The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-07-10
cHAPTER u.-MAN's REVENGE.

as keen, and by a sense of imminent
danger. He followed the girl into the
dining-room, holding his bag with a
firm hand, and looked at her with an
expression which caused the blood to
rush to her face, and her eyes to droop
suddenly.
The table was between them, for she
was standing by the fireplace at the
opposite end of the room, leaning
against the mantelpiece in an attitude
which showed off the lines of her fine
figure to unstudied advantage against
the red glow. Her blush, the womanly
bend of her head at his look, caused
revulsion of feeling entirely in her ia
vor in the young man. And even as
he gazed at her, bending little for
ward to get better view of her face
by looking under the hanging oil lamp
with its red shade, he saw that her ex-
preston of modest shame gave place to
one of doubt, of fear. She looked up
quickly, and their eyes met.
In moment he felt satisfied, as an
older man would not have been, that
the suspicious her strange conduct had
aroused were unfounded. He heaved
sigh of relief. He felt so much, how
ever, that he had TO put constraint
upon himself which made his manner
abrupt, and his voice harsh as he spoke.
81 must go now" he said, turning
abruptly, ''Open the door, please"
He had turned his back to her, to
avoid the strong influence he felt she
had upon him. In the silence which
followed his words, he heard her rapid
and labored breathing. His doubts
awoke again. He even glanced sharp
ly round, as if in doubt whether she
was not approaching him with some
sinister purpose. And he saw that she
had indeed come a little nearer, and
that her large gray eyes were wide
with doubt and fear.
"Why do you wish to detain me?" he
asked, so sharply that she was taken
aback, and gave little forced laugh
while she prepared an answer.
Surely that is a singular way of
acknowledging hospitality" said she,
without looking at him, ''to question
the motives of it. Out here in the coun-
try we are not like the people in towns,
who look shyly and coldly upon stran-
gers. On the contrary, we offer them
fire when they are cold, and light when
they have lost their way. If you're SO
suspicious, why did you accept my di-
rection as to the road you were to
take?"
He paused before answering. 1t was
not easy to tell her the reasons for the
change in his attitude, although he
could not but suppose that she knew
them already. he had seen something
of the world, and was not particularly
diffident with any class of women.
But there was something about this
girl, an air of innate refinement, the
accent of a gentlewoman, a sugges-
ton IN her look and manner that she
was playing part for which she was
not suited, which prevented his put
ting upon her outrageous conduct the
construction he unhesitatingly would
have done in the case of another
woman.
He was hopelessly puzzled. He noted
that the room, comfortable as it was,
was shabby and worn as to furniture;
that the girls dress was severe in its
inexpensive simplicity; that the glass
and silver which had looked so impos-
ing from the outside were exceedingly
old fashioned. He noted also that the
table was laid for two persons. And,
finally, he remarked to himself upon
the fact that since he entered he had
heard no sound indicating the presence
in the house of any person besides him
self and his mysterious hostess.
Just as he came to this point in his
reflections, however, he saw in the
lady's eyes a look which showed him
that she was listening for some sound
outside, rather than waiting for the
answer to her question. So he made
up his mind rapidly and walked quick
~ to the window, which was about
three feet from the ground.
You can see nothing from there
but the snow falling" said the girl, In
voice which was not without tremor
of anxiety. 1--WE are shut in here by
wall, as you may have seen, as a pro-
lection from the gales we feel here so
terribly"
Without answering George put up
his hand to throw back the catch of the
window.
''OhF' cried she, in a higher key;
''you are not obliged to go out that
way. If you will take glass of wine
70 make amends for your doubts of my
hospitality, 1 will open the door for
you Immediately"
Without waiting for an answer she
left the room, and returned in a very
few moments with decanter of wine,
which she placed upon the table. With
cut needing the fact that he had opened
the window, and was evidently on the
point of making his escape by that way,
she poured, out a glass of wine, and
offered it to him with her own hand,
coming round the table and holding It
close to him.
You won't refuse, will you?"
George, with one searching look into
her face, look the glass, and put his
lips to the wine. Then he put the
glass, with a firm hand, down on the
table.
''You must excuse me-" said he,