Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-07-12

when once her niece suggested going out
in the world to earn her own living she
had negatived the suggestion with such
agitation and vehemence as had almost
frightened the girl And as for Madge's
clean, fresh dress, had she not, as Olive
well knew, risen that morning almost
before it was light to iron and do it up
with knots of scarlet ribbon with her
own dainty fngers2 Her cousin had
heard her singing blithely as lark
at her work, and had smiled with
contempt at "the little it took to make
Madge's simple heart happy"
Then terrible light all at once broke
in on her. How changed Madge was of
late! She was always singing, laughing,
or fitting about the house with so light
and buoyant a step that she seemed the
spirit of joy personifed. The languor of
her late illness had quite passed away,
the rose bloom on her cheeks was bright
er, deeper than ever, deepest when she
was engaged in lively chat or joking ar
gument with Harold Darlington, who
treated her Like a willful, attractive
child.
He fancied his secret was known to
none, but Olive had fathomed it; and
more, had read in Madges face what the
girl did not herself dream of-that her
heart had passed into the keeping of the
handsome stranger.
And SO on this glorious day, sunshine
all around, and sky blue as molten
turquoise overhead, when all were gay
and happy, Olive alone wore a mask.
Outwardly serene and smiling, the demon
of jealousy was ever gnawing deeper and
deeper into her soul.
Harold Darlington came up the hill in
long, swinging strides after the basket
carriage. His white linen suit, with
the ruby silk scarf tied carelessly under
the open collar, set off his dark hand
some face and big stalwart figure to per-
lection. He wore solar topee, with a
soft India muslin puggaree knotted
loosely round it, and as he came toward
the carriage he took off his hat and
famed his tanned face with it.
"The heat is quite tropical. It re-
minds me almost of the Brazils," he said,
smiling.
Were you ever in American" Olive
queried. flashing keen look at him.
1t suddenly struck her how little, after
al, they knew OF this man, who had be-
come, with only months acquaintance
so thoroughly one of themselves; that it
now seemed odd to think of time when
he had not been with them.
What they knew they had only his
bare word for-and Olive had frequently
noticed that he avoided speaking of him
self or his past life; and if any subject
was mooted likely to bear on these, he
would always insensibly direct it back
into other channels. It was the case
now, as she perceived.
''Oh, yes; America, as well as every
other place of any note, and sick enough
l got of them all. Miss Madge, really
believe that is root of hart's tongue
growing up there. did not know you
had it about here. It's a fine clump; let
me dig it out for your rockery." H:s
face slightly Redeemed, as he went to get
the fern. Olive noticed this; also that
he had evaded her question in his Gus
tomary manner.
A creeping, strange suspicion, begotten
of her own evil thoughts, kept coming
into Olives head. What is there should
be some guilty reason for Harold Car
ringtons unwillingness to speak of the
past? And why was he content to stay
in hiding, as it were, in such place as
Trevarrock?
Olive busily pieced things together, as
she sat silently in the back seat of the
pony cart The more she thought over
it, the more she felt convinced that Har-
old Darlington had a secret. And this
secret, she vowed to herself, it should he
her business to unravel-let the results
be what they might.
At last the party arrived at the bay,
and the ladies alighted. Harold soon
found pleasant nook under the shadow
of the gray rocks, where he spread soft
bearskin rug Of his own for Mrs. Trevy-
Ian, who had brought her knitting.
Olive also threw herself down beside her
aunt, with volume of "Daniel Deronda."
II must go and find some place to put
up the carriage. Perhaps some cottager
has shell, of which we can secure the
use. Miss Madge, will you come with
me, and explorer" he said
Would she come? Yes, only too will
ingly, as she would have followed Rar-
old Darlington to the worlds end had he
hidden her do SO.
Yet, though Harold loved her, he had
no intention that she should guess his
secret. at least then. There were many
reasons why he did not wish to marry
why he deemed it almost impossible that
he should do so. And Harold Darlington
was an honorable man, who held old
fashioned ideas.
No man, he told himself, had right
to speak of love to a girl unless he in
tended to ask her to be his wife. Yet
for today at least he would be happy.
Heaven knew that life had not as yet
held much brightness for him
He and Madge walked along over the
shining, yellow sands almost in silence.
One or two sea gulls dipped and circled
over and around the pale blue-gray
waste of waters. The rugged crags, sea
weed grown, doomed purple and red be-
hind them. Here and there a ruined
shanty, standing near enough to the sea
to be despatched by spray on stormy
night, gave token of human habitation,
as did long line of brown orange nets
stretched drying on the single. One or
two black old hulls Of fishing boats lay
high up beyond the sea line.
Harold paused suddenly.
eyes, this is the place from whence
my friend, Norman, took his sketch. A
weird, wild spot indeed" he said.
''You would say that if you knew all