Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-12-12
XXI.

Liney had on" Instant left in which he
might have drawn tGrS into the library in
time toe ~.ie SydncyS notice. He was in
capab!e o, the effort of Will. Grief and suS-
pense had deprived him of that elastic readi-
ness of mind which springs at once from
thought to action. For a moment he hesitat-
ed In that moment she looked up and saw
him.
With a faint cry of alarm she let the cloak
drop from her hands. As helpless as he was,
as silent as he was, she stood rooted to the
spot
He tried to control himself. Hardly know
ing what he said he made commonplace ex-
cuses as if he had been stranger. Il am
sorry to have startled you; l had no Idea OF
finding you in this room"
Sydney pointed to her cloak on the floor,
and to her hat on a chair near it Under
standing the necessity which had brought
her into the room, he did his best to reconcile
her to the meeting that had followed.
ITS a relief to me to have seen yOu," he
said, before you leave u.s."
A relief to him to see her? Why? How?
What did that strange word mean addressed
to herr She reused herself, and put the QueS-
ton to him.
'It's surely better for me-" he answered,
~ utut tilC iiiiSCldulC uCNo AiOh 1Oo bhah
from a servant"
"What miserable news?' she asked, still as
| perpleXed as ever.
He could preserve his self-cOntrOl no long.
| er; the misery in him forced its way outward
at him. The cOnvulsive struggles for breath
which burst from a man in tears shook him
| from head to foot.
MY poor little darlng! he gasped my
only childw
All that was embarrassing in her position
| passed from Sydney's mind in an instant
She stepped close up to him; she laid her
hand gently and fearlessly on his arm. "Oh,
Mr.. Linley, what dreadful mistake is this!'
His dim eyes rested on her with a piteOus
| expression of doubt lie heard her-and he
was afraid to believe her. She was too deep
| ly distressed, too full of the truest pity for
him, to wait and think before she spoke.
"Yes! yes!' she cried, under the impulse Of
the moment. 1.-THE dear child knew me
again, the moment 1 spoke to her. Kitty's
recovery is only matter of time"
| lie staggered back with livid change in
| his face startling to see. The mischief done
by Mrs. Presty's sense of injury had led al
| ready to serious results. II the thought in
Linley at that moment had shaped itself into
words he would have said: And Catherine
never told me Oft r' How bitterly he thought
OF the woman who had left him in suspense
how gratefully he felt toward the woman
who had lightened his heart of the heaviest
burden ever laid on it!''
Innocent of all suspicion of the feeling
that she had aroused Sydney blamed her own
wan. of discretion as the one cause of the
change that she perceived in him. "HOw
thOughtless, how cruel of me-" she said, mot
to have been more careful in telling you the
good news. Pray forgive me-"
You thoughtleSs! you cruelr' At the
bare idea of her speaking in that way of her
self his sense of what he owed to her defied
all restraint. He seized her hands and GOV.
cred them with grateful kisses. Dear Sgd
ney! Dear good Sydneyr'
She drew back from him; not abruptly,
not as if she felt offended. Her fine percep-
ton penetrated the meaning Of those HARM
less kisses-the uncomfortable Outburst of q
sense of relief beyond the reach Of expires.
sion in words. But she changed the subject
Mrs. Linley (she told him) had kindly order
ed fresh horses to be put to the carriage, so
that she might 60 back to her duties If the
| doctor sanctioned it.
She turned away to take up her cloak.
Linley stopped her. "YOu can't leave Kit
ty," he said, positively.
| A faint smile frightened her face for mo-
ment kitty has fallen asleep-such q
| sweet peaceful sleep! don't think should
have left her but for that The maid Is
watching at the bedside and Mrs. Linley Is
only away for little while"
"Wait few minutes" he pleaded; tits
so long since we have seen each other"
The tone In which he spoke warned her to
persist in leaving him while her resolution
| remained firm. II had arranged with Mrs.
| MacEdwin," she began. IF all went we'll"
Speak of yourself" he interposed. "Tell
me if you are happy"
She let this pass without reply. 1.-THE
doctor sees no HARM" she went on, Sin my
being away for few hours. Mrs. MacEd.
win has offered to send me here in the even.
ing, so that can sleep in Kitty's r0om."
You don't look well, Sydney. You are
pale and won-you are not happy"
She began to tremble. For the second time
she turned away to take up her cloak. For
the second time he stopped her.
| mot just yet" he said. lyon don't know
how it distreSseS me to see you so sadly
changed. l remember the time when 1t was
such pleasure to see you happy. Do you
remember that timer
Don't ask mer' was all she could say.
| He sighed as he looked at her. "Its dread
full to think of your young life, that ought to
be so bright, wasting and whitening among
strangers" He said those words with In.
creasing agitation; his eyes rested on her
eagerly with a wild look in them. She made
a resolute effort to speak to him coldly-she
called him ''Mr. Linley"-she babe him good.
by.
1t was useless. He stood between her and
the door; he disregarded what she had said
as if he had not heard it. Hardly day
| passes" he owned to her, that don't think
of YOU"
''You shouldn't tell me thatv'
"How can see you again-and not tell
you"
She burst out with last entreaty. "FoI
Gods sake, let us say gOOd-byr
His manner became undisguisedly tender:
his language changed in the one way Of all
others that was most perilous to her-he ap
pealed to her pity. "Oh! Sydney, it's SO
hard to part with your'
"Spare mer' she cried, passionately. "You
don't know how suffer-"
ION, know it-n0 words can say how
feel for you'll Are you sorry for me, Sydney?
Have you thought Of me since we partedp'
She had striven against herself, and against
him, till her last effort at resistance was ex-
hausted. In reckless despair she let the
truth escape her at last
when do l ever think of anything else!
am wretch unworthy of all the kindness
that has been shown to me. l don't deserve