San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-05-12
CHAPTER ".
CONTINUED

spoke of, and tomorrow they will ex.
pect u.s."
My spirits fell at this news like
feather in vacuum, and dare say my
face showed it. There could be nc
doubt now that Mr.. Birchmore was re.
solved to get rid of me. That he would
go tomorrow to some distant farmhouse
] did not question, but as to his having
intended any such thing before he saw
me alight from the train | confess
didn't believe it. 1t was an unpremedi.
tated expedient, and his inviting me up
to the Badehaus was only polite miti.
cation of the shock.
81 am very sorryp was all l could
say.
Kate turned her face a little toward
me at the words and her eyes met mine
sidelong. Only that look-she did not
speak-but | saw, or thought l saw,
enough in it to make our parting at such
brief notice sentimental impossibility.
At whatever sacrifice of the laws Of
ceremony and civilized reserve, deter.
mined that my acquaintance with her,
so well begun, should not thus be nipped
in the bud. Iwould sooner win her as
a barbarian than lose her as a man Of
the world. How to execute my deter.
mination was problem to be solved at
my leisure.
E>We sauntered on to the hotel, chat.
ting discursively; my mind was toe
much preoccupied to be thoroughly
aware what we were talking about.
Arrived at our destination, / followed
my trunk to my room, having arranged
to take an early dinner with my friends.
1t was nearly two hours before we met
again. The dinner passed with the
same sort of desultory conversation that
we had affected during our walk. Mr..
Birchmores manner was serious and
rather cold. Kate, too, was subdued
and grave; not the brilliant, laughing
Kate of the railway carriage. We were
waited upon at table by the saturnine
valet, whom his master called Slurk-a
name that seemed to me to suit him ex.
cellently well. He waited on us in per-
feet silence from the beginning of the
meal to the end, though several times
peremptorily addressed by his master.
There was to me something disagreed
bly, impressive in the fellows very tact
turnity-it seemed to indicate reserved
power. Kate, / noticed, was careful
never to speak to him, but | saw his
glance several times directed fixedly
upon her.
After dinner Mr.. Birchmore produced
a cigar and said:
II must take drosky over to our
farmhouse. Do you young people care
to come, or would you rather stay
hereT' ..
81 think I'll stay, papa, please" an
swered Kate.
''And |, to see that nobody runs away
with her." | added, with an easy smile.
''Slurk, get me carriage" said Mr..
Birchmore, and nodding a goodby to us
he went out
"How far is it from here-this farm
house, Miss Birchmore?" | asked when
we were alone.
81 believe about two miles"
Il should like to know it's exact situa-
ton"
"Why didn't you go with papa, then?'
Cant you imagine:'
She had been absently puckering her
handkerchief into folds in her lap. Now
she looked up.
"Why do you wish to know where we
are goingY"
Because I've taken great fancy to
to Mr.. Slurk, and | can't bear to think
of losing sight of him.
had expected her to laugh and per
haps blush; instead of that an expires
sion of something like terror swept over
her face, and she laid her finger on her
lip.
Don't talk of him. she whispered.
Her emotion had so astonished me that
could only stare in silence. Here was
another mystery-or stay! could it be
that Sunk was at the bottom of all those
strange signs and enigmas that | had
been puzzling myself over from the first
/ was prepared to believe whatever
amount of evil concerning the fellow
might be required. But what could hc
have done, or have in his power to do
that could so affect Miss Birchmore
Had he held her life or fortune at tn,
mercy of a word, she could hardly have
betrayed more dismay at my jestinI
satire.
"It's nothing" she said, recovering
herself after a moment. "Only | don
like him much, and you-and WASH
expecting to hear his name just then"
"Heaven knows it is very differen
name should have spoken!"
"No, no, mol You have amused your
self with me today, and tomorrow yol
must find some one else to amuse you