The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-05-04
She should find Chat

0utwardly at least. de would do any
thing rather than betray the longing
which he had had so much difficulty il
concealing during her recent visit to hi.
chambers. He would treat the whole
matter in conventional way; there was
some fun to be got out Of the idea that
he was doing no more than civility de.
manded in returning her call-only he
did not get the fun.
ArkwOod had said that she had beer
much disturbed, and it made him un.
comfortable to think of her in distress
tears, perhaps, with pale face and agi.
tated voice. He did not know how he
should act If she should appear peni-
tent for her share in the past misery.
The mere thought of it was sapping his
resolve to be perfectly calm and to
make the conversation as brief as posi-.
bic. When he stood at the door Of Col
enel Cuthbert's house he would have
been glad of an excuse to turn away.
But Arkwood promptly rang the bell;
and they were conducted upstairs to
the drawing-room.
Dark brown hangings which covered
the door of an inner room were drawn
aside and Miss Cuthbert advanced to
the visitors. Maurice became immedi-
ately conscious that there was no dam
ger of any severe test of his feelings:
her quiet self-possession assured him of
that. But she was very pale and her
countenance, although calm, indicated
that she had exercised much effort to
nerve herself to the performance Of sad
but unavoidable duty.
81 have kept my promise, Miss Cuth-
bert" said Arkwood before she had
time to speak; land now, with your
leave, shall at once retire.
There was no awkwardness in her
manner of thanking him, no hint of sur
prise at his abrupt departure.
They were alone together.
He stood, hat in hand, head slightly
bowed, and conscious that she was
looking at him. But he was not con-
scious of the sadness in the eyes, or of
the ripple of agitation which passed
over the face.
s'Mr. Calthorpe!"
He raised his eyes; he fancied that he
detected a slight tremor on the lips, and
that he distinguished faint echo of the
old sweet voice which used to sound so
unsteady in his ears in the little room
in Camberwell. He had an experience
similar to that of the Sultan in the fairy
tale who. under the influence of great
magician, imagined himself acting his
part in the events of a long life during
the brief space that. he could hold his
head in a tub of water. The richly
furnished chamber in which they stood
was transformed into the poor one of
of his old lodging; he saw himself and
Lucy as they then were; the same feel
ings thrilled through him and clear
vision of all that had happened up to
the moment when he first saw Miss
Cuthbert passed before him; all in the
space which could only be counted an
awkward pause.
Her sensations were the reflection of
his; but they were overshadowed by the
remembrance of that wild scene in the
bungalow.
Il beg your pardon" Miss Cuth-
bert" he said, and in spite of the effort
he made, his voice was not so steady as
he wished it to be.
She turned her head aside for a
moment and then said, quietly:
q hope you will forgive me for hav-
ing troubled You to come. know that
the meeting can not be-agreeable to
you; and you can at least you
will understand that it is painful to me-"
He was not comfortable; he was not
resolute; he was not calm. If she had
only been a man he could have told her
bluntly that their position was such as
to render their meeting most undesira-
BILE; and that what he could not under
stand was why she should have been so
urgent in desiring it. But he almost
stammered as he replied vaguely:
sit would have been as well, perhaps
indeed, l can not see why you should
be troubled with my presence at ALL
There was another pause, her eyes
fixed upon him all the time; he remain
ing quite still, glancing vacantly at a
window. Then she advanced slowly to
him, holding out her hand.
"Mr. Calthorpe," she said. in clear,
earnest voice, sit was necessary to see
you; wish to ask you to forgive me-"
He took the hand mechanically; his
brain was undergoing series of electric
shocks which dazed his intellect and
blinded his eyes. That passed and he
looked straight in her face, analysing
it, searching eagerly in every shade Of
expression for the answer to the ques-
tiOn-"Is she in earnest now?" Tie
very intensity of this passion made
him calm. At that moment he realized
what she had already grasped before
his arrival, that the situation was too
grave to allow of any awkwardness be-
tween them. They were standing face
to face with their whole future, and
their hands now clasped in them the
possibilities of their lives.
81 do not know how to answer you,
Miss Cuthbert," he said at length;
unless it can be an answer to tell you
that life will be easier to me than had
expected it to be until now that / have
seen You again, and heard you speak
these words. They will enable me to
remember you only as Lucy"
"That will suffice, and l thank you.
1 wish you to remember me as Lucy,
and that is why l am going to ask you
now to permit me to show you how l
came to make the the mistake"
She gently withdrew her hand; there
had been no pressure on his part or
hers. On ringing the bell Mrs. O'Bryan
appeared.
"You may tell him to come now,
mother"
Mrs. O'Bryan disappeared; and
presently the handle of the door was
turned hesitatingly, and Teddy, the
patriot, entered. He looked crest
fallen; his red hair, which used 90 be
like tangled mop, lay close and lank