing rapidly down the side path toward the door
In thu garden walk | called TO her. hut she
kept on without he.hinG me. However. | frlt
70 he Cottage. and only wondered anxionsy
whether she had been - imprudcnt as to rush
oq 6. d rS lad pd Sn eh sG@sI CEASED and D
ever troubled it, though the heavy rain
clouds had not yet dispersed. and the
moon was climbing her way YEARLY through
their dark masses. The breeze blew fresh aud
cool. bringing with II the rich. moist scent II
damp earth and grass. II was all 50 pleasant
TINT WAS tempted to finger a little out Of doors.
threw shawl over my bend. and began to
pace up and down the verandah.
About half an hour had passed thus and
was lust about TO turn indoors when heard
wheels approaching along the road They
stopped ut my gate. and presently hired hv
appeared in the drive. and drew up NJ the door.
tall figure. muned in travelling wrhps. alght-
ed. and the next moment was In my brothers.
arms. pouring out ejhculntiOns OF surprise
and broken words Of welcome. After a
hasty embrace he released me. paid and dis
missed the cabman, then followed me into tho
drawing room,
Where is Sidney ?" was his first question.
Ms he glanced round tho room.
She Ia spendng the evening with Lady Hill
yard We did not expect you till tomorrow |
will send and fetch her"
Wait q moment" he interposed. laying his
hand on mine Ms | was about TO ring the bell.
! want to have little talk with you FIRST. SIT
down. Catherine.
He tossed his wraps on to the sofa and sank
into a chair, running his fingers through his
hair. Handsome Dane" as he had been
called, was handsome still, | thought, MS |
looked at him: but his face WAS worn and pale.
and there was n look OF haggard anxiety in his
dark eyes.