Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-11-14


lips touched her lips. All that had been per-
picking and strange. all tina: had been limo
Gently wonderful Ia herself in the feeling
that bound sydney 10 her tr>t friend, was
mystery no more. Love lifted its veil. Nat
ure revealed lis secrets in the oac supreme
moment of that Kiss. She threw her arms
around his neck with 4 low cry of delight
and returned his kiss.
Sydney" he whispered. Il love you.'
She heard him in raptUrous silence. Her
kiss had answered for her.
AT that crisis IN their lives they We're saved
by an accident; a poor little common acct
dent that happens every day. The spring in
the bracr.c, tltt sydney wore ,avc way as
She held him 90 her: the bright irinkct fell
on the grass ii her feet. The man never no.
ticed it. Tie woman saw her pretty orna-
mcnt as il dropped from her arnl-saw, and
remembered Mrs. Linley'> gift.
Gold and pale-with horror Of herself con-
fcSScd in the ;.ction. simple as il was-she
drew back from him in dead silence.
He was astnundcd. In tones that trcmhlcd
with agitation he said to her: Are you ill?"
Shameless and Wicked" she answered.
Not ILL., :,.e I"iut"d u the bracelet on
| the grass. 'i".,.' Il UP; am not fit to touch
! ii. Look Oh the inner SIDE"
He remembered the Inscription: ITO sgd
ney WeStrrticiI with Catherine LinleyS
love" His head sank Oh his breast; he I'M
derstoOd her at last. ~ on desp.sc me-" lie
said; land deserve it."
NO; | despse myself. l have lived
among vile people, and l am vile like them"
She moved few steps away with heavy
| sigh. Kitty she said to herself. Poor
little Kittyr'
He followed her. "Why are you thinking
OF the child he asked, lat such time as
this?'
| She replied without returning or looking
round; distrust of herself had inspired her
with terror of Liney from the time when the
bracelet had dropped on the grass.
II can make but one atonement," she said.
I'VE must see each other no more. l must
say goOd-by to Kitty-I must 90. Help me
to submit to my hard lot; / must CO."
He set her no example of resignation; he
Shrank from the prospect that she presented
to him. "Where are you to 60 if you leave
us?'' he asked.
| Away from England! The farther away
from on the better for both of lis. Help pine
with your interest; have me sent to the new
| world in the west with other emigrantS. Give
me something to look forward to that Is not
shame and despair. Let me do something
that is innocent and go0d-I may find trace
of my poor lost brother Oh, let me go! Let
me gov'
Her resolution shamed him. He rose to
her level in spite of himself.
II dare not tell you that you are wrong"
he said. Il only ask you to wait little till
we are calmer before you speak of the future
again." He pointed to the summer house.
go in, my poor girl. Rest and compose
yourself while l try to Think
lie left her and paced up and down the
formal walks in the garden. Away from the
maddening fascination of her presence his
mind grew clearer. lie resisted the tempta-
ton to think of her tenderly; he set himself
to consider what it would be well to do next.
The moonlight was seen no more. Misty
and stariess, the dark sky spread its majestic
ObScurty over the earth. Linley looked
YEARLY toward the eastern heaven. The
darkness daunted him; he saw in it the shad-
Ow of his own sense of guilt. The gray glim-
mering of the dawn, the songs of birds as the
pure Light softly climbed the sky, reused and
relieved him. With the first radiant rising
of the. sun he returned to the summer house.
DO disturb yOu?" he asked, waiting at
the door.
NO"
Twill you come out and speak to me?'
She appeared at the door, waiting to hear
what he had to say to her.
II must ask you to submit to a sacrifice of
your own feelings" he began. "Whcn /
kept away from you in the drawing-rOom
last night-when my strange conduct made
| ho off mn
trying tO remember what owed to my good
wife. have been thinking of her again.
We must spare her discovery too terrible to
be endured while her attention is claimed by
the guests who are now in the house. In a
weeks time they will leave lis. VIII you
consent to keep up appearances? Will you
live with us as usual until we are left by our
selves?'
ut shall be done, Mr. Linley. only ask
| one favor of you. My worst enemy is my
own miserable, wicked heart Oh, don't you
understand me? am ashamed to look at
I yuuF' ---------------
He had only 10 examine his own heart and
to know what she meant. Say no more"
he answered. sadly. I'VE will keep as much
away from each other as we cam"
She shuddered at that open recognition of
!
their horror of 1t, and took refuge from him
in the summer house. Not word more pass
ed between them until the unbarring of doors
was heard in the stiffness of the morning and
the smoke began to rise from the kitchen
chimney. Then he returned and spoke to her.
you can get back to the house." he said.
"GO up by the front stairs, and you will not
meet the servants at this early hour. If they
do see you, you have your cloak on; they
will think you have been in the garden ear
lier than usual. AS you pass the upper door
draw back the bolts quietly, and can let
myself In"
She bent her head in silence. He looked
after her as she FASTENED away from him
over the lawn; conscious of admiring her,
conscious of more than he dare realize to
himself. When she disappeared he turned
back to wait where she had been waiting
With MS sense OF the duty he owed to his vito
pen itently present to his mind, the memory
Of that fatal kiss still left its vivid impress
sion on him. "What scoundrel am! r. he
said to himself as he stool alone in the sum-
mer-house, looking at the chair which she
had just left.
rTn ha T-n};nUeS1