New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-12
pulled himself up and began to rctrace his steps.
Thia he did still In blind fury Of rage and Griei.

that burst into open fsme as turn In Q path
She was coming toward him aud was singing
actually singing In blithe sweet. CARELESS way
new ballad that had taken her fancy OF iata WIN
one pand she was holding uD her gown lin the
other was big rod rose that she was swinging
lightly to and fro She looked like one who was
rcmorse. One could see her dainty feet in their
Partisan shoes and hear tho click clack OF the high
heels. she trpped down the little billy pathway
She seemed indeed at the moment the verv incsrna-
ton of sweetness and light When she Elston
she stopped sic ging and smiled instead.
q You here! and at this hour!D. cried she.
"Tratori Have you found me out then ~ Such
hardihoodi Such earontery. 80,
ayes. Aud ia time returned he. standing still
ana gazing Mt her with concentrated wrath on his
pale face. Then his anger burst all bounds.
How do you dare to speak tn me " lie SAID In
low bnt terrible tone Miss Char,erIs drew bacg, -
aWhat on earth has happened Are you mad !"
Sane rather-at last This morning was mad
indeed. Then believed in yon. Now" He threw
out his hand with gesture that would have do.e
credit to the tragic young man himself. "Now
at seems to be a good deal" remarked Miss
Charters composedly, though her face had lost It's
color. a It's also evidently of much interest. May
This persistent decepticn is unworthy nay,
then that Just now / saw y9na au and-ana that
al don't know any monntebank. / am therefore
more at sea than ever As she said this IN her
icest tones, his lordship regarded her with undis-
You know one at all events" he said. His
name is Pelham" Then his rage broke forth again.
ing. protesting. how he loved you whilst You,
you-listened to him, yon encouraged him. did
not wait for the end bnt your manner left no doubt
that yon accepted him."
Miss Charters struggled with herself for a
moment and then burst out laughing There was
GOOD deal of rreprcssible amusement in this
laugh but there more anger.
al see' she said I" AMI so yon think y0u sur
prised Captain Pelham making love 10 mel NOW
listen" she dropped her and drawing little
paper volume from her pocket opened 1t with
much elaboration at a certain page, and began to
ANY beloved My most adorel one! Do not CON
sign me TO despair" and so on 10 the end of what
he had heard behind the laurel hedge. As she
proceeded his face changed First it grew blank.
then crimson. Then wild hope sprang up that
had to do battle with great shame When Miss
Charters had finished to the last worj she paused;
folded tho play with irritating precision, aud
Yon have done me and Captain Pelham much
yonr ewes AZ least. we shall pass muster as very
tolerabie actors" She swept by him as she spoke
and went on her way to the s gate beyond, cruelty
uncOnccrned in her manner. She even look mp ana
continued the song she had been singing, from the
very part where she had broken Oft: She was in
30 wise disconnected put out. This indifference
as terrible.
He hurried after her and caught her up inst
under the hanging ivy OF the gateway.
"0ne word" he entreated m,sera9iy, ~ You gave
an end"
"oh, no; That first one, it has not been proved
al told you not to depend too much on that On
Thursday next you shall see that objectionable
letter." She would barely look at him. ard his
heart sank. If she could show him that letter.
there must indeed have been nothing i'll it to Justify
his jealousy Still there was Que more chance lett
lyon blame me ;" he said. in low voice. aBut
You might know that if did not love you as do.
you would not have to blame me. pray you to
remember that" -.
She made him no answer to this. beyond swift
glance he found it difficult to translate; and a
ivied gate into the flower garden beyond aud he
had not then the courage to follow her.
self isrcsIy. He took himself to task in shower
of genuine abnse. He absented himself from
luncheon and at dinner it took him quite a long
time to make ND his mind about even glancing at
her when he found her on the other side. He did
MANAGE it, however, and looked so long, that she
was at length obliged to notice him. After that,
touched perhaps by tho unhappiness OF his eyes.
she softened toward him. and to bis intense
surprise and gratitude was considerably kineer
The next day went smoothly. without single
hitch and if at eleven o'clock he WINGED inwardly
| probability among the pelargoniums. he was very
careful not to betray it. He was happier too: In
spite Of all thus than he haa been Ior some Tune
her old sweet self again. Nay, more than that. 1t
seemed to Elston that she was softer tenderer IN
her manner to him than she had ever been before;
that her eyes rested on his with more lingering
regard and once, when he UNEXPECTEDLY turned bis
glance in her direction lie caught her looking at
MIN ana surprised the vivid blush with which she
his hopes rose high, and he came down stairs
| next morning, Wednesday, happy In the kno Wedge
! that only one more day lay between him and the
| fulhlment of his fondest desire Certainly that
third sin should not ma nm out, Tor the simple
| calm clrcnmspect. Ii was indeed, impossible that
| he sbould ever feel jealousy about her again.
1t was little shock to hlm TO md George Mark
ham Mt breakfast when he got down. He had
arrived by an early train, and as Elson entered the
room. was Just saying How aye DO 10 Miss
| w, and Elston could hear what she was saying
| She was smiling in very friendly wise at Markham,
| though her tanner was suspicousy reproachful
~ thought you were never coming. she said.
How you pue it of from day to day. And when
Markham entered into and were apparently lost in.
an engrossng discussion that lasted until break
fast rather prolonged meal at Hartley, was at an
Lord Elston could not forget that once this man
mad been Sophy's avowed lover. He had indeed,
according to all accounts, been her devoted slave.
| lie looked uncommonly like slave still-folIo wing
her about and giving himself up to her, AZ IL were,
| for the entire morning. Pelham, in spite of his
express ION aud tragic powers. was nowhere Mark
ham monopolizod her all through, getting her 10
| snow him tie new fish pond and tennis court and
otherwise making himself specially disagreeable.
| Miss Chartefis however, did not seem to find
| him dsagreeabe at all She seemed, on the whole,
| yer, glad to be with him. She introduced him to
| Els.on with quite little flow oil pleasure III her
manuer aud said ecstaticaly that 1T was very nice
| to see two old friends oil hers with each other"
This was putting Markham in the same category
with himsef-when surely he, ElstOn. more
! than a friend.
| Feeling rather d.sconeolate after luncheon, he
| broke away from one or two OF the other guests,
who wanted him TO join them in long drive to
sore distant abbey, and lighting cigarette,
wandered into one OF the. Conservatives. SOphy
| he had discovered, was not going to this abbey
| neither was Markham-a fact in itself susr iciOns
lie was feeling distinctly gloomy as he stepped into
tue region of flowers and. without giving thought
| to their beauty. paced slowly up and down. 1t was
| at his second turn that his eyes modify lowered
to the ground. fell upon an object that instantly
| riveted all his attention.
| A letter wide open, and written in large
| sprawling hand The beginning WAS ut the other
| she of course but " hat now caught his eye WAS