Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-18

ayton is soon convinced that his new house
mself falling in love with her.
does not forgive his mysterious housekeeper
her determination to keep him forever out
side her life-to refuse him the barest privi-
leges of friendship.
As he speaks, he turns away from her,
towards the door
81 fancy it is not so trifing as you say, I"
says Rhoda, following him. "Do not"-in
low tone-"make me more unhappy than
am, by compelling me to know 1 have
failed in nv duty"
''To make you unhappvr' He turns
sharply. "What is it you want?"
Give me your commands now" coloring
warmly, as 8 sort OF shvness overcomes her,
al the thought of receiving 'torders" while
Brenda and Gerald and Tom are looking on
Tom, whose gaietv is not to be suppressed
and who persists in looking ct the whole
thing as a sort of morning performance
''1f You will come into another room with
me, 1 can hear and remember better, what
is required of me"
''COme them" says he, quietly. He stands
aside to let her pass him, as though she
were duchess, and with q comprehensive
glance to the three behind her, she leaves
the room.
They enter the library. She enters it
first and he following, closes the door be-
hind him. She has moved up to the big
black oak table, and having got SO far,
stands calmly there, like one awaiting o.
derS. Her eyes are downcast.
Some heavy velvet curtains hanging
against the second door at the upper end
Of the room are right behind her, and she
looks quite beautiful (too beautiful for
Drayton's peace of mind) as she stands
thus, calm, detected, with one small deli
cate hand resting on the table, and nothing
to relieve the blackness OF that long
straight dress, save the dainty whiteness
of the frillings at her neck and wrists.
A sort of certainty that she was laughing
before he came, makes her sudden sadness
now, misery to him. A very rage of an
gUish makes his voice harsh. He speaks!
''What does this meanW cries he passion
ately.
She lifts her eyes for second only. Then
they fall again. But pale as she was be-
fore, she is paler now.
Il regret" begins she, family.
''You regret Your interrupts he vehe-
mentIy "Why will you treat me like thisI
You must be the dullest woman alive if you
think you have anything to regret. And
should be the dullest man If believed you:
you know right well that" He pauses;
whatever the madness of the moment had
tempted him to say, is not quite said. He
conquers himself in part. 'That would
gladly serve you-in any way"
Il know that.
''You know it, and yet you receive YOUR
cousins in that little hole of rooml Is
not all nv house free to you? Do you not
know, too, that I should be honored by
your making use of it? Am L" He
comes nearer to her, and lays his hand upon
the table close to hers. "Am your enemy
that you treat me like this?"
There is passion that amounts almost to
violence in his tone, yet his eyes-hiS eyes
are full of nothing but the tenderest re-
proach.
Rhoda makes him no answer. Perhaps
she could not trust herself to speak In
deed after cruel struggle with herself she
gives in, and when at last-after the silence
has proved TOO terrible-he looks at her, it
Is to see the tears running silently down
her cheeks
Don't !'' saws he, hoarsely "Don't do
that What have 1 said or done that you
should suffer like this? What a brute 1
must be, and yet 1 only meant-all
wanted was to make you happy"
Happy! Ip' She lifts the saddest eyes
in all the world to his.
Yes, you," saws he sturdilv. "Why
should you not be happy? The world is
before you yet, and because-because you
have lost one thing dear to you, is there no
hope that you may find something else as
dear?"
lie waits little while to study her face.
But it shows nothing. It is q complete
blank. She has not understood him.
As fact, how should she-when he is
dwelling upon her sad fate as widow,
willis: as yet widowhood is far from her.
81 have put hope behind me" says she
''I distrust it."
SIT! but why distrust meT'
A quick pang contracts Rhoda's heart Is
he not her hopel And does she not. Oh,
no, it is he who distrusts herl
''Do distrust you?"
Zone can see it," SAYS he, 'tand think
even you, if put to it, will not deny it. You
do what you can for me, but all the time
you regard me as-as what 1 said Just now
an enemy"
''Oh, no, cries she, quickly. ';No, in
deed! You are kind. Too kind. 1t is not
that. " She breaks off suddenly. She has
dried her eyes, and controlled herself, and
is now looking at him calmly, seriously.
"What then?" asked he. His hand is
close to hers upon the table, and now be
moves it and deliberately lays it upon hers.
1t is very light clasp, and she has no
whatever about taking her hand
awav.
"You have declared you are not nv
enemy, p" says She. ''Do not then ask me to
exnlain.
"I will ask you nothing" saws he, slowly.
'If that is your command !, not stirring,
but looking at her with an expression no
woman could fail to understand, so full it is
Of love, and faith, and honest devotion.
II will only tell you something-that
l."
Rhoda makes passionate movement
"Not a word" cries she sharply. She
has raised both her hands and laid them
against her ears. Her beautiful eyes are
full of fear Her lips are parted. 'sNot
one," she says, She falls back a step or
.Wo
He hesitates; and then suddenly she
knows she has conquered. She lets her
hands fall from her ears and approaches him
slowly, methodically.
There was something you came to tell
ne about" SAYS she as quietly as though
10 recent storm had stirred the ocean of her
ite.
"Yes." His tone is coldness itself now.
de does not look at her. He pulls the tele-
rams out Of his pocket and glances at them.
Some men are coming here this evening.
T I had known you wished to receive |