Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-02-07
CHAPTER XVI.
"HARD HIT

| ClOSSu uaIhIeSS Hiu come Oh, bub iilt
freight was still bright, and giowed
upon tall figure. a handsome face,
good, handsome and honest; it shone
into pair of dark eyes which scruti-
niZed her very earnestly; it showed her,
in short. the figure of John Mallabarr,
of whom she had Dcen at that moment
thinking.
..Mr. Mallabarr!'' she exclaimed, ris-
ing to her feet.
He came forward, holding out his
hand, and saying:
Eyes. it is 1. You did not expect to
see me?''
She tried to say: mo, but I am very
glad to do so," but she could not, and
he did not seem to expect any such as
| surance.
He laid down his hat and stood on
the hearthrug, looking at her silently.
Margaret perceived great change in
him. Her heart sank. with dismal
foreboding of what was coming. She
was soft-hearted, and hated to hurt
or wound any creature. The idea of
| having to put so noble a creature as this
to mortal pain of the supremest kind,
| thrilled her with anguish, even in an
| ticipation. She had never seen
| him look as well as he did now,
with the air of resolution on his
| face which warned her that he
had braced himself for struggle and
| would not tamely yield. What Louis
Baldwin had said was too true. Malta
barr had, indeed, been "hard hit"
Before he spoke one wild idea darted
into Margaret's mind. After all, her
instinct, rs well as her judgment, told
her he was the best of these three men
who would each, within so short time,
have cared for her, and told her so-he
was noble, simple, true and high
hearted. After the glimpse she had
had of the hard and uncompromising
side of Louis nature, she feared him.
Could she not make up her mind to
stake her all on one throw, and say
eyes" to John MallabarrP He would
take her as far away from Foulhaven as
she chose, and for as long as she chose,
and she, unless she went out of her
mind, or were a very bad woman, must
gain some affection for him in time.
"Horrid speculations!" says Prudery;
IS improper, nay, immOdest!" You are
very praiseworthy, dear Prudery, and
an excellent friend, no doubt, to those
who stand in need of your protection;
but you can not do away with the fact
that such horrid speculations do occur
daily to women who are both proper and
modest, and that they are very fire.
quently answered in the affirmative.
Before Margaret could give any kind of
answer to herself. John Mallabarr had
taken up his parable, and she was forced
to give ear to his words.
sYou will hardly believe that have
been in London nearly all this time. /
had great deal of business to attend
to. Quite unconscious of what was
taking place at Foulhaven, / quietly re-
manned in town. / came home the day
before yesterday. Yesterday afternoon
I called upon Mrs. Lascelles. / asked
after you-where you were. She told
That she had been harboring an inn
postor."
"You an impostor!" he echoed scorn-
fully. THAT shows what false ideas
have been put into your head of your
own angelic goodness. She spoke of
you with enthusiasm and with the
warmest affection. She said that until
you had gone they had had no idea to
what extent you had been the sunshine
of their house; that you had gone home
because friend of yours was going to
be married from your house; and also
forgive my speaking plainly, but SO
much depends upon it-because she be-
lieved you had had a quarrel with Louis
Baldwin, who had said something that
he had no right to say to you. She
told it me in confidence, because she
said she felt SO sad and lonely, and
Louis had quite deserted them"
Mallabarr paused, and looked at her
with a wistfui earnestness. Before that
gaze Margaret could neither deny nor
equivocate. She felt it was no time for
delicacy, for scruples, quibblings. She
answered him with forced composure:
'.Mrs. Lascelles was right. He said
things to me which l would not allow
any man to utter without resenting it.
could not remain in a house where I
was likely to see him often"
81 did not tell Mrs. Lascelles my
purpose. 1 saw she was distressed, and |
did not wish to distress her further. |
She has not the least idea of what was |
in my mind"
81 am glad of that" said Margaret, |
beneath her breath.
Il said I was sorry there had been a |
quarrel. Perhaps, l said, it would soon
be made up
NeFeT, Salu hdTSdTet, 1rOWulnS.
Then said he, after a pause, and |
speaking very quietly and gently. Twill
you tell me, Margaret, if there will be
any chance for mel don't say now,
but ever?"
A pause. She sat with pale face
and agitated breast, her hands clasped
before her. Then she summoned up all |
her resolution, and tried to look at HIM
firmly as she spoke the word: '.No!"
but the lookshe met shook her to the very
soul. Hard hit was a small way in
which to express John Malabarr's
wound. But having once said it, ut
tered Not" although in the softest of
tones, she chung to that monosyllable
as to her only hope.
Needless to follow out the scene in
detail Before it was over, she was
crushed and Observation-Disclosures shat
tered, if less desperate, than himself.
Nothing could ever be so terrible 1
again as this. 1t was nothing short of
torture to have to see his heart laid bare
before her--to have to realize the |
of the passion with which she