Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-06-28

| were W marry, tlura! ne asked,
"Grieve me IL you were to marry. 1t
would be the end Of my life. | would
never forgive you. But you are play
ing with me, You are only trying to
brighten me.
"You are frightening yourself he
answered, "bonly put the question in
a speculative way. Let US drop the
subject. If you want to 60 to the con-
cert --"
II don't want to go; am not fit to go
anywhere. win you ring that bell,
please? / shall send the brougham
back to the stable"
Won't you drive in the park this
| fine afternoon"
mo; | am fit for nothing now"
A maid-servant came in answer to
tho bell.
You can take my bonnet, Jane, said
Mrs. Walsingham, removing that floral
structure, and tell Johnson | shall not
want the brougham to-day. You'll
stop to dinner, won't you, Gilbert"
she went on when the maid had retired.
"Mr. Wyatt is to be here, and Sophy
Morton"
How fond you are Of the actor peo-
pie. So Jim Wyatt Is coming, is he?
| rather want to see him. But | have
other engagements this afternoon, and
/ really don't think | can stay"
oh, yes, you can, Gilbert. | shall
think had just grounds for my suspi-
cion If you are so eager to run away
Very well, Clara, if you make a
point Of it, will stop.
Mr., Sinclair threw himself into one
of the low luxurious chairs with an air
of resignation scarcely complimentary
to his hostess.
The interval before dinner dragged
YEARLY, in spite OF Mrs Walsingham's
efforts to sustain pleasant CONVERSE
tion about tribes.
The conversation dawdled on in
languid manner for couple of hours
and then Mr.. Sinclair went away to
change his dress for the regulation din
ner costume
The smile which Mrs. Walsingham's
face had worn while she talked to him
faded the moment he had left her, and
she began to pace the room with rapid
steps and u darkly clouded brow.
Yes, there is no debut about it, "she
muttered to herself, with suppressed
passion. Il have seen the change in
him for the last twelve months. There
is some one else. How should | lose
him if it were not sQI Heaven knows
what pains have taken t. retain nv
hold upon himl There is some one
else. He is afraid to tell me the truth.
He is wise in that respect. Who can
the woman be for whom am tors aiken?
He knows so many people, and visits so
much, and is everywhere courtel and
battered on occount Of his money. Oh,
Gilbert, fool, fool Will any woman
ever love you as | have loved you, for
your own sake, without thought of
your fortune, with a blind idolatry of
your very faults? What is it that [
love in him, | wonder? l know that
he is not good man. have seen his
heartlessness too oftrn of late not to
know that he is hard and cruel and re-
morseless toward those who come be-
tween HIM and his iron will. But |,
too, could be hard and remorseless if
great wrong were done me- Let him
take care now he provokes q passion
ate, reckless nature like mine. Let
him beware of playing with fire."
This was the gist of her thoughts
during gloomy reverie that lasted
more than an hour. At the end of
that time Miss Morton was announced,
and came lluttering into the room,
respondent in q brilliant costume Of
rose-colored silk and black lace, fol-
lowed shortly by James Wyatt, the
lawyer, courteous and debonair full of
small-talk and fashionable scandal.
Gilbert Sinclair was the last to enter.
The dinner was elegantly served in
a pretty little dining-room, hung with
pale green draperies and adorned with
q few clever water-color pictures,
room in which there was a delightful
air of GOODNESS and repose.
Mr.. Wyatt was invaluable in the
task of sustaining the conversation,
and Clara Walsingham seconded him
admirably, though there was sharp
anguish at her heart that was now al
most a habitual pain, an agony pro-
phetic of a coming blow. Gilbert Sin
clair was little brighter than he had
been in the afternoon, and contributed
his share to the talk with decent
grace, only once or twice betraying alb
sence of mind by random answer and
wandering look in his big brown
eyes,
James Wyatt and Mrs. Walsingham
had been running through catalogue
of the changes OF fortune, for good or
evil, that had befallen their common
acquaintance, when Gilbert broke in
upon their talk suddenly with the ques-
ton;
what has become of that fellow who
dined with us at Richmond last year?
Sir Cyprian som thing"
"Sir Cyprian Davenant," said James
Wyatt. "He is still in Africa
In Africa, All, yes, to be sure l
remember hearing that he was going to
join Harcourt's expedition. was not
much impressed by him, though | had
heard him talked about as something
out Of the common way. He had prec-
ious little to say for himself"
"You saw him at a disadvantage that
day. He was out of spirits at leaving
England"
"Very likely, but had met him in
society very often before. he $ rather
handsome fellow, no doubt; but GER
tainly couldn't discover any special
merit in him beyond his good looks.
He's near neighbor of the Clan
yardes, by the way, when he's at
home, is he not?"
when he's at home, yes, answered
the solicitor. "But | doubt if ever
he'll go home again"
"You mean that he'll come by his
death in Africa, l suppose?"
Il sincerely hone not, for Cyprian