Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1894-10-20

harder 70 keep going. But rs swfu1ly
kind Of you 70 have come; I'll let him
know ms soon a. he's az 10 hear Of out
side interests. By the by are you driv-
ing or shall call you cab?"
"Oh, no; I'm driving, thanks," she
replied.
She was boiling over with passion %
she crossed the hall and went down
the steps TO her carriage.
And poor We're. who had gone slowly
and drearily mp 10 her room face to
face with q new and terrible trouble
even before the weight Of the first NV
full one had lifted from her heart
Could Il really be true that he had gone
straightway and engaged himself TO
Mrs. Hope, Of all women In the world?
II 20 he must have gone TO her and
asked her at once on arriving In Lon
don, n least during the course Of that
day.
From Lakewood they had learned
that Mr.. Lumley had returned about
three o'clock, having sent his luggage
up to the studio In . cab three hours
earlier, that he had dressed and gone
out. telling Blackwood that he might
possibly not return till late at night
~ have 70 see lady In Queens Gate
about sitting" he said. land u I'm
coming home TO dinner I'll send you a
wire about half-past six"
lie had. however, been brought home
about six o'clock In cab by police.
man and strange gentleman, who told
Blackwood Of the accident. and that
the only conscious words he had spok.
en- were-"1ake me home-not a hos
pital-home." and accordingly they had
done NO.
She remembered now 40 we'll Mrs.
Jocks comment ON hearing Black
woods story. "Ah, I wonder II he had
been 70 see Mrs. Hope. She lives In
Queens Gate, you know"
Well, Il WINS evident that he had been
there, and from what Mrs. Hope had
said Il was equally evident that he had
gone there IN anger and despair and
had asked her TO take possession Of the
heart which he believed that she, We're,
had rejected! hut oh-no. no. not the
heart; Of the life, the name. the fate, II
you will. but the heart was hers-all
hers even yet. Had he not asked for her
In his frst conscious moment. had he
not wished for her presence? All, yes
whatever happened in the time TO com,
she was sure that his heart was and
would be hers forever!
And oh! how unutternbly wretched
she wnsl She had no tears left! Her
anxiety. her sleeplessness. her grief
ut the mistakes OF the past Ind taken
all her tears-in this, the most crushing
blow Of all. her eyes were quite dry,
but her heart seemed like . lump Of
lead. Her future looked black and
blank, her flower Of hope was withered
and dead.
She was still there when . light
knock Bounded on the door.
Come in" she said. when Il sounded
a second time.
The door was opened q couple Of
inches were. can you conner" II was
Jocks voice.
She ran TO the door. her heart In her
mouth. and flung Il wide open. Jock
Airlie. WINS standing on the landing.
''Could you Gomez he said. Hes ask
ing for you and Is quiet and sensible.
Ruth's asleep still"
"Oh. yes" she said. nervously. II will
come"
And you will remember how miser-
ably III and weak he 10 still? You'll be
quite steady and calm?" he said. anx.
iously.
II will he perfectly calm" she said.
unhesitatingly. ''Ilut tell me. how did
he know was herer'
II don't know lie asked for you.
and asked him what made him think
you were here. lie says he's known
NIL along"
The girl reeled little and stopped
short us anything up?" Jock asked.
oh. no-i'm all right" she replied.
steadily. but in that one moment the
iron of anguish had entered yet deeper
ind more bitterly into her soul.
The room In which Lumley lay was q
little less dark than Il had been during
the days that had Just gone by We're
walked quietly In and rs quietly to the
side Of the bed wherein I.nm'cy, .sunt
and white and weak rs u child. was
lying.
mir Lumley.- she said. softly. Jock
drew the nurse 70 the window and
asked her u she had ever seen such for
get-me-nots In town before. Lumley
opened his eyes-snd smiled. We're
shivered
"How good Of you 10 be here" he said.
In q strange weak voice. n voice very
unlike his own pleasant. mellow accents
and then he lay looking at her rs II
the very sight Of her was all sufficient
for his contentment
We're bent down over the bed. You
are hotter. much better" she said, very
tenderly She had not forgotten that he
was bound TO another woman, but he
was 30 weak. 40 pitiably weak. that she
did not seem to think Il worth while 70
remember anything else.
"Yes-I got smashed" Then after .
pause Cant you sit DOWN.
She put u chair by the bedside and
sat down facing him. then by some in
stinct Of tenderness she laid her cool
firm hand upon his white wasted one as
Il lay outstretched upon the coveriet
His fingers closed willingly over hers
and he smiled again.
stay there" he said. drowsily And
there We're stayed.
The painter sank into q sound sleep
and We're was prisoner, for he held
her hand tightly SO that she could not
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