Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-12-22
CHAPTER NV.

~ ..sAscsssSr.
CHAPTER XIV.
AWAKENING.
One morning | WAS particularly bri4ht
and happy Tar;ls and | had risen early,
10y arrangement made over night and gone
~ the flower market at Coy"nt Garden,
from which we returned ladcne,! with flow
ers. and was then diSpos,ng them about
onr pretty living room. Mere loas SEr-
prised nae by repeating phrase which she
had not used for a long time.
"Pauvre cherie, va said she in trem-
bling voice, regarding mo with tender COM
miseration in her broad. m0thcrly face as
she stood before me with her hands planted
on her massive hips.
why do you say that, Mere Lucas:" l
asked. for | could now speak in French
with tolcrabe tiurucy. Il have everything
want
1T i true, ii i true. Thank heaven,
you have everything YOU desire"
Then why do gu say poor dearie' with
that look 81 >alness'
WHY do say 80 >he said, echoing my
words 10 get time for election. She hest
tated. Her lip, tr,r,nled as If she were
about 10 tell some. ming that prudence
withhold, and then taking me by the arms
and drawing nr To her breast she got out
Of the difficulty hy ~ ylng: because love
you. CO. and with u sounding kiss she
released me and went off to her kitchen. /
accepted this feminine explanation then,
but before long the same expression
cropped up again apropos Of nothing when
l was singing from sheer want Of thought.
That set me wondering. What was there
In my condition that appealed to her sym
pathyf / was no longer the deplorable
creature that first excited her pity. Why
would merry laugh now and then be
checked by a sigh as she squeezed my hand,
or end In a rueful shake Of the head and q
look Of fearful sadnessi
Another phase Of her affectionate regard
added to my perplexity before long. She
became remarkably urgent in her praise Of
George Gordon and lost no opportunity Of
bringing us together.
Good day, Nine. Lucas" Gordon would
cry in his CHEEKY voice and execrable French
when the door was opened to him. Fine
weather, isn'tit? Is IN. Taras in his studio?"
II will go and see," Mere Lucas respond
ed in good Norman, but behold ma 'selle
all alone" and opening the sitting room
door she gave the poor man no option but
me, and bad quarter of an hour it usually
was for him owing to his very limited
knowledge of French and my obstinate
perseverance In speaking English only to
Taras.
He was nice fellow and the most init
mate friend Of raras. A stronger bond Of
friendship existed between them than be-
tween Taras and Kavanagh, perhaps be-
cause there was more weakness in Gordon's
character. kavanagh was undoubtedly
stronger IN purpose and action, which was
the reason, l believe, for Taras choosing
him rather than Gordon as q guardian for
me in case of accident.
liked Gordon for his honest simplicity,
his obvious kindness of heart and for Q GER
tain resemblance to Taras in personal ap-
pearance and some phases of character
Like Taras, he was strong and big, fair and
blue eyed, careless with regard to dress-in
striking contrast to Kavanagh, who always
dressed perfectly and had never . hair
astray-and his voice was hearty and out
spoken.
They had both the same good laugh, the
same honest, open way Of looking you full
in the eyes, the same gentleness and ready
sympathy. Both might have been cast
from the same mold. but Gordon was the
rough cast, still needing the finishing touch
and polish which gave Taras his immense
superiority. Gordon's eyes lacked the ar
tistic depth and his expression the high
intelligence and serious bent that distin-
guished Taras-just as his manner was
wanting in some quality which marked
the high breeding and refinement of his
friend. In their hands more than any
thing the difference between them found
expression. Gordon's were pretty, with
tapering fingers and . dimple in the
knuckle. soft and slow in movement
Taras had long, thin fingers with spatula
tips. and they were full Of nervous energy.
"Ah, what a good husband he would
more than once exclaimed. $50 rich, 20
amiable, 80 gay and with such . good
heart and so easy to leadr'
But it never occurred to me that should
lead him. No idea of marriage ever en-
tered my head at that time.
Seeing that failed to profit by her hints
and that was as fafAs ever from regard
ing Gordon as a possible husband, Mere
Lucas took more decisive means Of warn
ing me against the danger which Lay un-
seen beneath my ever increasing attach
ment to Taras. She found me one morning
alone In his workshop setting some fresh
flowers in the brown jar by the window.
ut Is good to put flowers where he may
see them when he turns from his work"
said she, ''for his heart must be heavy,
like sick person without hops, when he
thinks and thinks hour after hour Of the
misery of his country. How grand it isP'
she added turning to the life size group,
now nearly finished, which Taras had mod
eled In the past month from the smaller
sketch. "How It strikes one with pity and
stirs up ones heaxti One would say that
poor beaten creature had NO hope in the
world. Il - magnificent And to think
that out of piece Of soft. shapeless clay he
makes figure whieh ais one with sympa-
thy for that poor Rusdani Il Il srand to
have that power and Tho couTage 70 pcac-
tice It But the gift was not meant for
him. It should have bean given to ono
with no wish to live, no love for homo and
friends, not TO my dear master. How fond
he is Of the world, Of simple things, Of n,
look youi See how sweet he II with chill
dren and think what happiness it would
have been 10 such . man to have . dear
wife and children Of his own to love!'
The idea of Taras with vito for his COM
panion presenting itself to my selfish mind
for the first time filed mo with jealous tar
TOR.
why should he not marEyi" I asked,
giving expression to my fear.
Because he ought not to marry. That
is reason enough for him. His choice II
made. He has offered 10 sacrifice his Life
for his country, and with that fate hanging
over him he will never marry. Believe me,
my poor little friend, for know my mas
ter, and tell Jon that he will never marry
newer, nsvGf'
CHAPTER XIV,
AWARHNIu0