Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-01-12

which somehow ended by resting on the
slumberous face Of Conrad.
mo, I" she exclaimed, with great ardor,
and with a wild, wlstful light flashing
forth at me from her sweet, blue eyes.
Then, In another instant, she had burst
into tears, and darted from the room.
sat dazed, dubious, vaguely thrilled,
l knew not why. The keenness Of her
tones had Weakened Conrad, who ASKED
Of me:
Victor, what is it? Was Linda angry
at you, hurrying off like that?"
"Oh, no." | answered, though alb
sently, with the tips Of my lips, as it
were.
He seemed satisfied with the answer
and let his head sink again on my
shoulder. I slowly turned and regarded
him, he being unconscious that did so.
And then q terrible thing happened.
Momentarily and yet with intense
acuteness there came across me shud-
dering detestation Of this frail creature
whose life was 80 indissolubly linked to
mine. The impulse that seized me was,
1 suppose, murderous one. II 1t had
lasted If some wave Of ethical and fra
ternal potency had not soon swept it
aside, God knows what might have
happened!
As it was, the re-humanizing change
took place, and / presently found my
self still seated at my brothers side,
with an altered and remorseful spirit
and with cold beads Of sweat clustering
on cheeks and brow.
A. 60 IL itC
lasting reverberations through my life.
1 did not cease to regard Conrad both
with tenderness and pity; but the love
which l now knew that felt for Linda
Schreiner controlled me with novel
stress. I must here admit that it left
behind it q certain strange residuum OF
cruelty toward Conrad.
And yet, was | 80 wholly blamable?
If tho severance was effected between
him and me. my own peril would be i'm
mense. | had become sure that my
chances of survival, in such q case,
would be about one in ten. Yet this
love for Linda, mixed with joyous
glimmering OF faith in her possible love
for me, set my heart throbbing with Il
sort OF divine courage.
"Divine?" m ny will ask. And why?"
they will further urge, since 1t was
essentially selhsh?" l 6 ant that self
ishness had much to do with it, and yet
what love except the lofter altruistic
Iowa is unconcerned with egoism? A
passion like mine is not, nor ever was.
And swiftly, even horribly, as may
add, my love for this charming girl had
! blossomed into passion.
Almost whenever Linda and l held
conferences after this used my power
over Conrad-hypnotlc, mesmerlc, what
ever one pleases to call it. Not word
! Of confession ever left my lips. But by
suggestion, by innuendo, 1 am certain
that must have spoken. Whether she
understood me or no, cannot tell. II
seems to me now that she understood
perfectly. All this time I was possessed
BY prophetic sensation that sooner or
later my repre- sed fervor Of sentiment
must break bounds in terms Of trans
port and avowal.
Olaf Aveling held several converse
tons with me after this, and at last
could no longer endure the knowledge
Of his evident yet concealed purpose
One day / exerted my influence owe
Conrad while the young physician wal
present, yet it wholly failed, as now ant
then it had previously failed.
Conrad grew nervous, petulant, ever
peevish. You want to say somethin!
that you prefer | sh uldn't hear. h
declared. I've often thought this be
fore, but now it's very clear to me
You've been hiding things from me TO
a good while past oh, I've seen an