The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-09-13
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tice the slur upon himself, or the import OF
her last words, Clarence only rose ana
bowed as she jumped up from the table.
But as she reached the door he said, half
appealingly:
whatever are your other intentions,
MIS- McClosky, as we are both Susys
guests, beg you will say nothing of this
to her while we are here, and particularly
that you will not allow her 10 think for
moment that l have discussed my relations
to her with anybody"
She flung herself out of the door with
out reply, but Oh entering the dark, low
ceiling dining room she was surprised to
ind that SuSy was not there. She was con-
sequently obliged to return to the veranda,
where Clarence had withdrawn, and to
somewhat ostentatiousy demand of the SER
wants that Susy should be sent to her room
at once. But the young girl was not in her
room and was apparently nowhere to be
found. Clarence, who had now fully de-
termlncd as last resource to make a.
direct appeal to her, listened to this fruit
less search for her with some concern.
She could not have gone out in the rain
which was again falling: she might he hid
ing somewhere to avoid a recurrence ot
the scene she had perhaps partly overheard.
Mrs. Peyton's boudoir. As he knew that
it was locked, he was surprised to see. by
the dim light of the hanging lamp, that u
duplicate key to the one in his desk was
in the lock- 1t must be Susy's--and the
young girl had probably taken refuge there.
He knocked gently; there was a rustic in
the room and the sound of a chair being
moved, but no reply. 1mpelled by sud
den instinct, he opened the door and was
met by a cool current of air from some
open window. AT the same moment the
figure of Susy approached him from the
semi-darkness Of the interior.
Il did not know you were here said
Clarence. much relieved. he knew not why,
but / am glad, for | wanted 10 speak With
you alone for Il few moments"
She did not reply, but he drew match
from his pocket and lit the two candles
which he knew stood on the table. The
wick of one was still warm, as if it had
been recently extinguiShed As the light
slowly radiated, he could see that she was
regarding him with an air of affected UNI
concern but q somewhat heightened color.
1t was like her, and not inconsistent with
his idea that she had come there to avoid
an after scene with Mrs McClosky or him
sclf-or perhaps both. The room was not
disarranged in any way. The window that
was opened was the easement of the deep
embrasured one in the rear wall, and the
light curtain before it still sWayed OCCASION
ally in the night wind.
I'm afraid | had row with Your aunt,
Susy," he began lightly in his old familiar
way, but ! had 30 tell her | didn't think
her conduct 10 Mrs. i'cyton was exactly
the square thing toward o2c who had been
30, for goodness sake, don't go over all
that again. said Susy. impaticntly, I've
had enough of it."
Clarence flushed, but recovered him
self.
"Then you overheard what l said and
know what | Think" he said calmly.
81 knew it before" said the ycung girl
with a slight ;olpcrcilious toss Of the head,
and yet t. certain abstraction of manner,
ms, she went to the window and closed IL
"Anybody could see it. l knew sou al
w&ys wanted me to stay here with Mrs.
pc,ton, and be coddled and monitorcd,
and catechisc1, and shat up away from
any one, until You had been co"uied sra
else sufficiently 20 SUR ner IDEAS of your
being Il tit husband for me. / told aunty
it was 70 use orr coming here-to-to-
"'Fo do what" asked Clarence.
'"ro put some spirit into you. said the
Young girl turning upon hird sharply. TO
keep You from being tied to that woman $
atrtn strings. To keep her from making
Nv" - " ~ '' "ph'7 OF t.'''. '''
# is no use Mary Rogers was right when
she SAIL you had no wish 20 please anybody
but Mrs. Peyton and no eyes for anybody
bnt her And if it 1adnt been too ridlcu-
lous-considering her age and yours-.,,she
say you were dead in love with her.
FOR an instant Clarence rn :; ~ tine 9 1ns%l
ing him pale and cold. The room which
had seemed to whir around him and then
fade away, returned with appalling dis
tiuctness~the distinctness of memory
and the vision of the first day that he had
seen Mrs Peyon sitting there as he seemed
70 see her now. For the first time there
T 1osne' g H0 had spoken the trath and had
6rusquely brushed the veil from, his fool
;sh ewes. He was in love with Mrs; Pey-
ton! That was what his doubts ana hesi-
tation regarding Susy meant: that alone was
The source. the secret and the limit OF his
vague ambition!
(rPn Re C0ntinucd)