The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-18
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The Story Of q Wait
Copyright, 1892, BY Bret Harts.
CHAPTER Ix.-Continued.

But with the conviction came . singular
calm. In the last few moments he seemed
to have grown older-to have loosed the
bonds OF old companionship with Susy,
and the later impression she had given
him Of her mature knowledge-and moved
on far beyond her years and experience.
And Il was with an authority half pater-
nal and voice he himself scarcely recog-
nixed, that he said:
II did not know you were prejudiced
By . foolish and indiscreet woman
should believe that You were trying to
insult mo a. you have your adopted
mother; and would save you the pain OF
doing both IN her house by leaving il now
and for ever. But because believe you
are controlled against your best instinct
by that woman shall remain here with
you, to Illustrate her Al best / can, or
until am able to lay everything before
Mrs. Peyton, except the foolish speech
you have Just made"
The young girl laughed. "Why not
that one. too, while you're about lit See
what she'll say"
II shall tell her. continued Clarence
calmly, ''only what you yourself have
made it necessary for me to tell her to
save you from folly and disgrace. and only
enough to spare her the modification OF
hearing IL first from her own servants"
"Hearing what from her own servantsf
What do you meant How dare youf" de-
manded the young girl, sharply.
She was quite real in her anxiety now,
although her attitude of virtuous indigna-
ton struck him as being-like all her
emotional expression-merely acting.
81 mean that the servants know Of your
correspondence with Mrs. McClosky, and
that she claims to be your aunt, returned
Clarence. "They know that you confided
to Pepita. They believe that either Mrs.
McClosky or you have seen"
He had stopped suddenly; he was about
to say that the servants particularly In
carnacion) knew that Pedro had boosted
Of having met Susy, when for the first
time the tremendous significance OF what
he had hitherto considered rs merely an
idle falsehood flashed upon him.
s'Scen whom" repeated Susy in
higher voice, impatientiy stamping her
foot.
Clarence looked at her, and in her ex-
cited, questioning face saw a confirmation
OF his still half-formed suspicious. In his
own abrupt pause and knitted eyebrows
she must have read his thought also.
Their eyes met; her violet pupils dilated.
ttSAuutSd onu sAtCt 4uaSAsy 0hAieCA - ahO
suddenly stiffened into an attidue of scorn-
ful indifference. almost grotesque in its
unreality. His eyes slowly turned to the
window, the door. the candle on the table
and the chair before it, and then came
back TO her face again. Then he drew
deep breath.
II give no heed to the idle gossip of
servants, Susy," he said slowly. II have
no belief that you have ever contemplated
anything worse than an act of girlisn folly,
or the qualification of . passing caprice.
Neither do / want to appeal to you or
brighten you. but must tell you now that
know certain facts that might make such
simple act of folly monstrous, inconceiv-
able IN you, and almost accessory to q
crimei l can tell you no more. But 10
Satisfied am of such possibility that I
shall not scruple to take any means-the
strongest-to prevent even the re-
motest chance of it'll Your aunt has
been looking Tor you: you had better
70 to her now. will close the room and
lock the door. Meantime should advise
you not to sit 90 near an open window
with candle at night in this locality;
sven IL IL might not DO dangerous for you,
Il might BE- fatal to the foolish creatures it
might attract"
He took the key from the door a. he
held 1t open for her to pass out. She ut
tered shrill little laugh, like o nervous.
mischievous child, and slipping out OF her
previous artificial attitude as if il had been
mantle, ran out of the room.