Morris tribune., 1880-08-19

H. a dnc IolC cOVerSu WIN CONFUSION. II
she had forgotten that little episode at
the bell, he had not. b #
"Excuse my not being able to rise" he
stammered. "I-I-belieye-7I am told
that owe q great deal to you
"Oh, no; not at all, she answers, bring
ing small chair and sitting down beside
him, SO that the filelight played on her
really charming face. "I met Mrs. AyI-
mel. and she said that you were here all
| alor", and that it would be charity to
come and talk to you. did not feel al
together sure of that" with ring of
mockery in her tone, "because you know
conversation cant be Oh one side, and
you have not the remotest idea what to
ray 10 me. as you once said.''
Fanes confusion is really painful to
see. 5s -i si ss lEs iI~-s4l.. s@s
"Are you fond Of musics 2" inquiries Miss
Wylde, after moments pause, during
which she seemed to enjoy hiss discom-
future.
"Passiona;elv," he answeres.
She rlses and opens the piano. plays
few soft chords, and then she sings in The
sweetest voice Ee has ever heard. And
as he listens with delight that grows to
rapture, he forgets what he has thought
of her in the past, and looks at her al
most with reverence, as though she were
some white winged angel. From song
to song, all tender, pathetic, harmonious.
till suddenly she breaks into a snatch of
a music hall song.
''StOp! for heavens sake, stopw almost
| shriekes Fame, so loud that she looks at
HIM startled, and gets up from the piano.
GLOW could you," he says, reproach-
fully, "after YOU had carried me right up
into heaven z"
"Oh," she answers cooily enough, "I
did not know how your particular taste
ran. Bournemouth, now, dotes on that
song, and yawns over the Others"
"Bournemouth is bralnless jackr
cries Fame, with intense irritation.
81 suppose" observes Miss Wylde,
calmly, seating herself at little distance
from him, "that it is in India's burning
cline you acquired your charming habit
o. out spokenness?
land l beg you ten thousand pardons.
But to see you looking like an angel, to
rear your exqul:ite voice, end then to be
Elought down with run to the memory
of low music hail. .,,
"Thark yot,' returns his companion.
II will take che sweet with the bitter,
and try to get them to mix"
She sits and talks for half an hour
quite swcetly and gently, without once
c-y .ng anything to vex him.
"You will come again, won't you9"
ne urges, IN tones of the deepest entreaty,
as be holds the hand she gives him at
parting. .......-..-
Perhaps" she says, with a tantaliz-
ing smile from Eer wonderful eyes. ., .,.-
| When she has gone Fale lies back and
thinks hat a madness of delight it would
be TO have lose eyes always looking at
him with that expression. But it would
be madness of quite another kind, he re.
fleets to see them fixed in the same way
on ary other man.
A week goes by. Alan is still confin-
ed to the sofa. and every day, regularly.
his lovely visitant comes in and sings and
talks to linn. In the whole week not one
trace of her cloven foot has appeared. On
the seventh day, as she sits besides him,
she says, suddenly: II am going away
to- morrow
Then Fame is quite certain of what he
before suspectec-that he il madly, pas
siOnatelv in love with her. He looks
yearning. wistiullv at her for a moment,
then tuning away with heavy sigh, he
says:
Perhaps it is as we'll, after all"
"Whya" she asks, quietly.
Because" he answers, In a suppress
ed voice, ''if saw much more OF you, l
should be obliged TO make fool of my
SELF "a q ...f>,
"Howa'' still the some constrained voice
ana manner. -.......
"By asking you to marry me. Of
course hurriedly, IL know you would
refuse me. Sometimes" with sharp
upward glauce, Il think you want to
make me do il in revenge for my brutal
rudeness to vou."
| A slight blush comes into the girls
face. .s .tr.. ..t ....,... ...-...
NO." she says, II don't bear malice
hated you for the lime; oh, how hated
you I hid serious thoughts of getting
BournemouGh or one of them to call you
out. Well," Ter voice trembling, "sup-
pose you make a fool of yourself, and
and--suppose let you; what then?"
He seizes her hand and draws her to-
ward him.
lido you know" he cries, his eyes
flashing and every feature quivering with
intense excitement, 81 worship you to
that degree that it lies in your power to
make my whole life a curse to me? Not
by refusing mel might get over that;
men do somehow-but by marrying me,
land then changing from the angel you
have oeen lately to what you were when
/ first saw You.'' sa
Il ''Wnat was I theng'' she asked. GA
, fends" # M HEs ~
II "No." s.s.t5s s4e, ss
II Something between the twol" ma.
!, liciously.. 81 seemed always destined to
be something between two things"
.Don'ti" he cries, almost violently
"For heavens sake, don't jest about 1t
d Oh, if you knew how men adore end rev.
erence good women, and how they loathe
. q fastness and coarseness that make la
dies seem to approach what is common
/ and unchastc, you could never trv tc
J lower yourselves in our eyes, and
think it good fun! I have moth
era saint, an angel. Never lid
, hear an ungentlc, unseemly word from
; her lips.a What do you think I shoulC
feel i my wife raped out slang or told
) a doubtful story in her prescncer'
al "Oh,th you think me capable OF thats
asked the girl, in quiet voice. but witt
tears Of bitter modification in her eyes
81 my darling" he cries, beside himself
/ l"I don know what to think / only know
3 / love you with all my SOUL
II She drags her hand from his grasp anC
3 moves away. e.s ss5 .,..s...,g..... .,..
H.. Never, has he so cruelty felt his help
Il lessness. II it were not for his broken 10.
u he would rush to her; he would not le
!. her 60. @ llaa 's9s9a ael sf8
al "Come back, darlingi" he implores
!. aFor heavens sake come back aud tel
me that you care for me ti4.aa +.
) "No,a she cried with flashing eyes
mot until you have more confidence il
me than you seem to bave to. day. sl''
ri And to Fane's agony she went out AN,
: he hears her ride away. VI ).