The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-11-03

over sometimes in a sort of feverish
eagerness till tue warm breath on the
glass dimmed the already dim light, but
never once looking up, or down, or
away-anywhere, in short, but straight
at the old. old papers! A fierce, fiery
red burned in the cheeks, and the lips
were firm and compressed, and the
scarlet shawl folded over the bosom rose
and fell in short. sharp undnlations.
Suddenly door opened and shut, and
then slow, careless step came up the
stairs. With the speed of lightning she
thrust the papers back into the cabinet,
sprang ross the floor, and out into the
library passage Just as the east door
opened, and Alfred DeVries came into
the dusky little "office-room." Mr..
DeVries looked suspiciously. at the
drawn-up curtains; then he went across
the floor and tried the other door very
much as she had done that, and looking
equally satisfied at finding it fast.
There is no knowing what she
might take fancy TO do. and it's well
enough to be on the safe side." he said.
under his breath, as he took a little
bunch of keys from drawer in the
desk, and quietly proceeded to lock the
writing desk. the cabinet and the two
small drawers in the table.
This done. he drew down the cur
tains, locked tine door on the inside, and
taking the key, inserted it in the lock of
the other door, turned it, went out,
locked it after him. and went down the
passage to the library.
In the meantime Stella Blake had pre-
coded him, and when he opened the
library door she looked up at him with
an indifferent glance from her seat by
the window
Are you book-worm, Miss Stella"
he said, lightly, "that you haunt the
library so? 1t would be rather pleasant
to be book in that case, to be devoured
by such pretty lips
He said this coming towards her all
the time, and just as he stopped speak
ing, stopped also directly in from: of her.
looking down Mt the slight, graceful fig
ure, the pure oval of the outlined face,
and the heavy coils of ietty hair encir-
cling her head like crown.
Il never read some books; 1 do not
think MIR. DeVries would be in the
slightest danger" she said. coolly, ris-
ing TO go out.
''But suppose he courted the danger
what thenp"
She was going past him; he put out
his arm and caught her round the waist.
There was ringing box ON his ears,
which half stunned him.
SLOW dare you, sirr' she cried, stamp
ing her foot; show dare you insult me
i'm this way, Mr.. DeVries9'
Even through the dusk and gloom he
saw the stormy glittdfof her eyes, and
the angry red surging in her face. How
royal she was in her wrath! How diff
ferent from Althea Montford. For an
instant the thought of wooing this little
tempest-of bringing all the fascina-
tions of which he could boast to bear
upon the fiery, passionate young heart,
flashed through his brain alluringly.
But another instant of reflection
showed its folly and impossibility. 1t
would not be very pleasant living in
the house with Althea should he at
tempt such thing. even if he was sure
that he could keep his present position
with Mr.. Mont.ord But latterly Vic
tor had shown symptoms of restless
ness. Once he had said that when he
his majority. in December, he
wished to be made acquainted with all
the details of his fathers affairs. so rs
to prepare himself to take charge of
them at no distant day. He was a lit
tie afraid of the straightforward. open
hearted, fearless young fellow. He
could not hold him as he held his father.
by fear and superior viii. There
would be but one course left for him if
the boy insisted on taking his work out
of his hands, and that was to marry
Althea. All these considerations ran
through his mind with lichtning-like
rapidity. No; as much as his inclna-
tons leaned towards it, lie knew it
would not be safe to indulge in the lux
nry of winning this fiery little sphinx
So he bowed very humbly, and said. in
a regretful tone, that he ''couid never
forgive himself for his impertinence.
and he would try to control himself in
he future, even if the temptation was
50 much greater than his strength"
Stella escaped to her room. white and
and falling on her knees,
lifted a pale. emotional face to Heaven
n low, solemn-f faced VOW: but there
we're no tears in the upiifted eyes, nor
40 softness about the beautiful lips.