Saint Mary's beacon., 1886-01-28

saw LINDA Lyle.
She was riding, as was he, and he
never forgot the picture she made as
she turned towards him in her sad
die, the young blood mantling in her
clear cheeks, her eyes glistening. her
faxen hair, roughened by the wind
that swept the broad bare plain, es.
Gaping in shining tendrils from under
her little jockey-cap. She was the
incarnation Of beautiful, innocent, joy
Gus youth.
He felt, with thrill, as he looked
at her now, that she was changed since
then. It had not been so many
months ago, and vet Linda, child as
she looked at that moment, sitting on
the low hassock by the corner of the
wood-fre, that gave a gleam of home
like comfort to the great high ceiled
Roman room, with its disabled old
furniture, had, BY some subtle and in
definable difference, become a woman
As though her thoughts had mysteri-
ously fallen into train analogousNo
that Of his, she looked up, and said
Tomorrow is my birthday. shall
be seventeen. Is not that A respecfa.
ble age ?"
Tomorrow? Seventeen ?" he re-
peated. 1t flashed across him that he
was 35. Il am glad you told me-"
"Oh, I didn't mean" she faltered,
blushing suddenly all over her fair
throat and face. II didn't think"
You didn't mean to remind me of
a present" he laughed, filling up the
pause. you didn't think would
take it so; and I did not. But you
did know-you ought to know-that
| should not have forgiven myself if
the knowledge had not come to me in
some way" He added in a moment {:
Il ought to know everything that con l..
Germs you"
The blush that had been fading out
Of her cheeks came again at this. She
turned her head away, strange trem-
uIous feeling of happiness stole over
her. She clasped her hands, on her
low seat, about her knees. The leap.
ing freight played on her delicate
face. Her hair, in two heavy school
girl braids, hung down her back to
the floor, showing pale against the
plain black dress that followed the
outline Of the slim girlish figure with
a sort of virginal simplicity.
With eager eyes Sebastian Dexter
dwelt upon the whole exquisite sill
houette, ardently following with his
gaze the soft curves of cheek, and
chin, and throat, the rounded outline
of the little ear, half hidden under the
close clustering hair, the upward curve
of the long lashes that accented the
heavy lids, the droop Of the full lips,
a trife wistful, though the girl seemed
happy. Beyond their little fre-Iit
circle the large old drawing room lay
in the gathering gloom of the deep
ening afternoons short winter af.
ternoon. The dull rumble of carriages
on the Corso near by came through
the stiffness. Dexter would be going
off to dinner party presently.
Her mother would be going also.
But Linda, as not yet "out," might sit
there and entertain him little while.
How many times had he blessed the
worldliness OF that mother, which
made it so more than probable. that,
il visitor came at this hour, she
would not be able to receive him.
Growing unaccountably nervous at
the silence. Linda spoke of her moth.
er now.
Mamma seems so long dressing"
she said, stirring a little lsstlsssly
"I-you will be tired waiting
She glanced shyly up at him from
under her full lids. How handsome
he was And then, as her glance NE,
his, her eyes dropped again quickly
II want no one but you," he said
His voice was hoaIse. and its Low
tons seemed TO pierce her through ant
through. She made, by blind in
pulse. an unconscious movement Il
rise, but at the same n.enent he haC
bent forward.
"Liadar' His strong warm grss,