Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-13
CHAPTER VI.
SHUT OUT.

Z W.. L
CHAPTER VI.
SHUT OUT.
When Guy Dandy turned his back on
POstletOn and upon the Deans daughter,
as he told himself, forever, he was quite
conscious of his own per1idy and dis
honor. But the knowledge, as YOU may
suppose, troubled him but little. The
only thing that did trouble him, and what
he was not at all prepared for, was to
find that, having so turned his back upon
it, he was wishing himself back in the
quiet city once more. AS the weeks
rolled on, and the far-away beautiful face
continued to haunt not only his days but
his dreams, he could combat the spell no
/ longer. POstletOn was to be revisited,
the dropped threads taken up; it was to
be simple thing enough. But the Deans
daughter met him, as we have seen, and
suddenly the dreams in her behalf seemed
to melt and vanish. How he chung to
them then, how more and more dear she
became to him as he found her slipping
from him!
In the days that followed on that Sun
day, although he got no invitation to
enter the deanery, and although his well
come there was Of the scantiest, he could
not keep away. The love denied caused
ulS w pdSSlOu " rage anu UuIu Win
herceness he could no longer control, and
avoid, repel him as she might and did, he
told himself that he would speak and she
should listen.
During these days the Deans James
came not at all to the old corner house in
the Close, and the Deans daughter, who,
too, had her secret, was thankful to re-
member that she had kept it so well.
And now it wanted but a week to
Christmas. Winter had already set his
seal on earth, air, and water. Quiet
ponds hidden away in unfrequented hOl-
lows resOunded with the ring Of skates
and the shouts of healthful voices. BY
white, wind-swept roads the tall trees
stood black aid barearmed, and over all
leaden sky gave promise of winters
crOwn-a fall of snow. A few feathery
flakes were already softly floating here
and there as Agatha Wharton came
walking briskly along the high-road some
two miles beyond POstletOn. She had
been lunching at neghb0ring rectOry,
Arthur had promised to meet her. but as
yet he was nowhere to be seen. Present.
/ ly a turn in the road brought an approach
ing figure in sight-not Arthur's slight,
trim figure and light, boyish step-this
was that OF man, tall, 6Quare-sh0ulder-
ed, well set up, with soldierly swing and
tread
Agatha recognized it at once. One look
at his face, aud she knew what he had
come for. One look at hers, and he knew
the utter hopelessness of his errand. But
it did not deter him.
Don't send me away he said, sharp
ly, as after a word or two she once more
put out her hand. Il came out here pur-
! posely to meet you, to speak to you"
Then Agatha Wharton knew that she
must submit herself to her fate, and has
tened her homeward footsteps as the only
thing left her to do.
II think you must know what l
have come out here to say, what | must
say?"
mo, ," she interrupted him. eff
know what 1t is, don't say it-better not,
far better not"
''Why nots'' he cried. ''What is it has
changed yOu?"
''Who changed irst?' she asked, quiet
~, her eyes not on him, but looking
straight away along the dull, gray line Of
road stretching before them
He caught at her words.
us it thatT he cried, eagerly; is it
that? Forget it, only remember that
loved you more than ! knew, that l love
you still. You cannot doubt t?v
She did not doubt it. She could not look
upon his face, she could not hear his
voice, and doubt it. But she only shook
her head.
''Too late, too latel"
1t was little more than a whisper, but he
heard it.
''Too late" he repeated, ''and you cared
for me not SO long ago? You loved me-
do you deny t."
He had caught her hand, and they stood
facing one another, two solitary figures
on the bleak bare highway.
mo, do not deny it, she said, quiet
! ly; "why should | attempt to do so: You
knew it well enough, and you could leave
/ me-"
They were the first bitter words he had
! ever heard from her lips. Too late, in
| deed
She stood fronting him, little shade Of
! pain, of pride, upon her face, but, as he
! knew, with not a thrOb in pulse or heart
/ for him. But he could not give her up
/ even then.
Can you not forgive" he began.
hOarsely, ''Or is there some one else, some
one"
A little pale flush had come to Agatha's
cheek, a startled look to her eyes. There
was the CHATTER Of swift horses hoofs
upon the iron road; another moment
horse and rider, swifter and swifter yet at
sight Of them, were dashing wildly past:
another, and in answer to the spur, the
! horse had swerved, and his rider, stunned
and senseless, lay almost at their feet. 1t
was the Deans James, the man who at
that moment had been in both their
thoughts.
Then Guy Danby's punishment began.
| He saw the woman who no longer loved
him throw herself by his rivals side, for
getful of his very presence. He saw the
! look upon her face that might have been
for him; he saw her take the unconscious
figure to her clasp and hold it there, pill
lowing the wounded head upon her lap,
| careless alike Of whether he or all the
world looked on, so only she might guard
and shelter him.
Guy Dandy had taken off his great
coat, and would have thrown it over her
shoulders.
"No, no." she cried, when she found
what he was doing; ''here, here on him. -
and covered the white, still figure as best
she could.
Her companion went back to the mid
die of the road, and looked anXiously up
and down.
''If only some one would come by,'' he
said, returning to Agatha. II cannot
leave you here, and see, the snow is fall
ing"
But Agatha needed neither Guy Dan
by nor the falling snow, save that she
strove to cover the PROSTATE form more
closely. Only once she looked up at her
companion.
SIS he dead, do you think ~ she wills
pered with white, trembling lips,
''Only stunned, 1 Think he answered,
letting fall the listly hand, and went back
to his watch once more.
But Guy Danby's ordeal was nearly
over. A sound Of distant wheels that.
| growing nearer, presently broughta car
riage close upon them. At sight of them
the coachman drew up sharply, familiar
head was popped out of the window; an
other moment, and the Rectnress of ST.
! Swithin's was standing by Agatha Whar-
toms side. Perhaps, on the whole, it could
not have been any one better.
Mrs. Tyerman gave one glance about
! her-a glance took in all three, and the
I state of affairs as well as if she had been
there from the beginning. Then she
asked a question or two, felt the Majors
pulse, and in three minutes from her first
appearance on the scene had him safely in
her carriage with Agatha sitting opposite,
and the Captain on the box, under orders
for Postleton, ''and carefully, mind, or l
Shall get out and drive myself"
CHAPTER VII.
Christmas eve, but early morning, so
early that day is only lust stealing over