Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-07-03
CHAPTER KY.


 CHAPTER XIV,
 When Lima had entered the cottage she turned in silence and bolted the door behind her; then she raised her whilO, scared face, and Fitz, bending his bronzed and bearded one to meet it kissed her very tenderly.
 My little pet, my poor little pet l What has frightened you tonight ? Whose work is this ?" he asked, his voice growing hot and passionate through all his tender greeting. Lima drew back a little and looked up at him, trying to bring smile into her eyes instead of the hunted, frightened look which she knew he could read there. And, stand ing so, she laid the letter on the table beside him, and told him how, and why, she had just stolen it from the office.
 She did not modify the word: She did not try to hide one shade of her de- ceit or guilt. She told him the simple facts, in a hurried, whispered tone, which made the few fierce words that now and then interrupted her sound all the more clear and startling.
 eff I had my hand upon that rascal's throat this moment should think it no sin to leave him dead there on the floor r
 "Jelfrey Y The sarcastic tone was loud and fierce in the very intensity of it's abhorrence. "Don't mention him again. Though should loathe my own hands if they touched him should think it nc sin to murder him."
 So the artist spoke in his savage an- ger, leaning his back heavily against the thin, slight wall of which he knew or guessed so little.
 "Show me what you are painting now ?" whispered Lima, her voice gentle and soothing, though still moved and shaken by pain. "Miss Marjorie Cas- tillain told me of your last illustration, the view at the tarn. She often tells me of you"
 "Does she? ?" asked the artist, the dusky red in his cheeks, and softening light in his eyes. "God bless her r'
 "She is good" said Lima, with deep earnestness. "And is-is that really the last illustration which will be want ed? And is your work here over now p
 "It ought to be-" Fitz said, as they stood together over the block, cit would be if Col. Stuart were like any one else, but he gives me another thing to do as I finish one and-I think through him T have had one or two small orders from houses in Churchill. And, now that I have nearly finished, he has commissioned me to copy a curious old family portrait for his sister, az the original belongs to him.
 "He is good, too; very good, :" breathed Lima, softly.
 "So good, replied the artist, as he cautiously put aside the block, "that it is no burden to a man to eve so much to him. And even that serpent is safe, being in his household. It is only by meeting such 0 man as he that I can keep spark of manly truthfulness alive in me and even then it's hard enough at times-God only knows how hard, when my thoughts have their fling, and travel backward through your life and mine, my little pet
 They were standing close together then, and for long minutes they spoke of that past, in hushed and saddened tones. Then Lima, suddenly recollect- ing herself, looked wistfully up through her tears into the strong, kind face above her.
 "I must go ho-I must go back now, " she said. And he answered only, put ting strong constraint upon himself:
 "Come, will take yon."
 "Only to your own gate," she said, quite firmly and decisively, though with the old loneliness and fear growing again in her eyes, now that she was leaving him. "You have left the letter." she added, hesitating just within the door.
 "Never mind," he whispered, for they were close to Mrs. Cheere's lighted win- dow). CT will burn it when I go in 1; the pleasure will reconcile me to my sol- itude. shall take it up with the tongs, like tainted thing as it is. Let it lie there, without a thought wasted upon it."
 "There is no fear of any one going in and seeing it, suppose?" questioned Lima, still anxious.
 "Mine is not likely mansion to at- tract thieves of any kind" said the art- ist, laughing low. Beside, if they are coming, they must pass us at the gate. No, not yet" he added, as Lima stopped at the wicket "I must come just few steps down the lane with you"
 Only few steps literally did she al- low him to take, and then he sauptered