The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1897-02-05
She was kind, but 20


with their long lashes, casting a shadow
ON her fair cheek, her white fingers
moving swiftly amid her silks and
woods. "You must he frightfully bored,
shut up so long"
prison, do you call it?" he returned
rather unsteadily. ''It has been more
like paradise. can never forget your
kindness, Lady Lexley."
"Have been kind?" she asked, rails
ing her white lids and letting her calm,
gray eyes rest on his face. "Surely, /
have done no more than any woman
would have done in my placer"
"And not more than you would have
done for the veriest stranger. he added
rather bitterly. "At the same time, L
should not like you to think me I'M
| grateful, especially as must leave Ash
leen tomorrow. The regiment is under
orders for foreign service. We sail i'm
mediately. and after tomorrow it is I'M
likely shall see you again, except to
say goodby."
His voice was harsh and strained, and
his eyes fell gloomily ON the fire. No
answer And as the silence grew pro-
| longed he turned and looked at her.
She was quite calm, the tranquility Of
her face unmoved.
"How cold, how cruelty cold she isl"
| he thought hopelessly. Yet what could
| his going be to her but matter of COM
| plete Indifference? But, all the same, it
seemed bitterly hard, when every fiber
Of his being was pulsing with passion
or fnr bn,. CHI oh no
so utterly and completely unconscious
and unresponsive.
"You will like it?" she said at length,
a note of calm interrogation in her low
tones
Like it!' he echoed rather wildly.
"Do you think man likes leaving all
he holds best and dearest in the world
when going means for him dreariest ex-
lie into outer darkness? If you can sup
pose such thing to be possible, then I
like going" with a miserable, jarring
laugh
Her eyes gazed straight into his, COM
polling and drawing his to meet them
by the very intensity of her gaze. Then,
swiftly folding her work, she rose and
stood with one hand resting on the man.
telpiece, as if to steady herself, still
looking down at him.
"What do you mean?" she questioned
in d very low voice.
81 mean L love you," he muttered
recklessly. "Scorn me, despise me, I
don't care. I must speak or L shall go
mad 1 think. 1 never, God knows,
meant to tell you this, but circumstances
have been too strong for me. had bet
ter leave your house at once before you
order me out And sinking his face on
his hands, he breathed hurriedly.
Silence-dead silence-followed his
speech, a silence so intense that he could
almost hear the beating of his heart.
After time he raised his head languid-
ly and rested his haggard eyes on her.
She had not stirred, except that one
white hand was tightly clinched on her
bosom, crushing the delicate lace of her
gown, while her eyes shone with
strange light as they met his.
All at once, with sudden, tender
movement, she fell ON her knees beside
the couch, and her soft fingers twined
round his. Almost mechanically, in his
great establishment, his heart beating to
suffocation, his arms closed round her
tightly, he drew her close to him. AS he
did so long, soft sigh escaped her.
''Oh, my love, )" he breathed very low,
caressing the soft ripples of her hair
that lay against his lips, sis it really?
Do you care little?'
Eyes" she whispered, nesting closer
in ,ic oY,,,c GIT haya oarol oil a1pnr +
think. You have magnetized me in some
way. was drawn to you irresistibly.
All the summer was one long dream to
me because you were there, and l saw
you daily. never even tried to cheat
myself with the puerile belief that the
feeling had for you was platonic, that
mask under which so many try to de-
ceive themselves and hide their real feel
ings. No knew 1 loved you, and
guessed that 1 was not quite Indifferent
to you. But you should never have
known had You not spoken. am too
proud woman to wear my heart on my
sleeve. Do you remember the day of
your accident-that fearful day? / saw
you fall into the road and for one awful
moment Of sickening suspense thought
you were killed. But when l knew you
were only badly hurt, not dead, felt l
could not bear that you should be tended
anywhere but here, so that might look
after You and be your companion in your
convalescence. And have been so hap
py during these past weelsl'
1t seemed to Gordon his ears must be
playing him false as the sweet voice
faltcred and paused. His queen, whom
he had always thought so cold, SO calm,
was in hic arms, at his feet. Tightening
his arms round her, he bent his face
over hers till his lips met and sought
hers in long, delirious kiss Then a
prolonged silence ensued
The freight had sunk to dull glow,
the room was wrapped in deepest shad-
ows, when the loud banging of several
doors and the sound of loud, CHEEKY
voice announced the return of Sir John
Lexley from hunting. AS he entered the
library the ususal cheerful picture Of
brightly blazing fire and the graceful
form of his wife presiding at the tea la