Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-03-04

"He is not coming down." Mr.. Lo-
raine said, in reply to her inquiring
look. 81 have persuaded him to 60 to
bed; it Is much wiser, Come" taking
the girls k"nt. in his, "you must come
down to Cir,or with me instead"
us he illl" 81 questit ned.
HE was shiverlng and miserable; 1t
Is always better to take care"
"Don't you think he looks very deli
cater" she asked when they sat down.
they two alone together as they had
room seemed strangely empty without
him.
"Yes, I should say ho was. And no
should be careful, for his mother died
Of consumption. From what ho tells
me, he has been very Ill himself. And
under the circumstances, a plunge into
a cold river at sunset, and long walk
afterward in wet clothes, is not likely
to do him any good. So ordered what
thought was best"
Sydney did not Immediately reply.
She clasped her hands tightly together,
with momentary pain at her heart,
and then: 1T was very wise and thought
full, father" she said. 1T is always bet
tie"
Dinner over. she returned at once up-
stairs. She felt restless and i'll at ease;
and leaving her father in the library,
when she had seen him established at
his writing-table, she opened the door
Of communication, and passing through,
entered the drawing-room. 1t seemed
to her that in this long. empty apart
ment, with no enc to speak to her or
watch her, she could bring herself back
to calm.
The only light fell from q shaded
lamp at tho further end Of the room, in
tho corner where stood tho piano, but
having closed the door behind her, she
became Immediately aware that she was
not alone, as she had expected to be
that a mans figure stood by the open
window, looking down on to the dusky
garden.
Count Lindenheiml" she spoke very
low, but he heard her, and turned his
head at once.
"Yod are here" he said quickly. II
wait for you. l wish much to speak
to you"
but it is very foolsh;" her voice was
still soft and low, and she moved few
steps nearer to him; land you are stand
lag by the open window. How unwise!
Come away, please"
She went on into tho corner by tho
piano, and seating herself ut it, pointed
to low chair beside her.
sit down." she said, in tones moro
like her usual voice, then you cannot
deceive me. l can judge for myself
how foolish you are"
NO, do not wish to deceive you" he
answered. Il have caught cold, am
certain, but that we can speak of after
ward. First, there is something else. 1
wished to say it to you this afternoon,
and then"
Yes" she said softly, "tell me now"
She was no longer excited. The hands
that held the peacock's feathers did not
tremble, only her eyes did not meet his.
81" he began. He stopped abruptly,
then rose up and took a few steps and
back again, until he stood behind her
chair, and there again paused, and rest
ed his hands on the back, as if to steady
himself. II don't know why have not
told you BEFORE" he began; 1T has not
been from any wish to keep it to myself,
butt am engaged"
The empty room seemed to echo the
words, hold them, and repeat them for
full moments breathless silence. A
moment, whilst the hold on her fan
loosened, and she clasped her hands
tightly together, and then she spoke.
All the soft ness had gone out of her
gray eyes, her voice even had grown
hard and defiant.
And why should you tell me now?
a man is not called upon to confess his
private affairs unless he is inclined"
You ask-but you know. Look at
me, and tell me it is So"
Almost involuntGrily she turned her
head, and looked up at him; but having
done so steadily, her eyes wayered a lit
tie from those above her. You must
60" then she said abruptly, but still not
lifting her eyes to his. 1t was never a
fault of Sydney IOraine's to avoid a
difficulty; it was almost impossible for
her to ignore it, even when perhaps
more worldly wisdom would have been
displayed in skirting it by. You have
been here long enough. You must re-
turn"-there was q seconds pause-"to
the woman you love-"
"Ah, but" the words came quickly
and passlonately, "the woman love is
here!"
you will not think so when you are
ut home again; you will soon forget. A
fortnight" bitterly, lis not much out of
q mans life"
IF you think that-do you?-yes." rs
she did not speak. why should you not?
then there seems nothing more to
say"
lie took his hands off the back of her
chair, and moved away to the window,
where he had been standing when she
entere', and there threw himself down
into a chair, covering his face with his
hands.
Sne watched him, still in silence. and
noted, as the dim uncertain twilight
fell upon him, how ill and haggard he
looked, noted also how thin the hands
were i'll which he had hidden his face.
Il do not think it" she cried, quickly
and impetuously, following him and
standing by his side; Il am cruel"
Then, as he still did not move, of sud-
den she knelt down by his side in soft
abandonment, and laid her hand on his
arm. Il am cruel" she repeated, but
ii is because l am hurt myself, and"
her voice faltering, you know it, you
know it,"
AT the touch on his arm, at the sound
Of the soft voice, from which had d.ed
out alike the hardness and the defiance,
Count Lindenheim lifted his bent head.
and then laid his hand caressingly en-
the one which lay upon his coat-sleeve.
"Ah," she cried, anxiously, "how fever
ish you arel-your hands are burning.
Father said you were i'll. How wrong
OF you not to take more carel"
You are good to care" he answered.
His words seemed to recall her to her. |