The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-04-19

how my romance was to end. / would
marry Betty; we should be poor, but
knew her tastes were simple, and l
would work trebly hard and win sue
cess for myself. and wealth for her, be-
fore we were FIVE years older. OF such
visions is hove guilty.
AS the girls We're resolute to keep to
their plan OF walking from Bormio to
Pontresina, we set out in true Bo-
hemian fashion, like respectable gyp-
sizes The roads were good, the
wea ther perfect, and we tramped joy
ously to Bolladore and Tirano, staying
a'day here and day there, just as the
fancy took us. II was at Tirano that
the climax of my brief madness came
and the denouement of this adventure
befell.
We were housed in the Hotel San
Michele, one of the qualntest hostel
ries surely wherein man might take
his ease, for the building had formerly
sheltered peaceful sisterhood. The
bedrooms were vaulted, the doors were
of stone. and all the doors opened on
to broad, cloister-like gallery. At
the end of this winding gallery was an
immense loggia, which looked on the
piazza and the Cathedral pilgrimage
church-whither on great festivals. the
faithful were gathered together from
all the surrounding villages.
Perhaps it was the SOLDERING influence
of the gray old building, or the con-
ventual air of the place. or the asceti-
cism which breathed from those cell
like bedrooms; but certainly on that
third evening of our sojourn there the
girls manner had changed. Betty's
beautiful face was sad and clouded,
and kittie's gayety had vanished
After dinner she pleaded a headache
and went to her room, and Betty
looked troubled as she left Us, bat did
not offer to follow. suggested stroll
in the convent garden. from whence
came the click of the bowls for that
old-world game was always in full
swing after the days work was over
the garden, being large, served as an
open-air club to the townspeople.
Betty agreed. and we were soon in the
cool. high-walled pleasance-a quiet
spot, where all we heard Of the players
/
taat sound of laughter and talk.
The sun had set, and a cool breeze
was whispering among the broad leaves
of the fig trees; in the grass the droue
81 the grasshopper made 4 sleepy muir
mur. Betty was curiousiy silent, Il
tribe embarrassed in manner. and
/ somehow this unwonted shyncss and
taciturnity gave me confidence n my
self. | talked 20 her about many
things, as if were entitled 70 her sym
pathy, told her of my struggles, Of my
ambitions, of my hopeS-taiked as 4
man rarely talks save 20 the woman he
loves and hopes to win for his wife.
Somehow or other-made bold, think,
by tender softening of her face when
/ spoke about the hardness of the
struggle for fame when the struggle is
made single-handed-I blurred out my
secret. | loved her. and life would be
a desert without her love.
Then in the gray twilight l saw
white, astonlshed face and two large,
frightened eyes look ct me il horror.
MIR. Aslehurst!' she painted, you
are surely mad. 1t is not you love
!
Good heavens. 1t was the old COM
plication. l read her unSpollen thought
in flash. She believed it was Kittie
l loved, that it was for Kittie's sake
that | had dangled at their heels all
this time.
was about TO protest that it was
she -Betty-and she only that loved,
when She resumed, in calm. self-pos-
sessed tone:
You must forget that you have ever
spoken so to me. Mr.. Aslehurst; that
You have ever thought of me-in that
way-for l am married already-my
| husband is coming TO join US at Pom
tresina.''
stared at her incredulously for
moment.
But, Miss Blount-.'
Il was Miss Blount once. am Mrs.
Field now. Perhaps you know my hus-
band; he is barrister. too: he could
not get away sooner because he had
some important case to work up" she
went on, rapidly 1T is all Kittie
Morison's fault-this-thi dreadful
mistake. Kittie was my greatest chum
before l married last year; she was
very angry with me for marrying. and
she persuaded me, just for the sake of
old times, when we used to come
abroad together for walking tours, to
be Miss Blount again. 1t was she who
wrote the name in the hotel book at
! Bormio; and when you called me Miss
Blount Kittie was delighted, and in
sisted on keeping up the joke"
That was little rough IN me-" I
said, in a crestfallen way. The comical
side of the situation was apparent to
me, and for a moment 1 forgot the
pangs of despised love.
We did not mean any harm" she
murmured, humbly. we used to have
such splendid times together when we
toured about, Kittie and l. When 1
heard you cali me Miss Blount, 1 al
most forgot that 1 had husband in
| London"
Poor Field! He would not be fat
tered"
You know my husbard?"
slightly. We meet pretty often in
hall" answered. dryly.
''Oh, Mr.. Aslehurst, what must you
think of me? But l do love Edward,
and II shall be so happy to see him
at Pontresina. We are model couple,
and ever so contented. II thought
that you admired Kittie Morrison, she is
such dear good girl; she has always
been very Independent and hIgh-spir-
ited-but-" Again she stopped, and
| read in Mrs Fields beautiful face
the gist of little romance that had,
no doubt, been simmering in her brain