The Dickinson press., 1894-02-24
CHAPTER XII.

w.
CHAPTER XII.
Alan soon forgot Hyacinth's words.
He was Of a singularly bright and hap
py temperament. He had a certain
vague idea that all women had highly
strung nerves, and We're never to be
properly understood. When Hyacinth
said anything that was not quite COM
prehcnsible to him, he attributed the
want Of clearncss to the fact that she
belonged to the sex supposed to be
swayed by feelings without reason.
He wondered a little sadly and lit
tie gravely ut the word torture" !"
What could the child mean, when every
hair Of her head was dear to him, and
he worshipped the ground on which she
stood?
1t was one Of Lady Fraser's fancies
never TO recognize the engagement be-
tween the two lovers. She never allud-
ed to it. She never made even the
faintcst comment upon it. She gave no
sign of having ever heard about it. She
took no notice when others mentioned
1t. II any allusion were made to the
coming marriage, she affected to mis-
understand it.
More than once Hyacin,h found her
self wondering whether she knew Of
the engagement or not. Surely she did
not; though they called her a flirt, she
must have some notion of honor, and
no honorable woman would ever seek
the admiration of another woman's fl
ancc. When Lady Rosedene wished to
speak to Alan, or took him in any way
from Hyacinth, she always made some
laughing apology. When Lady Fraser
asked him to sing with her, or to take
her round the grounds, or to read to
her, us she often did, she never affected
to think that Hyacinth was in the least
concerned.
And, as she found that Alan fell easi.
ly into the net spread for him, she be-
came more and more encroaching. She
totally ignored Hyacinth, and openly
claimed Mr.. Branston. If some of the
guests proposed going out for drive,
she always asked him to drive her; if
any We're walking, and he was with
them, she chose him as her companion;
If the evening was fine, she invited him
to stroll around the grounds with her.
Alan was slightly impatient at first.
Sometimes lie excused himself, and
went away with Hyacintl. Sometimes
he was irresolutc, and witty jest from
the beautiful siren brought him to her
side-a constant fire of witticislns kept
him there. She was kind to Hyacintll
in a cold, formal way, but never men,
toned Alan to her.
The others looked on-Lady Kosedenc
with vexation and impatience; the rest
with amusement.
One day Hyacinth, passing the libra
~ windows, which opened upon the
terrace, saw Lady Fraser seated in the
deep bay window; dark head was
bending over her, and just as Hya-
cinth went by she saw Alan take the
white jeweled hand and kiss it.
1t was not much perhaps to kiss the
hand of a beautiful woman; and she
could not tell that Lady Fraser had
tempted him-drawn him into doing 1t
by showing him one of her rings, and
leaving her warm, soft hand in his.
1t was no wish Of Alan's-he had no
desire to kiss any hand save Hya-
cinth's; but, when she left it in his
own, with II plain invitation in her
eyes, he was but IL mortal man, and he
kissed it. There was not much in the
action; but it shot with deadliest pain
through the girls loving heart; it
smote her with bitterness like death:
her face paled; her lips trembled, she
looked like one whose heart had sud-
denly been transfixed with q sharp
sword.
She went on her way-she was tax.
Ing message to the head gardener
about some flowers that Lady Rosedene
wanted-but over the brightness of the
May day cloud had fallen; funeral
pail lay over the gold of the laburnum
and the purple Of the lilacs: dark
mist hid the budding roses and the lily
leaves; the birds seemed suddenly to
have changed their notes. What was
the fiery, horrible pain that made her
heart bleed?
She went on quickly. She wanted to
be alone to think over what she had
seen. She gave the message to the
gardener, who looked at her in amaze
ment-her face was white and her lips
trembled. Then she went from the
park into the woods, where she coulG
be alone and sob out her pain. If she
had known that Alan was searching
everywhere for her, with hot impa
tience in his heart against the widow
she would have gone to him.
What bewildering pain it was! Sh'
flung herself down, hiding her whit,
face and burning tears in the long sof
grass The memory of that kiss was ,
burning pain; it tortured her. How
was she to bear it? Was his love S,
light that few glances from darl
eyes and few smis13 from rosy lip
could take his heart from her?
The white hands were clinched; til
pretty lips trembled with dcep-drawl
passionate sobs. Hoy could she bea
it? She loved him so well. Why shoul.
this dark-eyed woman come betweel
them? Why should she WOO him witt
soft voice?
"He is miner she said, raising he
fearful face to the sky. 'Why shoult
she try to take him from me? He Il
mine"
The fever Of jealousy that burned
the loving soul grew cool in the rain o.
bitter tears; but the pain remained
How it tortured her!
Presently she returned to the house
1t SO happened, as ill-fortune woulG
have it, that Alan had overtaken Lady
Fraser on the lawn, and Hyacinth saw
them enter the house together. AS q
matter of course, she thought they had
spent the morning together, while she
had been weeping her heart out in the
wood. The sight of them entering the
house together made her grow faint.
The bell was ringing for luncheon
She had only just time to remove Ill
traces Of tears from her face and has
ten to the dining loom. The widow
ond Alan were side by side; but q chair
had been left for Hyacinth next to hel
lover. She took it; but it was q mere
farce for her to pretend to eat.
Alan was kind to her-he attended tC
all her wants; but he was laughing the
whole time at some absurd anecdott
| that Lady Eraser WAS telling him. HY