Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-27
CHAPTER IL

/ W HeH we nau separated 10 prepare for
tea l made quick toilette and descend
/ ed at once to the drawing-room, hoping to
/ get few words with Lois before the other
/ guests came down.
The short summer twilight was setting
/ in. The mountains rose purple and
/ shadow. with faint, pinkish clouds hang
ing about their SUBMITS. The grove and
/ the level stretch of m eadow-lands beyond
were growing mysteriOuslv beautiful in
/ the gatherin! darkness. There was a
| depth of coloring, and a luxuriance OF
I verdure on field and mountain side, which
/ noted with more aDpreciative vision at
/ ter weeks of absence; and | wondered if
/ anything could be more beautiful than
/ that mlngling of rugged grandeur and
! peaceful righteousness which chara cter-
ICES the North Georgia scenery.
While my mind was dwelling upon
/ these things | heard the rustic of skirts.
and Lois came slowly up one of the gar
/ den walks.
For moment the tears rushed to my
/ eyes as l marked the WEAKNESS of the
face and saw how TesOlutely the arched
/ lips wers closed, as if from an unlinching
habit of repression.
/ you are alone, Dominic" she said.
coming up the steps aud standing by nv
/ sidein the open window. II hope you were
not wishing Yourself in New York"
I've been thinking" l answered. 81
( believe l began by CONCENTRATING myself
/ upon being in the mountains once more.
| Then | tried to analyze Miss Douglas
face. And as you spoke l was wondering
if any scenes could be quite so beautiful
to me as these l look upon from the Castle
windows"
Il hope not" she answered. earnest
( ly. Il think you will like LesleY,' she
| continued, in lighter tone. "She isn't very
easy to know, though. / think she has
cultivated disposition which was natu-
rally reserved"
"Ughp' Imuttered, assentingly. THAT
was just my thought. Her face hasn't a
very sincere look, has il. LOis?"
Your fault, you know, is jumping at
rash conclusions" she answered, shaking
her finger at me. promise me YOU
VIII not suffer yourself to become prpiu-
diced. Lesley has been much in society;
and three seasons will inevitably leave
their mark upon any face"
$50 they Will, my dear; so they will
And to be in society and to be strictly
truthful have not yet become reconcila-
bic states"
Glow very much III earnest you two
SEEM" McRhea exclaimed, coming to-
wards US from the drawing-rOOm entrance
pray give me the text"
1.-The truthfulness of society. l guess
you might say" Lois answered. falling at
once into an air of almost frivolous tri-
fling. which | had observed many times
during our drive from the station, and the
subsequent chatting on the veranda.
''If any such quality has been discover
ed it certainly has the charm of novelty"
he returned, in tone of half-cOncealed
sarcasm. ''And yet" he continued,
YEARLY, "there must be some truth hid
den somewhere"
"Why?" / asked, when he had fully
stopped.
because, sir" and there was an acb-
ing bitterness in his voice, ''if truth were
not hidden somewhere in this miserable
mixture we call 'the world Gods iudg-
meuts must have struck death and desc
latiOn throughout its whole extent before
this hour"
The thoughtful expression crept slowly
into Lois face, and her voice was very
earnest and low:
There is truth hidden in many places.
Believe me, much of the triiling which so
much Otiends us at times is needed to con-
ceal aching truth from alien eyes. We
have gone beyond the days Oe monaste-
ries, you know. In these days every heart
must be its own convent, with its own Sc
cret cell for pain-traught prayer and
penance. Oftentimes it is a cell hidden
under gay decorations, but"
''The intenser the penance the gayer the
decorations, l presumed" McRhea broke
in, harshlY.
She looked up quickly, slightly flushed.
You are correct, l fear" she said,
simply.
''It is all very strange" l began, think
ing more of the manner Of these two than
of my words, when Robert interrupted
us, saying hurriedly:
Pardon me for breaking into an inter
esting talk; but I'd like to see you, Nc
Rhea."
Il received your letter the day left
New York. | said to Lois, as the two
cousins left us. "You said you had met
Col. McRhea in Scotland. did you not?'
EYES," she answered, altogether heed
less of her words, Il met him three sum
mers ago in the Highlands. We went
boating on the lOchs in the wonderful
Northern twilights, and we read Mcleod
of Dare together"
"What kept you apart, LOis?'' l asked,
bending closer to her. OstenSibly to replace
a dropping iVy-tendril.
''YOu misunderstood me-" she said,
drawing back, and speaking in a tone of
unmistakable reserve. ''There was moth
ing of that. They told me he was reck-
less fellow, and that women's hearts were
his toys. Col. McRhea knew, moreover,
that he was not-what is the phrase?-a
marrying man. And he was too thor
Oughly a gentleman to say anything
which both Of US would have regretted"
While she was speaking ] looked across
at McRhea. who was standing directly
in the light from window, listening to
Con ways earnest words with the air OF
man who has become master of himself
after much desperate warfare.
A tall man, taller even than his cousin
Conway, with a face, as have intimated,
eXpressiOnless and stern. A dangerous
face-that is, dangerous for wOmen-fOr
it had in it all imaginable possibilities OF
tenderness and passion under that eX-
preston of sternest self-cOntrOl. l re-
membeEed the eyes as they had flashed
into mine when we first met-clear-blue,
darkly and heavily fringed, very bright,
always adding power aud sometimes in
finite tenderness to his words. y very
handsome man, l was forced to admit.
When Lois ceased [ could find no words
with which to answer her.
She had spoken in a very calm and re-
alistic tone. Had this really been the
case? And yet the tone Of those first
words when she had been off her guard
was annOyingly cOnvincing-"And we
read Mcleod of Dare together"
What was it that whispered to my
heart, ''Oh. ROse-leaf, ROse-leaf, what
wind Will carry you away to the SOuth?"
"COnfOund the luckl' Bob exclaimed,
coming back to us as the tea-bell rang.
1--WE had a telegram calling me back to
New York. Must leave tonight. Don't
let them know it, nodding to the group
in the drawing-rOOm. They'll make such
a clatter. Aud. Lois. as soon as you can
please slip out of the drawing-room;
there's little matter I'd like TO explain
TO Won before I ip.lyp5