Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-21

wait know" said Gilmore, Its close on Z
now, and know it S too late to intrude on you
for morning call; but still was determined 10
see you if 1 could-and 1 am very glad to see
you
''This hour is pretty on the water, think, 5"
said madame looking pensively around, the
shadows from the trees and the clouds culver on
the rivers breast
- know what is prettier than either the
shadows or the Clouds answered Gilmore
Rrdently, with his eyes fixed on herface
She smiled, but made no answer, and the next
moment bent forward and dipped one of her
beautiful hands into the water, aud Gilmore saw
that on her slim fingers she wore several valu-
Would you like to row little further up the
stream, - he asked, . because il l shall be
delighted to have the honor of rowing you?''
But madame gently shook her head.
NO. - she said, but if Lord Gilmore will
land shall be glad to show him over my poor
house
''Only too happy" said Gilmore eagerly, and
then maoame beckoned with languid grace to
Juan TO pull in her boat, which was secured to
the stockade by a tow rope, while few strokes
OF his oar brought Gilmore's boat also to the
landing place.
He sprang quickly out to assist her, and then
side by side they walked together up the garden
of the villa, and madame told Gilmore she had
expected to see him in the morning.
81 thought perhaps you might come, so sat
in my little arbor beneath the trees, and listened
to the singing of the birds That Ia my arbor, -
and she pointed to a rustic seat placed below
the spreading boughs of some trees.
''Shall We sit there now?' said Gilmore.
IF you wish it, yes-and you can talk to me
there and tell me all about your past days
81 do indeed wish it-and feel as if 1 could
tell you something
They sat down together on the seat and mad
anne began smiiingly to question Gilmore.
''And are You bachelor?'' she said.
Yes, untruthfully and unblushingly
affirmed Gilmore.
THAT is strange, " said madame as if mus
ingly.
ii may not always be one, you know
mo. my lord will be wedding some pretty
plue-eyed English miss. -
II like dark eyes better than blue ones-dark
eyes full of fire and beauty like-but perhaps you
will be angry with me- madame, if go on.
What do you want 10 say?'
~ was going to say like yours-I never saw
such eyes before. -
Perhaps my lord has said that to many
women?''
mo, I've not. answered Gilmore bluntly;
''many women could not make me feel as you
do madame. -
"Hark! listen!'' she said the next moment
laying one of her supple white fingers for an in
slant on his arm; hear yon bird telling his
love tale. -
1t was robin singing to his mate, pouring
forth his clear notes from one of the topmost
branches of a tree near them.
They sat in silence for short while after this
"a dangerous silence to Gilmore, who every
moment felt the subtle attraction of this woman
becoming stronger to hir,. N9hey sat until the
moon rose. and the dusk stole around them, and
Gilmore utterly forgot that May would be wait
ing dinner for him, and be naturally uneasy at
gave a little shiyer and rose.
1.-THE night grows chill, - she said: my lord
must come again and talk TO me, - and she held
out her white hand in token of farewell, and
Gilmore bent down and ardently kissed it.
You make me too happy by giving me per-
mission TO do so,'' he said. What hour to-
morrow may Gomez
Come and have lunch-that will be best
then we can have long, long talk. ="
They settled it thus. and lingeringly and I'M
willingly Gilmore left her, and when he reached
Via
ally fishing by moonlight. The Spaniard grinned
out his white teeth and assisted Gilmore to push
off his boat, though they mutually could not
understand word the other said, and Gilmore
left a gold piece in the Spaniard's swarthy
palm.
Then he rowed down the river, in the gleam-
ing moonlight, breaking forth into snatches of
song as his boat glided through the water. He
in truth excited thai he CO I'D not hide it
from Mays anxious eyes when he reached
home. who eagerly inquired where he had been.
- met fellow in the town, who had a horse
to sell. and went to see him. answered Gill
more with affected carelessness, land we got
On talking-but M sorry you we waited for me,
May, you should have got your dinner
mo Gerard, could not do that she an
swered; and then the two sat down to dinner,
and May noticed he hardly ate anything, and
that his face was flushed, ana his eyes spark
ling, and that he was great deal more silent
than his wont.
CHAPTER xxxvIu.-THE TIGHTENING OF THE
CHAIN
He kept his promise and went the next day to
have lunch with Madame de Costa-telling MAY
he was going up the river with some men-and
TO the singing of the birds, and to the sweet low
voice by his side.
Everything in the villa told of ease of circum-
stances except the small number of domestic at
tendants. The dark-browed Spanish woman
waited at the table, and the dark browed
Spaniard cooked the meal. But what did this
dishes before him, but of the beautiful woman
whose face haunted him when he was absent
from her, aud from whose features when she
was present his hazel eyes could not stray.
The food it must be admitted had a strong
favor of garlic, but the wine which Madam de
Costa offered her guest of rare vintage and
great price, and Gilmore drank Of it freely, and
the generous beverage iOosed his tongue. He
found himself telling her the romantic story of
his babyhood, boyhood and youth, and how his
brother, "a conceited stuck-up fool of fellow
took everything he could get from him, and yet,
actually had not the decency to be civil.
. cut his face for him once though, added
Gilmore with laugh, and he never noticed
expression as he spoke. 'He said
something impudent to me, and / flung q
wine glass at his head, and serve him right!''
Madame said no word; she rose from her
table hastily while he went on boastiug, and
presently proposed that they should go and sit
under the trees, in the garden, and that Isabel I
should carry, the wine there. Gilmore was
to do this, and began telling madame
of his great wealth, and of The splendours of
and once he accidently mentioned
the name of his brothers. wife.
ana WDaU Is Sne IKE! asked madame turn
ing suddenly round, and looking at him with
her great eyes lit with suppressed emotion,
This wifeG''
"a great deal TOO good for him. answered
''she's very pretty for one thing, and
for another she's sweet little girl. and really
like her-they have got a boy now
All and with a quick movement madame
put her hand TO her heart if in sudden pain,
and grew deadly pale.
You are not i'll, are your asked Gilmore,
looking at her.
1t was a spasm-I have them sometimes-''
why, you have grown quite pale, - said Gil
more anxlously; ''iet me give you some WINE,
and do let me persuade you to drink it. -
He poured out some OF the sparkling cham
payne as he spoke and handed it to madame,
VINO eagerly drank it.
1T soothes pain, - she said, with half bitter
laugh; sit makes us forget
lyon are looking better now-you gave me
quite fright, do you know. ~
1T is good of my lord to say so-but come
line? Juan and Isabel do sing to 1.-THE songs
Of their native land
81 should like to hear them.' -
81 shall bid them commence then, and re-
urn in few moments to my lord, who must |
smoke his cigarettes meanwhile -
She rose as she spoke, and returned to the |
villa, and was absent nearly a quarter of-an- |
hour, and all the while Gilmore was thinking of
ler AMI her wondrous beauty, though he did |
not neglect also to Quench his thirst OCCASION
ally with the good wine before him, and took |
advice concerning the cigarettes.
Then she came back and sat by his side |
having now flung black Spanish lace mantilla |
around her shapely head, and fastened q |
Fellow rosebud in her hair, if purposely to |
enhance her rich loneliness; sud scarcely had /
The returned, when unseen somewhere beneath |
he trees the mandoline players began to