The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
PIER \IIJ

CHAPTER NH.
That sam. evening Dora and John Han
bury We're sitting close to one another in
the window place where Leigh and he had
found her earlier. The long June day had
faded into luminous night: the blinds had
not been lowered, or the lamps in the
room lit. The long, soft. cool. blue mid
summer twilight was still and delicious
for any people. but especially for lovers.
well, Dora,' he began, this has been
an exciting day"
Yes" she said. softly. and added. with
tender anxiety. Il hope you have quite
recovered! l hope you do not feel any
bad effects of-of-of-what happened to
you. Jack:' She did not know how he
would take ever this solicitous reference
to his fainting.
II feel quite well. dearest. Do not let
us talk of that affair again."
Tell me ALL" sh- said. ut was so
good o. YOU to bring him here. l felt
quite proud of you when l saw you COM
ing with him. Many men would have
been afraid to trust so uncouth a man
with so unpleasant a secret into this room
of a Thursday"
A"NS 49, wa, Saiu It III al lOllt
of elaboration and dissatisfaction. IL
did not bring him here of my own free
will. Indeed. | do not know how you
could imagine l would invite such a man.
L found him contemplating a paragraph
for the papers. and he promised he would
say nothing about what had occurred if
l would introduce him to you. He seems
to have conceived a romantic interest in
Won hn1anSn of rn,p Jl-ano. ,~ A-, go,
he knows" Later this evening he should
tell her all about this some one"
Il see" she said, her spirits declining
1t was not out Of good nature or gener-
osity, but cowardice. moral cowardice,
Jack had brought Leigh. "Oh, Jack, !
am so sorry"
Sorry! Sorry for what:" he cried.
She did not speak COR a while. She was
looking out into the dark blue air of the
street. She had formed a high ideal OF
what he, her hero, ought to be, nearly
was. But now and then. often. he die
not reach the standard she had raised
She started without turning her eyes
away from the blue duskncss of the street
and in a tone of wonderful tenderness and
sadness said:
Il don't know exactly what | was
Vi, ~ evening is SO IreSI
and still i is not necessary for one t.
think. Angry with you, dear! Oh. no
Oh. no. Angry with you for what:"
about the harsh words | said of Leigh
It. seems to me your manner change,
the moment | mentioned his name. Lee
us not speak of him any more this even
ing"
but why should we not speak of him
Jack!'
because. dear, we are here together
and we are much more interesting to one
another than he can be to either"
Eyes, dear, in a way more interesting tt
one another than all the world besides
but in another way not nearly so interest
ing as this poor clock Maker size sait
slowly, in a dreamy voice.
WELL" said he, Withdrawing his arm
from her waist and taking a chair oppo
site her in the window place. II don
see what you are driving at"
II cannot help thinking of the man ant
plying him. He will go into his gray,
having missed nearly everything in the
world"
"Why. the man has enough conceit t,
make a battalion happy. He is a CREATE
man in his W opinion than the Presi
dent"
MANY are not afflicted as he is. Yo,
say he is interested in me because ! 70
mind him Of some one. How must it b,
with an ordinary human heart beating il
such a body? Would it not be better fol
such a man to be born blind than to fine
his Pa~llas-Athena, as he calls herr"
The eyes of the girl could not be seer
in the darkness of the room; they were
full of tears and there We're tears in hel
voice.
Hamburg started. he coulI not tell why
He exclaimed: Good heavens. Dora
you do not mean to tell ME that you fee
seriously concerned in the love affairs, il
there are such things. of this man.
Jack" she confessed, Il will not try Il
disguise it. l am intensely interested il
this poor clockmaKer, this mao visionary
if you prefer to call him that"
This was not at all the kind of prefac
Hanbury wanted to the communication.
he had to make to her. He felt discon
certed, clumsy, petulant. Il have been Sc
unfortunate as to introduce the cause OF
all his anxiety to you. I would hav,
been better for every sake if | had no,
gone back and met the man the seconC
time, much better than to cut a ridiculous
figure before all the town tomorrow!
He was growing angry as his speech
went on. His own words were infaminc
his mind by the implication Of his
wrongs.
She placed her hand gently on his. anG
said in reproachful voice. a voice quit,
different from the medatitive tones i.
which she had been speaking, Jack, l did
not mean that. You know l did not meal
that. Why do you reproach me witt
thoughts you ought to know ! could no