The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-04-11

The AnglO-lndian society which had dis
| cussed Mrs. Courtneys position in whis-
pers shook its head significantly when, up
on the same steamer. Captain Lorraine
sailed home with an Indefinite leave of alb
sence. and mods and winks and wreathcd
smiles" were rife as he stood beside the
two ladies' during the final handkerchief
shaking and hat-waving.
ut was not difficult" they said. Ito guess
what that meant; and surely it might
have been managed "a little more lis
creetly."
To tell the truth, Anglo-Indian society
was disappointed; a wedding is not nearly
so interesting as-well as other complica-
tons which might have arisen.
How serious you both look"
The two women who had been so silent
~ watching the waves, turned at once
TO the newcomer who stood smiling down
at them.
"Hilda is dreaming of the gores of
Bond-st on a June afternoon Captain
Lorraine" said Eve laughing
1T will be jolly to get back won't it,
thought"
"JonyW-and Mrs. Courtney clasped her
hands i'm comic ecstasy-oh"
do you share that sentiment, Miss
Gresham" asked Lorraine, laughing.
"Oh, she doesn't know anything about
it yeti She hasn't the least idea of the
possibilities of London. l fancy she knows
more of the Whitechapel road and the
East End altogether than of the Park
and Mayfair; but we are going to change
all that!
The color rose slowly to Ewes face; she
turned away a little from the laughing
eyes of the other two.
Meantime" said Capt. Lorraine, you
ought not to be standing here without any
wraps tell me what can fetch you to put
on?'
oh" exclaimed Eve hastily, I'm go
ing down. I'll bring "A shawl for Hilda---"
But"
Before her sister however, could formu-
late her objection. Miss Gresham was al
ready Fastening away.
Let us walk up and down till she comes
| back he said Offering his arm to Hilda.
I'm not going to let you come to grief al
the eleventh hour of my guardianship, /
can tell you. Does it seem strange to you
at all he continued, as they paced the
deck slowly. that tomorrow all this will
have ended?-that we shall have gone our
several ways, that-that all of us, who
have been so much together for so long
now-that we shan't meet in quite the
same way as before
Mrs Courtney glanced up at him quick
ly; her dainty little face looked a trihe
pale in the starlight and her dark eyes
| about which the smile still fingered, seem
ed larger and graver than their won't
Il don't think l quite understand. Why
should anything be different"
"Because-Oh, you are woman, and
you must know-don't you know? he
asked, slackening his pace aud looking
down at her.
Mrs Courtney shook her head with a
small, tremuous laugh. Tin not quite
sure" She caught the look in his eyes,
and it checked the laugh. Yes, l do
know she murmured softly, "but-but
don't see why it need make any differ
ence?'
DO you mean that?" he asked quickly.
and she could feel his heart beating
against her arm. All what woman
you are, Hilda!" He pressed her hand
against his side. so that he almost made
her cry out but there was something in
her throat, which choked back the cry
the words she was longing to speak
everything. She could only cling to his
arm, and let herself be led along i'm the
! rapture of 1t all.
Tell me- he continued. that time in
Simla-didn't you guess
She nodded, smiling.
1T was that which frightened me! l
didn't know YOU would take it! 1t seems
| even now like treachery."
"Oh. no. Why should 1t now" She found
voice to say, I'VE are both free"
Tell mel have no right to ask
| know, but | should like to hear; it does
| not matter speaking out, now that all--all
is so different-did you care at all then? p
"Care?' she repeated; "oh. if you could
only guess! II you only knew"
Really he smiled down. with almost
an amused air. Il wonder now, if at the
time 1t would have made it easier or
| harder for me to have known?"
why should we talk Of it at all?" she
answered softly.
You're right; and does does Eve
know?"
Eve? Why should she?"
ION, l would rather mott Young girls
are so queer about those things; it's alb
surd, isn't it? But m awfuly afraid If
! Eve"
He laughed nervously
why should you be-" she asked smil-
ing, her tongue suddenly loosed. a torrent
of words on her lips. why should you
be afraid of any one if -"
"Ah, you. But i'm this case II is Eve
who must decidel And she looks so sweet
and grave and pure it seems almost i'm
possible that she can care anything for
me-"
Eve! Eve care," she chung TO his arm
! to save herself from falling. Eve, she
| repeated quite aloud.
Here am dear. and here's your
wrap.
Hilda dropped Loraine's arm suddenly
and slipped back across the rail of the
ship, looking at her sister with wide-dis-
tended eyes
Eve
What is the matter. Hilda? Are YOU
i'll? Why do you look like that?' asked
the girl anXiOusly.
81 am cold. she stammered hastily
withdrawing her eyes from her sister
IT'S an right; I am going below"
She took At step away from them, and
Eve followed her.
mo. ! don't want YOU. Captain Lor-
aine wants TO speak to you. You are TO
stay here"
ITO speak to me? What do you mean.
lIilda?"