Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-11-07

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been giving directions to one Of the servants,
ard was re-entering the drawing-roonl. She
stopped, trembling and cold; but, in the very
Intensity Of her vrotChedness, she found
courage enough to speak 10 him.
You seem to avoid me, Mr.. Linley," she
began. speaking with an air of formal re-
spect and keeping her eyes on the ground.
Il hope" she hesitated and desperately
looked at him-"l hope L haven't done any
thing IT, offend you?'
In her knowledge Of him up to that misera-
bic evening be constantly spoke to her with
smile. She had never yet seen him So serious
and so Inattentve as he was now. His eyes.
wandering round the room, rested on Mrs.
Linley- brilliant and beautiful, and laugh
ing gayly. Why was he looking at his wife
with plain signs of embarrassment in his
face? Sydney piteouSly persisted in repeat
ing her innocent question: Il hope haven't
done anything to offend your
He seemed TO be Still reluctant to notice
heron the one occasion of all others when
she was looking her best! But he answered
at last
MY dear child, it is impossible that you
should offend me; you have misunderstood
and mistaken me. Don't suppose-pray
don't suppose that am changed or can ever
be changed toward YOU" He emphasized
the kind intention which those words reveal
ed by giving her his hand.
But the next moment he drew back. There
was no Disgusting 1t, he drew back as If he
wished to get away from her. She noticed
that his lips were firmly closed and his eye
brows knitted in n frown; he looked like
man who was forcing himself to submit to
some hard necessity that he hated or feared.
Sydney left the room in despair.
He had denied in the plainest and kindest
terms that he was changed toward her. Was
that not enough? twas nothing like enough.
The facts were there to speak for themselves;
he was an altered man; anxiety, sorrow, re-
AiOlbC-otlC VI tiiC OtiNi oSChCh ~ bdNC Sot
possession Of him. Judging by Mrs. Linley's
gayety of manner, his wife could not posi-
bly, have been taken into his confidence.
What did it mean? Oh, the useless, hope.
less question! And yet again and again she
asked herself: What did 1t mean?
In bewildcred wretchedness she fingered
on the way to her room and stopped at the
end of a corridor.
On her right hand broad flight of old oak
stairs led to the bed-chambers of the second
floor of the house. On her left hand an open
door showed the stone steps which descended
to the terrace and the garden. The moon
light lay in all its loneliness on the flower
beds and the grass and tempted her to pause
and admire it. A prospect of sleepless solicit
tude was the one prospect before her that
Sydney could see if she retired to rest The
cool night air came freshly up the vaulted
tunnel in which the steps were set; the moon
lit garden offered its solace to the girls sore
heart. No curious women-ServantS appeared
on the stairs that led to the bed-chamberA
No inquisitive eyes could look at her from
the windows of the ground floor-a solitude
abandoned to the curiosity Of tourists. Sgd
ney took her hat and cfOak from the stand in
a recess at the side of the door, and went in.
to the garden.
To DC C.%,iHEss