The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-08-23

come She will be disappointed, and wonder"
 Thank you, will corre.n
 In the afternoon shall be glad to see you" and she bowed and let the gate close gently on me. while I-s miserable and oonscience-smif1en as if he'd bon found out b anytking-I tuned slowly hcmewar6 0 compose another felHer 0 Lady Dueokky.
 This is what said:
 sI can only answer your anxieti9 about hy tAe trufh-the 1uth abous ny self ! mean. nxhaps you have already gueaBed snmewhat of it from the lefher thAt this follows. AS for Mrs. Piespoint, l am as far from knowing anything about har as vas then. You hinted, half in joke, that she was not what she pusseads to be-plainly spoken, that means that she is n adventures, of whom . wise man should keep clear. think you are right; or at least 1 have been trying aIl day to convince myself that you are wrong, and have succeeded in discovering That if she is an impossos, in- stead of unmasking her, l, foE my part, nm roady to turn round and make com mon cause with her against you and the ret of the worid-if she'1l have me tor an The murders out, and can bu. throw myself on your mercy. It is somewhat of relief to have my own folly set clear and plain before my eyes, and to have fathomed its depths. Doro- and wisest of fairy god mothers you have helped me before this out of many a difficulty-out of many more than you ever suspected but here even you are poweriess. You are indignant with me, and ashamed of my folly: So 1 ought to be, and the worst symptom IS am no such thing. Here am at 6ve-and-forty, steady-going ola hopelessly in love with woman, not young nor beautiful (as beauties go-i ] have my own opinion on the subject, of whom l know absolutely nothing, ex- cept that she has brilliant touch on the pisnoforte, delicious contralto voice, and a laugh like somebody 1 met years ago down in Yorkshire.
 No, am not ashamed, and 1 de- cline to be pitied.
 :" What is to come of it ? you ask. 1 have not an idea. Of one thing only am certain-5elieve it Or not-Mrs. Per point is in total ignorance of my folly, and shall remain so. She thinks, in- deed, that l am unjustihably curious about her past life, and there it ends. Perhaps the advent of Colonel Wriothes- ley may frighten her away-I devoutly hope it may. If not, shall keep dis creetly apart from Tamarisk lodge till their stay here comes to an end. Not from one remaining spark of prudence or common sense, but simply because Mrs. PieTpoint cares not one whit for me, and l don't want to provoke her into telling me so, as should most assuredly do if l gave myself the chance"
 added few more lines that l am afraid hardly bettered my case, and ind ing that there was time to catch the night post, sent my servant of with it, feeling that now for certain l had burned my ships behind me.
 May and her aunt welcomed me az usual when paid my promised visit next day. My Amati had already established a special corner for itself beside the cello, and wondered what excuse could make for carrying it away with me. We began upon music directly. May ndulged me with Haydn and all my other favorites, and then we tried one hing after another with a steady, busi- ness-like manner, quite different to our 'ormer idle dalying. May seemed to notice it "This is severe" she pre- iently remarked. laughing: sing some hing, auntie." But Mrs. Pierpoint shook her head and walked away to the window, where she sat gazing meditatively out at he distant sea, while May accompanied ne in "To Anthea."
 I'm afraid my performance was not as ,orrect as 1t might have been had l not ,een absorbed in watching the changes ,f expression that drifted across that handsome, inscrutable face at the window.
 caught her eyes fixed on me, too, once. | t was when May had left the piano and | eturned to her cello. liked to watch | Ter as she played-with her long white lrms and fingers, her intent luminous 'yes, and her loose ripping hair. May llways reminded me of some angel | making music had seen in . church | window; and sat admiring till seemed o feel Mrs. Herpoint's glance rest on me, '>>S s~~~~>e " AeAsSs Ss~Sks NotiOoS tOOk-I . queer, wistful yearning, heart-sick lock hat was gone in a flash, and Left her milling content on us. One more and me more-we had got among the duets low-and then said must 20.
 Only this before we pat," begeed Hay, holding up one of Reissiger's trios. Come, auntie.r'
 Can you two never get on without ny assistance?" she demanded, rather rising and joining us how veg. Well, it all came to an end at last, nd leff, but had not courage to bring way the violin, though no hint of further racsice was given.
 kept away for three days, and on the ourth, as was leaving the orderly-room,
 came full upon Colonel Wnothesley.
 He is in the engineers, and had come own to inspect the fort It took up the st of the morning and some time after ,nchson. listened with nervous inter- st to the coioneps gentle little stream of mall-saIk, hoping against hope that ome allusiou to his friends here might 1rnv>n hsv-sn ~<~sH vHy~ |,