The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-20

| enough to shine over the wall that lined
the garden on that side. Externally she
was the placid, cool, young beauty. In
her mind, so well hidden by her char
acteristic self control, was being formed,
| and not without a struggle, firm reso-
! luton to think no more of Oliver WiIlett.
! A noise at the wall startled her, and
| Oliver leaped over. He stood before
! her, took off bis hat, and bowed low.
| His entrance to the garden had been
rapid and resolute; but now he was
hesitant, as though a little c0nfounded
by his situation. Mrs. Armytage rose,
| and looked at him with wonder in her
lustrous eyes, as she said:
"What brings you here?"
"You," he answered.
"YOu are reckless"
"a lover knows no fear"
''But he should not let his own fear
| Iessness be the destruction of the woman
he loves"
"What do you mean?"
"Did you get the message that left
for your
eyes; and came with it to its author"
They had spoken so rapidly that their
dialogue thus far had been as inconsider-
ate as it was exciting to them; yet she
maintained by far the most composure,
and when he would have grasped her
| hands she stepped back with show of
displeasure.
"My letter told you," she said, "that
you must never see me again-that there
was a sufficient reason why we must not
| meet"
cit told me, too" he said, uncooled
by her repeIlent manner, "what your
lips had refused to tell. had begun to
believe that you were heartless, and the
sudden knowledge of the truth-that
you loved me-was like StirHuE31t 10 an
invalid-potent to make the blood tin
gle, the heart bound and the brain whirl.
What could do but come to you?'
Forget it if 1 wrote anything to en-
courage your madness. / was thought
less-I scrawled hurriedly to escape OBJ
servation. Remember only that / said
we must not even think of each other"
81 know the letter word for word"
He took from a pocket crumpled
sheet of paper that looked like a page
torn from diary; but ne scarcely glanced
at it as he recited what was penciled omit.
at says: The past two weeks were to
me like brief existence in another life
than my own. | had never loved any
man. Ny situation forbade me to enter
tain such a sentiment, except for one who
was powerless to excite it. You made
me love you" He held the writing before
her, and added triumphantly, they are
your words"
"Blot them out and read the rest"
She stood with folded arms as passive
as statue. He read, aided by his recol-
lection and the bright light of the moon:
Il am free to confess it because 1 also
tell you that 1 must sbjure the passion
that makes me irrcsolute, while / write
out nv own sentence. l cannot bear TO
explain to you the reason why we must
be strangers, but it is absolute, irresiti-
BILE, final"
why do you come here after thstr'
she said. still calm.
F'I come to Learn what the thing Is that
can part u.s.
II will not tell your"
''Is it that you are Unionist and an
officer in the Confederate army
No; that is not the reason"
He argued no more, but said, "You
puzzle me-" as he thrust the paper into
breast pocket. She looked toward the
house, with a thought for the first time
of being observed, so absorbed had she
been, despite her self possession.
Somebody will come" she said. "Go
at once. Eyou were recognized here you
might be put under arrest"
He instantly concluded that her re-
pulse of him had been caused by her.
fear for his safety. That was pleasing
to his vanity, and allayinS to the doubts
that had been taking shape in MS mind
as TO whether she did love after all He
clasped her pasaonately. She did not
struggle TO escape, but resolved instead
on the course that she well knew would
be more effectual. and which she was
convinced she could not now avoid. She
said:
ooh, must l abase myself before your
desired you TO forget me, or remember
me respectfully. You compel me- to tell
you what il is that must keep Us apart,
am wife.
She was freed instantly. Not thar he
with intention recoiled from her; but his
arms relaxed mvoIuntaTly, and hestood
with the linpness OF man who had re-
ceived a terrible physical as well as men
tai shock. He gEped out. after pause:
"a wife, did you say:7s
Yes: wife Of the man you thought
was my father
The first definite sentiment that wss
formed out Of the junhling of ideas IN
his mind was resentment; and ne began;
y our deceit
You VIII forgive me- she pleaded
in tone a. we'll Is in words. hen you
know that at the first had no deliberate
thought OF seriously deceivIng y0u- when
vou consider the self condemnation !
have suffered. when I tel you th2t Ire
discrimination 70 be an roDoT7ose wife s
EzzSa a. tins c<xS q EE~@ EsU= 4aS=rz I"