Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-02-04

Nevertheless, as soon as the door had closed
upon FalSner, Lees smile vanished. With
his colorless face turned to the fading light at
the window, the hollows in his temples and
the lines in the corners Of his eyes seemed to
have grown more profound. He remained
nlotionless and absorbed IN thought SO deep
that the light rustic OF a skirt, that would at
other times havo thrilled his sensitive ear,
passed unheeded At last, throwing off his
reverie with the full and unrestrained sigh Of
man who believes himself alone, he was
startled by the soft laugh of Mrs. Hale, who
had entered the room unperceived.
HDear mel How portentous! Really,
almost feel as if 1 were interrupting tete-a-
tete between yourself and some old flame. l
haven't heard anything SO old-fashioned and
! conservative as that sigh since l have been in
California l thought you never had any
/ Past out here"
Fortunately bis face was between her and
the light. and the uamistakable expression Of
annoyance and impatiencc which passed over
it was spared her. Tiers was, however. stiD
enough dissonance in his manner to affect
her quick feminine sense, and when she drew
nearer to him it was with q certain maiden
like timidity.
"You are not worse, Mr.. Lee, l hopei
You have not over exerted yourselfr
"There's little chance of that with one leg
if not in the grave at least mummified
with bandages," he replied, with bitterness
new to him.
"Shall loosen them? Perhaps they are
too tight. There is nothing so irritating to
one as the sensation of being tightly bound"
The light touch of her hand upon the rug
that covered his kness, the thoughtful ten
derness of the blue veined lids, and the deli
cate atmosphere that seemed to surround her
like perfume cleared his face of its shadow
and brought back the reckless fire into his
blue eyes.
Il suppose TIA intolorant of all bonds" he
said, looking at her intently, sin others as
well as myself"
Whether or not she detected any double
meaning in his words she was obliged to ac-
cept the challenge of his direct gaze and,
raising her eyes to his, drew back a little
from him with slight increase of color.
Il was afraid you had heard bad news just
now.n
"What would you call bad news" asked
! Lee, clasping his hands behind his head and
4 leaning back on the sofa, but without with
drawing his eyes from her face.
! "Oh, any news that would interrupt your
convalescence or break up our little family
party" said Mrs. Hale. "You have been
! getting ON so well that really it would seem
cruel to have anything interfere with our
life of forgetting and being forgotten. But
| she added with apprehensive quckness, has
anything happened! is there really any
news from-from the trails' Yesterday Mr..
Falkner said the snow had recommended in
the pass. Has he seen anything, noticed any
thing different"
| She looked so very pretty, with the rare,
| genuine and youthful excitement that trans
| figured her wearied and wearying regularity
| of feature, that Lee contented himself with
drinking in her prettiness as he would have
| inhaled the perfume of some flower.
| "Why do you look at me so, Mr.. Lees" she
! asked, with slight smile. II believe some
/ lnlIS mas udppciod' Aul' foAhho1 HuS
brought you some intelligence"
"He has certainly found out something
did not foreSee."
'And that troubles your
! sit does"
! SIS it a secretp
"No.n
"Then suppose you will tell it to me at
l ~ of of
/ 81 am afraid if l tell it at all must tell it
now" he said, glancing at the door.
"You must do as you think BEST" she said,
coldly, las it seems to be a secret after all"
| She hesitated. Kate is dressing, and will
not be down in some time"
| $50 much the better. For am afraid that
| Ned has made poor return to your hospi-
tality by falling in love with her,"
| "Impossiblel He has known her for
! scarcely a week"
II am afraid we won't agree as to the
| length of time necessary to appreciate and
| love woman I think it can be done in
/ seven days and four hours, the exact time we
have been here"
Eyes; but as Kate was not in when you
arrived, and did not come until later, you
must take Off at least one hour" said Mrs.
Hale gayly. ..f .s.t e-
"Ned can. shall not abate second"
"But are you not mistaken in his feel
ingsp she continued hnrriedly. "He GER
tainly has not said anything to her."
''That is his last hold on honor and reason.
And to preserve that little intact he wants to
run away at once"
"But that would be very silly"
"Do you think sog" he said, looking at her
fxedly.
"Why notl" she asked in her turn, but
rather family.
"ru tell you why" he said, lowering his
voice with a certain intensity of passion un-
like his usual boyish lightheartedness. think
of a man whose life has been one of alter
nate hardness and aggression, of savage
disappointment and equally savage successes,
who has known no other relaxation than dis