The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-04
CHAPTER VII.
CONFESSION.

The days went by; the moon that had
lighted old Gilbert while he played the
spy in Eden had waned and vanished,
and the crescent that succeeded had ex-
banded to the full orbed glory of the
nights of June; the warm air was heavy
with perfume and vocal with the mock
ing birds rapturous song.
These were nights no lover could afford
to lose, and Aleck Gage did rot fan to
take advantage of them; time and again
was he visitor at Thorne Hill when the
colonel little suspected his presence.
Nicholas and Flora would stroll out after
tea, ard after tea would Aleck arrive and
Join them in some remote alley of the
extensive shrubbcry.
His appearance was the signal for
Nicholas to retire and mediate in soil
tude, a solitude that Missy did not now
intrude upon. For Missy had invented
a new amusement for these nights of
June. With Amity as audience, and the
wide scuppernong arbor on the confines
of the vegetable garden to serve as a
stage, she had given herself up to the
fascination of private theatricals. The
dusty volumes in the recesseS of the dor
mer windows supplied her quick fancy
with material, and now she was Puck,
now Ariel. sometimes the Queen of
Faerie. or again the Ghost in Hamlet, "
a favOrite character that froze the blood
in Amity's veins; and not infrequently
she was her genuine self, raging against
her handmaiden's stupidity. All this
was in preparation for long promised
visit from Lottie and Bess Henry, with
whose assistance Missy hoped to accom-
plish something very delightful in the
way of histrionic art.
No one inquired what the child was
doing with herself during these moOnht
hours; Glory-Ann, satisfied that her
troublesome charge was somewhere with
Amitv, held her little court in the
kitchen: the colonel and Hiss Elvira and
Flora's mamma talked on the back
piazza, content to leave the young peo-
pie the freedom of the front premises.
"Flora, my daughter, take your shawl, -
Mrs. Leonard always said, and it was
Nicholas privilege to wrap 1t around his
cousins shoulder, after which he drew
her pretty hand within his arm, and
surely there was abundant opportunity
for him to speak in the long walk half
way around the grounds.
But Nicholas talked only of Indifferent
things in a half hearted fashion, and
when they reached the gate where usu-
ally they met Aleck Gage just dismount-
ing he would laugh and whisper, See
the conquering hero comes, and leave
Flora blushing.
1t had seemed to Nicholas that the
wisest thing he could do would be to
take his cousin Flora into his confidence;
but whenever the occasion offered MS
courage forsook him, his tongue refused
rs Office. He had let slip his opportunity
many times before he realized that de-
Laws are dangerous: but when once he
began 20 feel this II was not possible for
him 70 hesitate longer. He was sure that
he could count upon Flora sympathy,
at least. even Il she could do nothing 70
aid him. and il seemed Ike an omen OF
good fortune that. al the very moment
when he began to Eeel 50 impatient 10
tell his COUSIN all. Alsck Gage should
make his visit so very much shorter than
usual. the cause for which was that
Aleck and Flora had INDUCED IN the lax
ury Of quarrel.
Nicholas saw the angry lover stFidiug
down the walk and Gid not hail aim for
q parting VOID LET hin &c" ne said.
For this once the sooner the better.
And he rose no quickly from the bench
under tne mirncSa tree ara i&-anOst ran &c
seeS Ms cousin.
F9ora vas in the Oh fashioned sum
nar Rouse. screened u the bsck by many
rniuztInE vines: the moonlight streaming
through the vide archEay Ia front Re
v7s4iei her. seated. with her head bowed
davu. her face hidden L her hands