Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-08-06

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he was alone with the man of whom ne
had thought with contempt through
many months. and it was no use trying
II think Of him with contempt now
and-and what could he say? What
had he been brought there to sayg
Why had Lima gone away, and where
was she?
Living on the bed upstairs was Lima,
with her face hidden. To lie 80, In ST.
lent, solitary prayer, was a rest unspeakr
able for the anxious girl, and so she did
not move until the sound of the opening
door reached her. Then she rose, draw
ing her hand moment across her tired
ewes, end went down stairs again to take
her place at Gerard's couch.
Lima, Sir Neil bid me wish you
good-by. He would have liked to see
you, but I knew you would not wish to
come"
"No, Gerard"
Then there was a~Filence between
them, which Gerard broke at last, with
an anxious questioning in his VOICE.
"Magdalen, Sir Neil will not believe
that you refuse to take, at once, the
home and wealth that you inherit le-
gally."
"Never without you, Gerard " she
cried, in quick dissent.
"It is too late for me, dear. / told
Sir Neil exactly what you said," he
added, presently, almost as if in haste
to break her silence; ''and, Lima, he re-
fused to take advantage of my death.
He must have the title-he knows that,
though he didn't mention it-but he re-
signs everything else. Are you sur
prised ?"
eyes," she answered, quietly, every
much surprised-even now"
smile. "Then it does not surprise you
now quite as it would have done some
time ago."
emo"
"He is going away, Lima" her broth.
er said, watching her anxiously as he
spoke. "His mother has a small estate
in Scotland, and he says he shall go
there. 1t is farm smaller than many on
the estate here, he saysi but he shall
find plenty to do; and he is going at
but don't know how far he meant it.
showed him a copy of our mothers
marriage register, but he would not
read it. He turned his eyes away, and
then began to speak to me of you"
Gerard dear, rest now," said Lima,
tenderly laying her cool little hand upon
his forehead; "you have talked so
much. Let me read to you"
Not quite yet; l want to tell you
all before l rest. Sir Neil told me how
long he had loved you, and how deeply;
though you never would listened to him:
He told me how wrong he knew he had
been in telling you of this love while he
was engaged to Miss Castillain, but how
he had let it master him in his selfish
ness and idleness. He said that it would
live through all his life, and that he
should tell this at once toMiss Castillain;
but that he should never mention it
again to pain you. He knew himself
unworthy of you-he had known it for
long, he said, but his love had grown SO
strong within him that he could not
root it out now; and then, more earn
estly than had fancied he could ever
speak, he begged me to persuade you to
go home to High Adhesion as its mis-
tress, and to give his mother home
with you there. Lima, how strange it
was to hear this from his lips, 1 cannot
say. Dear, will you go?'
''Oh! Gerard, hush!-please, hushr'
she entreated. LET us be together"
''Sir Neil wants High Adhesion to
have its own mistress" he went on, as
if by great effort, land to be ruled and
governed only by her orders;
and he will have the truth
made known at once, though I
pleaded that it should lie with us at pres
ent, because l shall never have claim
to make, and you do not wish to make
One-while 1 am-with YOU. l hope he
will be persuaded by Col. Stuart, as
he will not listen to me. 1t will make
little difference, after all, if your home
ally be-for he will, all his life, be the
baronet, Lima"
"Oh, Gerard" she interrupted, the
cry wrung from her in her sore fear and
pain, 81 cannot bear this Oh, if God
would only leave us together, or take us
togetherl Gerard, dare not lose you
do not talk of that time"
"Pet," he said, with flash of the old
brightness in his eyes, ct want you to
give me one Of the blocks from that
drSwer-a prepared one, and q we'll
pointed pencil. It is SO long since my
fingers have been at their old task, and
inst now feel as if they had their old
strength and power. May try?"
She brought him the block and PEN
Gil, standing by in speechless hope to
see him take them in his hands. A few
nervous strokes he drew; then, with a
little laugh, he held the block more
firmly, and bent above it, trying with
intense care to make some of his old
touches of delicate shadowing.
"No," he said, after a few minutes
effort, looking up into his sisters disap.
pointed eyes emo. the strokes will not
come as I wish them. Look at these
wild outlines"
"They remind me of our own Cornish
cliffs, she said, brokenly, crushing back
her tears.
"Do theyP" he asked, absently.
"Lina, do you remember that last day
in Cornwall-our birthday-rwhen we
went to the islands? And do you re-
member what Miss Castillain said of
them on the day you found me by the
mountain lake 2"
eyes, remember it ALL" whispered
Lima, land the bright picture Col.
I.