The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-01
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
Fell on the grass like a log! Like a
log. my dear, / assure you, didn't you,
Alan?" And Mr.. Forsyth, who had re-
peated the same statement some dozen
times in the course of the past twenty
four hours looked from his daughter
to his nephew for confirmation.
80 you tell me. sir!'
TITS the fact! It's the fact. 1t was
hot in the billiard-room, l suppose, and
the night air was too much for you,'
Mr.. Forsyth paused commiseratingly,
and then continued with triumph in his
tone, You had time to see that | was
right though you couldn't see the stat
ue2'
No"
"And you couldn't see the shadow that
hid it,"
mo"
Alan Durant's face was white as death.
and as the words came from him in 4
low hoarse voice, Brenda, who was sit
ting near him as he lay on the sofa in
the drawing room, said quickly: What
about the dogs, father? Have you seen
them2" A question which resulted in the
speedy departure of Mr.. Forsyth.
Left alone with her cousin Brenda ask
/ ed him no questions. She talked to him
/ quietly and brightly-if not so easily as
/ usual-ignoring the strange attack OF
/ weakness which was now passing of I'M
! til at last. he said suddenly:
! brenda. how good you are TO met
/ She turned to him with smile on her
/ face.
Good" she said. 81 don't see that.
/ have been very glad to nurse you a little. -
| She came up to him she spoke, and as
| she stood beside him he raised himself
/ on his elbow, and said with a strange
| earnestness:
Il am grateful. Brenda"
] eha
/ she paused a moment and held ont her
/ hand. eve are cousins Alan" she said.
softly. She drew her hand gently away
again, and turning, went out of the room.
As the door closed behind her some
thing very like groan broke from Alan
Durant and he rose TO his feet with a
movement at once feeble and intoler-
ably restless. u must have been mad, =
ne muttered. The place, the associa-
tions, must have thrown me off my ball
ance. Why don't ! go away? What is it
| keeps me here when I've had such a
! warning? Am | going to become miser-
able victim to hallucinations?" He stop
! ped. shuddering as though a sudden ague
| had seized him, and then he crossed the
| room abruptly, and stood gazing down
| with ashen face and haggard starting
eyes into the photographed face Brenda
had shown him on the previous afternoon.
He gazed at it until his face was almost
convulsed and great beads stood on his
forehead, and then he turned sharply
away.
And yet l can't go"' he cried below his
breath. Yet l can't go"
And he did not so. The days passed. and
! though he did not seem to regain even
such health as he had had when he ar
rived; though he was at times so restless
and depressed so fearfuly haggard and
worn looking, that Brenda wondered sad
~ whether it would not be kinder to adj
wise him to leave the place that held for
him such terrible associations; he still
stayed on.
lie had been at the Red House for about
three weeks when. one morning, coming
in for a book from the shady corner
of the garden where he and Brenda usual
~ spent their mornings, he was met in
the hall by Mr. Forsyth Brenda had NOT
come out to him that morning as usual
and he was going to ask her father where
she was when the latter said cheerily:
Looking for Brenda, are you, my boy?
She's gone up stairs l fancy" He paused
a moment. and then went on in a tone of
some Importance: "She has a good deal
TO think of this morning. She had let
ter from Edmund. you know"
Alan Durant had not known. but he
said, courteously. Yes" His uncle was
apparently only too glad to find some one
to whom he could talk. for he went on
as they entered the library together:
1
pose I couldn't expect the boy to wait
forever. He's a considerate young fell
low, too-says he has no plans for the fu-
ture until he knows my wishes. But he
wants the knot tied, and suppose it's nc
wonder"
He wishes the marriage to take place
soon?'
Alan Durant was looking along a shelf
for the book he wanted, and he did not
turn round as he spoke. though his voice
was quite steady. Just for the moment
il was hard for him to face the thought
of Brenda Forsyth another mans wife.
He wants il to take place at once. -
returned his uncle, rather ruefully His
patience seems to have given out with
a run. and he is neither TO have nor 10
hold. He is anxious that it should be
next month"
And what does Brenda say?"
brenda" Brenda's rather stopped in
some perpleXity. He really hardly knew
what Brenda had said Brenda thinks
that he has waited four years, don't YOU
know-and she's waited four years. too.
don't YOU know. and so-and so-of course
she's readyH'