Wichita eagle., 1889-11-24
,anlfest on her beautiful face.


Harry Fountain.
She greets him with suppressed joy.
She hurries him off in charge of a
servant, bidding him to hasten to meet
ing with her on the veranda as soon as
he can remove the stains of travel.
Then she seats herself in one Of the
willow chairs which invite repose. Shs
leans her head upon her hand, her elbow
resting upon the arm of the chair, and
she relapses into deep study.
The thoughts she INDUCES are evident
ly not pleasant, for she frowns and her
face is dark.
Thus she sits when Fountain, newly
arrayed. rejoins her. He says gayly:
"You perceive how obedient l am.
You command and / am here"
She looks at him gloomily and says she
is glad to see him.
81 should only know it," he retorts,
sby your saying so, ma belle
She looks at him angrily as she re.
plies:
you can be very gay under all the
circumstances. Is the distance from New
York so great that you feel perfectly at
ease hereY'
He looks down upon her somewhat
puzzled, for he is standing in front of
her He draws chair closer to her and
sits down very deliberately.
Flora" he says slowly. but gazing at
her steadily, ''your moods are inexplica-
bic. For the past three weeks l have
not understood you. When / saw you
last in New York you were nervousness
personi6ed, and you treated me at times
with disdain, and sometimes l imagined
positively with aversion. Then comes
your imperative summons to come hith-
er, disregarding as nothing my reasons
for remaining in New York. Now, tell
me, what is the meaning of your strange
conduct"
"You have then observed my con-
duct?" she returns, with an expression Of
contempt as she looks over the water.
"Can you find no reason for it,"
Upon my word cannot. If you
have fault to find with me speak out,
and don't resort to innuendo."
''Innuendo," she repeats, with fine
scorn in her tones. Harry Fountain,
are you a hypocrite, or the coolest
blooded man who lives?"
81 do not think you are well" he re-
plies. II shall advise your uncle to
consult physician"
Don't treat me as if were child"
she answers, passionately. 81 am en-
titled to your confidence if to nothing
else. Does not your conscience reproach
you, or have you none?"
ssThe charge of withholding confidence
from you comes with but i'll grace.
Flora" he said sternly. 81 jeopardized
my chances of peace. comfort and happi
ness in this world in order that | might
give you my confidence. You mold every
secret of my life-yOu know that Of me
which no other person in this world
knows"
Except one-e1cept one" she cried
passionately, leaping to her feet and
striding up and down the veranda. "Ex-
cept one, and from the consequences Of
that one would save you at the risk Of
my own life and honor, though it seems
TO me I hate you, hate you for it.
n and mis- Tace grew pale g ne
tered under his breath, us it possible
that she can have been informed by some
oneT'
He stopped her as she passed him, and
forced her to sit down.
81 do not know what you refer to, he
replied. From the time l confessed
my love for you have concealed moth
ing from you l considered important, or
which could or ought to affect our rela-
tions, even remotely
.'Oh, indeed! Have had record of
your daily ife?"
mo, you have not, nor will l give it
you. The number of cigars l smoke, the
glasses of wine drink, the passages of
the daily life of a young man of leisure,
permissible in bachelor. if to be con-
demned in benedict, have not given,
nor will l give; nor would any broad
minded girl, such as ! have regarded
you until the past three weeks, demand
them"
Passages in the life of young man
of leisure-such. for instance, as strange
DISCUSSES at late hours of night"
He flushed dull red through his dark
skin.
Il do not know to what you REFER" he
replied.
You do not know" she repeated
scornfully, and then. lifting her hands
before her face as she clasped them so
tightly as to fairly pain her. she cried In
agonized tones, Il cannot, cannot bring
myself to speak of it to him. Ny God,
can / not hate him? must go on loving
him in spite Of myself"
He watched her, strongly moved him.
self, showing anger and alarm. he NUT
tered, "Some one has discovered it and
betrayed me to her." finally he said with
forced calmness:
Il cannot tell what possesses you. l
presume in your own good time you will
inform me what it is. when ] can defend
myself as / shall. l repeat, the with
holding of confidence from you cannot
be charged against me.
when l confessed my love for YOU"
he continued, Il told you that i did not
have the fortune rumor credited me with;
that it was nearly exhausted When /
made that discovery which shocked and
nearly crazed me, l came to you at once,
offering you the freedom the world did
not know you had given up, telling you
was illegitimate.
when / made the further discovery
tbot hv IN effort might receive a for