The record-union., 1893-05-13
And Miss Liiburne gave a little shiver


| Very likely you are alarming your
self sell! about nothing, Adelaide" she said.
| rive years is long time and most men
have very short memories"
But. then, why has he come to Knag-
ford ?" Adelaide queried
Miss Gray looked at her friend doubt
fully.
Tell me, Adelaide" she said sol
EMMY, did you really care for him ?"
II don't know" Adelaide replied rap
IDLY. You mustn't ask me. 1t was so
long ago and l was only just eighteen.
Perhaps 1 did little. But wish he
hadn't come down here just now wish
that with all my heart and soul"
My dear child" Miss Gray said
warmly, don't frighten yourself unnec-
essarlly. DIR. Wilson has very likely
come down only for quiet and to write
his book, as the newspapers say. He has
perhaps forgotten all about what he said
and felt five years ago."
N will be best for both of us if he has"
Adelaide replied. but am afraid that
She let her sentence trail off into silence,
and the two friends sat together for some
Tune without speaking. Then they
oal5ed on6 "a htiully Of other things, and by
and-by Miss Gray doZed and Adelaide
was LETT to her own reflections. Miss
Gray's drowsy holdings were banished
| by the sound of a footstep on the gravel
path outside. Adelaide peered eau
tiously through the foliage, and then
sank back in her seat, looking more than
half frightened.
Its DR.. Wilson," she said family.
"Oh, Laura, you don't know how silly
and umid l feel. l suppose l must see
him."
You'll have to see him some time"
Miss Gray replied calmly. you may as
well get over the awkwardness of the
hrsG meeting as soon as you can"
When Adelaide got into the drawing
| room she found that her mother had
| turned on the full flow of her affability
Tor the benefit of the explorer of Borneo.
how nice it was of him to find time to
see his friends at Knagford. They had
all been SO interested in reading about
him in the papers. And when would his
book be ready? etc.
DIR. Wilson made the appropriate re-
| plies to these effusons. He seemed very
grave and a little formal, Adelaide
thought: He greeted her quietly, and
when she had had time to recover from
her inward tremors she noticed his tint
OF bronze and how well it suited him.
Mrs. Lilburne, after he had left, broke
into ecstacies of admiration.
so handsome and dignified, you
know. And this is his first call in Knag-
ford. We must have George down from
Plymouth and give dinner party"
~ oIhucls LOOp Wien MAUI returned
rather late from a tennis party, DIR. Will
son was still the theme.
"Ihe Lamberts were talking of moth
ing elSe," she cried. 1T seems he is very
rich as well as famous. He's got lots of
shares In some new company or some-
thing. The Lamberts are very glad that
he was their doctor when he was here be-
tore. Bella remembers him very well;
he came when she had the mumps.'
Later on Mr.. Chessall came and
brought heap of newspapers, from
which he read extracts relating to the eX-
pIoits of the recently returned traveller
He had also read up the article "Borneo"
IN an encyclopedia, and was able to give
a good deal of information about the
island. Mrs. Lilburne was Immensely
interested. Adelaide listened almost in
silence, and when taxed with being abb
sent-minded, put forth the plea of head
ache.
She wandered about the garden with
her lover, as usual, and when they parted
she received his customary enthusiasm
as to the approaching day with q respon-
sive smile. But all the time the image of
the tall figure and bronzed face of the
great traveller was fitting before her
mental vision.
docs he remember?" was the question
that agitated her doubtful mind. And
then she wondered if he had been told of
her engagement to Mr.. Chessall.
CHAPTER III.
Adelaide met DR.. Wilson several times
during the next week, tor Knagtord was
eler, and he showed himself the most
amiable of lions and accepted every in
vitation. But at these gatherings-5
o'clock teas and tennis parties and din
ners-there was no opportunity of private
speech. MIR, Chessall was generally by
] tl,ac cfl 10 n hnfp cd nd ,l,t
passing in DIR. Wilson's mind could only
be guessed at.
But on the day after Mrs Lilburne's
dinner the expected explosion came.
Miss Gray was district visitor, and
Adelaide had accompanied her to a viii
lage about mile and "a half from Knag-
! ford. On their return they were over
taken by DR.. Wilson. who had been out
! fishing. His tish-baSket excited Miss
! Gray'S curiosity, and, being found empty
called forth her sarcastic powers, and
conversation flowed merrily as the three
journeyed together toward their respect
| i've homes. Suddenly Miss Gray stopped
| before stile.
II must call at this COTTAGE" she said,
pointing TO picturesquely wretched
hovel hundred yards OF, ito ask after a
little patient. You two can sit ON the
stile and talk about Borneo till l come
back. 1 won't be long"
She glanced significantly at Adelaide as
| she tripped off.
When the two were left alone long
silence ensued. Adelaide felt that the
moment was critical and her heart beat
| furiously. At last, to break the horrible
awkwardness of the silence, she made
! great effort to command her voice, and
said:
when will you finish your book, DIR.
Wilson? l suppose it Will be full of
| dreadful adventures"
She stole a timid glance at him as she
spoke and saw that she had guessed his
mood rightfully, for his face wore the
tragic mask and his eyes glowed.
Adventures? Yes" he replied, plenty
of them-'moving accidents by flood and
field People will read all about them
by-and-by, but they will not read why it
was l went out there and risked my life
for speedy gains. But / suppose you
know. You can't quite have forgotten
those old days when 1 loved you so and
told you of my love, and you listened
and-good Heaven! | remember every
thing you did and said. Out in the poi
sonous jungle l have lain awake night
after night under the stars and conjured
up your face and recalled every word
and smile-and then at last / come back
just in tiuIe TO witness your wedding"
DIR. Wilson was fairly launched on a
sea of wild words and the poor girl lis
tened in terror.
81 know I've treated you badly, Err
nest,n she walled at last, "but be gener-
GUS and forgive me. Think of the scan
dal, of what people will say about me.
Go away and leave me in peace. What
have you to gain by making me misera-
ble-just when l ought to be happiest,
too, before my wedding"
Dir. Wilson looked at her sternly.
"Your happiness ~ he cried. ''Ahi if
YOU really loved that man"