Evening star., 1896-01-11

court as things had turned out; he wished
he had returned there instead of wiring
By Jove, why should he not do so now!
He caught the afterr oon express, and
walked in upon her where she was dream
ing beside window. The sun was shining
at Deercourt; here everything was bright
She welcomed him with a cry of aston
ishment:
You"
'I couldn't stand it," he explained. After
1 had sent off your telegram 1 went to my
place, and suffered an eternity of tedious
ness that lasted at least two hours. You
know those eternities! Then this inspira-
ton struck me and here 1 am!'
He dropped into low chair, looking at
her.
You did not expect me?' he said.
Indeed no. 1 even posted some let
ters that came for you after you left.
Arnold, have missed you horribly. / have
been imagining all sorts of things. l was
50 glad to get your message lit was
thoughtful of you, dear! And then I Won
dered what you would do with yourself all
day. 1 hoped you would go to a theater in
the evening, or your club; 1 didn't want
you to be lonely, because"
"Because?
Because I was being lonely enough for
both of u.s."
She had never been more tender. more
delightful to him than in this unantici-
pated prolongation of their suspense He
had, as it were, fallen from the clouds to
her this afternoon, AMI her resolution went
down before her surprise. 1t might be
their last day-how could she be charm
ing enough!
"Win you give me some music tonight
Kate?
She sang to him as he begged, and Drill
ingham came in to listen. He always liked
to hear her singing; it reminded him of one
of the women whom he had nearly married
AN ideal that had never been destroyed.
Hopetoun loved to hear her, too, for her
voice said much to him that she never
yet trusted herself to speak. When he
reflected that his possession of her hung
upon another woman's word his impotence
to affect his own destiny frenzied him.
Inactivity is the hardest thing for man
to bear, and that was what Arnold Hope
toun was condemned to. He was like
spectator of a game of cards who Is also
the stake for which the game is played.
His deepest interests were involved, and
yet he could only watch.
He landed at the Euston platform at
something past on the following after
noon and drove, as on the previous day,
straight to the Hampstead house.
Mrs. Carstairs-they are in?"
NO sir, they are not coming today"
"What?' he exclaimed angrily. do you
mean to say their return is postponed?"
Yes, sir. They have not come back"
Hopetoun stared at the little servants
vacuouS face with resentment
"And when,' he inquired, will they be
back"
Il can't say, sir. Would you leave any
mesSage?'
No" he said, mo, never mind-I will
.write''
He turned away in villainous temper
This meant he must remain in town in
definitely; to run back to Deercou:t a sec
ond time would be too absurd He said as
much in the wire he sent again from the
Swiss cottage.
He told the man to drive him to his club,
where he ordered a outlet and a pint of
claret and made pretense of dining.
The club was even more tedious than be-
fore. He threw himself into an armchair
and smoked disconsolately.
AT length, On the principle of any change
being better than none, he got up and
walked home.
1t was half-past ~. He mounted heavily
to his rooms, trying to persuade himself
that he was sleepy at last. They were in
darkness and he barked his shi1s ag1ns.
the furniture, cropping for the matches.
Presently he found a box and lit the
lamp. a final smoke, and then he would
really WOO the elusive god, He drew for
ward the tobacco and pipe and stretched
his long legs wearily on the shabby couch.
After he had flung himself there and the
tobacco was finally aglow he perceived that
there were some letters lying on the man.
teipiece, and ne debated mentally whether
1t was worth while rising 20 get them
Ha! one was from Bella, bearing the More
combe postmark! Doubtless he would know
definitely now when she was bringing her
visit to an end. He tore it open, and draw
ing a chair up to the lamp, commenced to
read.
w Hdt was tniS fOW SnOcklngly she al
ways wrote,
Dear Arnold: Between US two a perfect
frankness has Subsisted from first to last
and feel certain that you are much too fair,
much too intelligent, to read what have to
say with any resentment, or to doubt that
the avowal causes me the greatest distress"
c'This." said Hopetoun, inwardly, sounds
like The Complete Letter Writer But I
wish she'd had it typed-I can't make it
outr)
"A duty is a duty. and I cannot shirk
mine! Arnold, l have awakened to the
truth, for since have been here have met
one who has shown me that I mistook my
own heart ("Good Lord"' gasped her
when 1 pledged myself to be your wife.
Loving him as 1 do, / should be acting wrong
to you We're l to fulfill that misguided prom
Use now. I cannot! I cannot deal you a
worse misery than this which you have to
bear today-I cannot accept your marital