Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-01

gray and blue-0n their fancy table neal
the stage. the very dropping fringe OF tai
low about the candles in the flies. Then
some one seemed to look up from the
stage and perceive her, and March came
bounding up the stairs.
wait a moment, Miss Van Cleef," be
said, and started upon the bridge.
''NO, no." she begged, in voice which
she strove hard to control; ''it's not
safe"
"Oh, yes, think So" said March, with
a reassuring smile; but his face was pale
He took another step.
"Oh, don't, don't! Please don'tr'
s'Very we'll" returned he, as he retired
to the gallery. "Try 1t alOne," he said.
kindly, as he stood waiting for her.
Il can't. think"
q think could do it now Il you won't
, watch me-"
March promptly turned his back. He
waited a full minute. There was no
sound. She was still grasping the rail as
he looked about, and without speaking he
went quickly out ON the bridge, and tax
ing her hand, while he moved backward
himself. grew her gently but firmly in.
She dropped upon battered gilt throne
which had been slowed in a corner of the
gallery, and throwing an arm over the
| back let her face fall upon it. Her
/ closed ewes were turned from March, but
! after moment or two she looked up with
a weary smile. lie was regarding her
/ anXiOusly.
GLOW silly" she breathed.
"Do you think so? 1t seemed to me
very natural. You ought not to have at
! tempted it,"
''Of course. know. But Mrs. Bart
lett put her epergne here and l came to
! look for it,
Her epergne? Isn't this an odd place
for itp
''NO, she was afraid of the boys, and
/ then, suppose, she thought it might be
! stolen. But perhaps she has hidden it a
! little too carefully. l don't see it. Do
youY
Il suppose it's on the other side. Did
! she specifyT'
81 did't ask. 1 didn't know there were
two sides when l started"
But there is stair leading up to the
opposite gallery. It's not easy to under
stand why you didn't come down and
! take that"
COB, yes, it is if you are acquainted
with me. 1t was my pride. l thought |
could do it."
sYou know :hey raise and lower the
curtain from the other gallery, and that
is where most things used about the stage
are kept" said March, declining the dis
! cussiOn of her toibles. "This side is used
! very little"
ii didn't know said Constance.
"Was your epergne a large one dec
grated in gold? l think l saw something
/ ike that when went up into the opposite
/ gallery for Mrs. EchOls. She also Is using
| il as a stoTe-rOOm."
Constance said that he had probably
seen the object of her search, and he went
| quickly across the bridge and presently
! returned with it.
! con. thank YOU" she exclaimed, land
| let me thank you now too for rescuing
me. Pve scarcely recovered from my
! fright vet and had forgotten. How did
you know? / hadn't heard you were
mere"
'You gave a little cry, you remember,
and l was just below at work on Rebec-
/ cas- well.'
"Were you? didn't see you. Sitdown,
/ alr. March, if you can find Il seat. Pm
not half ready TO move yet"
She looked at him smilingly. Her ami
ability was hard to bear. H turned
away with disturbed face to find chair.
lie discovered one of those plain wooden
chairs painted white which IL rural thea
tres are the property mans concession to
the classical roper DIRE. One of the leg5
| had been broken half way up, and the
| other three had been sawed to correspond
with this indrmity. He sat down with
his hands clenched as if he were restrain
ing himself.
Il shan't keep you long, and with Re-
| becca's well waiting | shouldn't venture
to keep you at all for purely selfish pur-
pose; but, Mr.. March, I've found you
out"
/ She enjoyed his startled look.
'Pve tracked one OF your secret, under
| hand, generous acts to its lair" she went
! on, smilingly. land | mean to bring it out
| into the light of day and make it pay the
| penalty OF cOncealment. One would think
ines IRE ashamed of your modest viz
ing her tone, ssit5 -1 Vas 1, she cried, chang
never to let me know what you haqI you
for father!'
March bIushed little and looked at
his hand, which he unf0lded for the pur-
pose.
Il was glad to conceal it. 1t wasn't a
thing to be proud of. ! have never for
given myself for accepting the place
/ originally. My only excuse is that l did
not know your fathers age and his at
| tachment for the position"
''N on must let me put my own estimate
! Oh your goodness. l can never tell you
| how much | feel it.. 1t was more than
| kind. 1t was beautifully Her ewes
| filled. TYOu were right in thinking that
! it would hurt father to lose it. Nothing
] tOulu nave SElSNGO HlL1 more GdfQO0 me
| if | don't know what to say to you. | am
not accustomed to having to find words
! for such favor. There are none. But l
! ask you to believe my gratitude"
( She put out her hand impulsively and
| March took il. Something in her IL
| lumined face, its frank friendllness, its
/ generous wishfulness to say her feeling,
| affected him indescribably. He read, or
thought that lie read in her
! eager eyes large-minded Wis
! ion in which the doubts and
perplexities and questi0nings of the past
fortnight grew ineffably small. He felt
that he had descredited her in not trust
ing the liberaIity of her OutlOOk-it seemed
so large at the moment. Itcculd not avoid
making some account Of the facts, but
they were less important to it, he was sure,
than they had been in his thought. Lin
coins argument required to him and he
found his capacity and Will to resist them
falling from him. He felt the obligation to
combat them, out he could not compel his
tutOrcd resolution to his aid. His scrupu-
lOusly woven theories about her and their
relation seemed crumbling about him in
fatal ruin, and for the instant he was reck-
lessly glad. If she cared for him she
could not be sorry that he had spoken.
and if she did not her generosity would
see less than he did in his offense.
He continued to hold her hand as he
said in a low voice. bending toward her:
Don't use that misery word. There
can be no such thing as gratitude be-
tween u.s." She looked up startled. 'Do
you think that the poor little things have
been able to do have been done to win
your gratitudGS My dear girl, it has
been because loved you, though haven't
known it,"
He looked into her face with a glowing
tenderness before which her eyes dropped.
She gently withdrew her hand.
You are too good to say what you have
the best right TO say; l have not always
thought SO. No, that's true, and once l
was brutal enough to say So" Constance
blushed wildly. 81 see l needn't remind
you. 1t was shameful and / hope you be-
lleve that have the grace TO feel Hve no
right to speak now, except such as l find
IN your charity. l had agreed with my
self never to speak, and you see how l
keep my resolve. PYe no eXcuse-unless
you call my love an excuse. That is for
/ you 20 say. Tell me, COnstance-is it ~
stop! stop! It's treason to let you say
what you have said. It's dlslOyal to let
you 60 on. l am already bound-sacredly
bound"
The pain that possessed him translated
itself through his eyes, so that when he
said: II need not ask to whom" she an
swered very gently
Il don't know. 1t is to Mr.. keatOr. You
rornauhpr him p'1