The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-07-30

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and also as though the fag end of siege
Ct patience were not just the hardest part
| of all.
Royals plans for departure had been
made and announced, but he fingered
for day or two, treating his resolution,
] and anxious likewise for little rest be-
fore more happenings should come.
"You had better 20 and be done with
it. Mrs. Hart insisted. "You can't tell
her yet, because she's woman and will
certainly weep when told, and tears at
this juncture would be ruinous. You'll
be obliged to come back in a couple Of
months to meet the executors, and then
! you can make clean breast all around"
Even Phyllis was sensible about it, q
great deal too sensible, Royal thought.
He would have liked to see her manifest
more desire to keep him with her. In
his rapidly growing absorption in his
new emotion he neglected to allow for
the fact that the girls heart was too full
| Of the gloria in excelsis over her own de-
| liverance to admit of much fretting over
trifes. But, then, when did an absence
Of months from the side of the beloved
ever appear trifle in the eyes of a man
in love! To Royals thinking the women
but particularly Phyllis-displayed q
callousness that was indecent. Love, az
we'll as amour propre, was wounded, and
he felt sore, resentful, and very low in
his mind.
DO you think she'll ever forgive me:"
he gloornily inquired of Mrs Hart on the
eve of his departure. II don't see how
she can myself. It seems such horrid
job to have put up on a woman! It
didn't look that way at thetime to me,
or to John Royal either, that I'll swear.
1t looks tremendously different now from
what it did then"
Which Is not to be wondered at, con-
sidering that love had provided him with
the capacity for another point Of view.
Mrs. Hart turned her head away and
laughed in secret places. She saw how
it was with him, and gloated over it,
The solution of the difficulty would
come in the natural and soul satisfying
! way dear to the heart of a woman who
hoalthily loved romance.
| "There is no reason under heaven why
| she shouldn't forgive you," she respond
ed cheerinsly s.Yor did a crazy. wit
less thing, but you did it with good in
tentions and entangled yourself as badly
as you did her: And you are certainly
I doing your utmost to redeem your fool
ishness. Don't be disheartened. When
Phyllis shall have gotten over the shock
of your change Of identity things will
adjust themselves and she'll adopt you.
Come back when the fruition of her hope
is fresh ON her, and you'll find her in too
softened and thankful mood TO admit
of harsh judgment"
| Royal gravely regarded her.
After all, be observed speculatively,
"A live dog Is better than dead hon."
"If you like to put it that way" she
| laughed. "To me it sounds unhatter-
| ing, and I do not admit the inference"
Then they spoke Of other matters.
The light in the parlor was subdued,
for the shades were lowered. It was
| irksome to Phyllis to be confined 10 one
room, and troublesome to other people
to run about and lower shades, 80 Mrs.
| Hart kept the whole house darkened,
and groped and stumbled about herself
with the greatest amiebifty, compelling
her servants and guests TO do the same.
Sometimes, however, when Phyllis was
not in the room, she would pull up a
shade and let in d food of light, to con-
vince herself, she said, that she was only
| by choice an owl. Sine uncovered win
dow now and stood beside it, talking to
Royal.
Neither Of them noticed that Phyllis
had entered the room. She knew her
way about perfectly, and was seldom
awkward or unfortunate. The first in
timation they had Of her presence was a
low, delighted laugh. They started and
turned, to find her in the full light OF
the window, shading her uncovered eyes
with her arched hands, from one of
which dangled the bandage.
Mrs. Hart jerked down the shade with
a quick exclamation at her rashness, and
Royal caught the silk from her hand
and replaced it over her eyes. She sub
mitted, laughing softly all the while,
and paying not the faintest heed to their
repcoaches.
II have seen! l have seen!' she kept
murmuring with exultation.
After q moment or two she said, in a
different voice:
"How changed you are, John! Quite
like different man. I never should
have known you in the world"